RUSTON – Louisiana Tech dropped the first conference game of the year, closing a 10-game winning streak in the Thomas Assembly Center to the Bearkats.
 
The Lady Techsters won the opening tip but gave up the first points of the game to Bearkat free throws. The game would be tied 8-8 heading into the first media, the third tie of the quarter. Four Sam Houston points in the final 20 seconds closed the LA Tech lead to 18-17 after the first quarter. Kaleigh Thompson led the team with six points and four rebounds.
 
The second quarter was another close 10 minutes, highlighted by six lead changes and six ties. Jianna Morris hit her first three pointer of the game to extend her active three-point streak to 18 games. Paris Bradley's lone three pointer of the half gave the Lady Techsters the lead heading into the half 34-33. Bradley and Thompson both found themselves in double-figure scoring entering the second half, with 11 and 12, respectfully.
 
The first 20 minutes of the game saw nine lead changes and 10 ties, with Louisiana Tech leading in points from turnovers (19-13), points in the paint (24-18), and points from the bench (18-5).
 
Jordan Marshall extended the lead scoring the first four points of the quarter with two layups. The quarter was another boxing match from then on with Sam Houston stringing together baskets to take the lead 49-43. A 6-0 Lady Techster run tied the game, with an Isla Airey hook shot regaining the lead 51-50 entering the final frame. Sam Houston forced 9 turnovers, resulting in 13 points.
 
The final quarter saw the final tie of the match as the Bearkats forced a turnover and scored in transition, never relenting the lead from the 8:42 mark. The lead ballooned to as much as eight with less than four minutes to play. Louisiana Tech quietly started a run, closing the gap to one two separate times with a minute to play. A costly turnover with 13 seconds left would keep the game out of reach for the Lady Techsters, allowing the Bearkats to close the game at the free throw line 67-64.
 
Over 40 minutes of play time, there were 12 lead changes and 12 ties. Louisiana Tech committed a season high 25 turnovers and shot a season low 13 three pointers. The three three-pointers made tied for the least amount of the season, last at Baylor.   
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Brooke Stoehr
I am very disappointed in our toughness and competitive character tonight. Credit to Sam Houston. I thought they came in here and punched us and were the tougher team. There is no excuse for that. Bottom line is we played exactly like we practiced yesterday. I told them that yesterday, and apparently the message was not delivered clearly enough to our group. Conference games come down to having the toughness to rebound, take care of the ball, make free throws, and being able to execute. You do not just show up and flip a switch.
 
We have 17 more conference games to play and figure out how to win. There is a lot of basketball left to play, but we have a lot of work to do. We will get back to work tomorrow and find the ones that want to commit to competing to that standard consistently.
 
NOTABLES

• Jianna Morris shot 2-6 from the three-point line, extending her streak to 18 games in a row with a three pointer.
• Kaleigh Thompson scored 16 points on 8-9 shooting, marking the second game in a row Thompson has led in scoring. She has scored in double-figures three games in a row.
• Three three pointers are the least the Lady Techsters have made in a game since making three against Baylor earlier in the year.
• The Lady Techsters shot only 13 times from behind the arc, the first time this season they have not shot at least 20.
• Twenty-five turnovers are the most by Louisiana Tech this season.
• LA Tech shot 9-18 at the free throw line, the second worst mark of the year.
• Jordan Marshall's 10 points extends her double-figure scoring streak to six games, the highest active streak on the team.
• Neither team scored more than 18 points in a quarter, with the difference in each quarter being 1, 0, 0, 4.
• The Lady Techsters 10 game win streak was snapped, which started against Sam Houston last year.

UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech heads on the road for the first time in 2026, facing Delaware for the first time in Newark on Thursday January 8^th at 5:30 p.m. CT.
 
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