RUSTON – The first place Lady Techsters return to Ruston to face Kennesaw State in the Thomas Assembly Center Thursday night.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Thursday, Jan. 29 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Thomas Assembly Center
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Video: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (97.7 FM) | LA Tech Athletics App
Tickets: LATechSports.com/Tickets
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (13-5, 6-1 CUSA)
The Lady Techsters are returning to Ruston after their second away-stand sweep, beating the Missouri State Lady Bears and FIU Panthers to improve to 6-1 in conference play. Louisiana Tech is currently in first place in the Conference USA standings and have the longest active winning streak in the league.
 
Against FIU, the Lady Techsters jumped ahead early, starting with a 13-4 run entering the first media timeout. Seven different players chipped into the scoring effort, allowing for a 19-12 lead entering the second quarter. FIU fought back in the second, closing the gap to 35-32 heading to the locker rooms. LA Tech only shot one free throw in the first half.
 
Louisiana Tech used the second half to take the lead and never give it back, stretching the lead to as much as 20 midway through the fourth quarter. Jianna Morris would hit three triples in timely fashion, sealing a 74-59 Lady Techsters victory.
 
Kaleigh Thompson proved huge minutes off the bench, scoring a season high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Thompson also had a 17 plus/minus, the best of any Lady Techster.
 
LA Tech dished 22 assists on 32 made baskets, its third time assisting at least 22 times this season. During conference play, the Lady Techsters have dished 18.6 assists per game, over three more than second place Kennesaw State. Louisiana Tech also lead in points per game at 69.9 and in field goal percentage at 47.3 percent.
 
Louisiana Tech's defense shut down the top three scorers in Conference USA this past week. Kaemyn Bekemeier of Missouri State averaged 20.8 points per game, the most in the league, but only managed seven against the Lady Techsters, almost 14 points lower than her average. LA Tech then faced Rhema Collins and Parris Atkins of FIU, who then took the one and two spots after Bekemeier's average fell. Collins scored nine (-9.5) while Atkins scored 14 (-3.6), both below their averages.

ABOUT KENNESAW STATE (10-8, 3-4 CUSA)
Kennesaw State currently sit at seventh place in Conference USA after sweeping their home stand against New Mexico State and UTEP. The Owls most recently bested New Mexico State with a heroic 31-point Keyarah Berry performance, her new career high.
 
KSU roared from the jump, having a 21-6 lead after the first quarter and only allowing a 16 field goal percentage. The lead stayed safe through the second, entering halftime with a 35-22 lead. Both teams traded runs in the third, with the Owls starting the quarter on a 9-0 run and the Aggies answering with a 14-5 run. The Kennesaw State lead was never in danger in the final frame, winning 70-55.
 
Keyarha Berry scored a career-high 31 points, shooting 16 free throws. KSU as a team shot 38 free throws, the second most by a conference team this season, making 21. Trynce Taylor notched a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 15 boards.
 
Berry leads the team with 15 points per game, the sixth most in the league. Kailyn Fields sits third in the league in assists per game, dishing 4.5 per game. TaTianna Stoval has the most blocks in Conference USA with 27.
 
Kennesaw State have the best efficiency offensively and defensively in the conference. The Owls shoot a league best 44.4 percent from the field and hold defenses to 38.7 percent, the lowest mark in the league. KSU also shoots the triple at the second-best clip, making 34.6 percent of their attempts.  

THE SERIES
This marks the third matchup on the hardwood for the programs, splitting conference play last season. The last matchup came in Kennesaw with a 79-72 Owl victory, highlighted by a 14 point Jordan Marshall double-double. There were 10 lead changes and 11 ties throughout the contest.

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