RUSTON – Louisiana Tech travels to Tudor Fieldhouse to face Rice in the first round of the WBIT Thursday night.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Thursday, March 19 | 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Tudor Fieldhouse | Houston, Texas
Stats:  https://riceowls.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Video: ESPN+
Radio: 107.5 FM (KXKZ) | LA Tech Athletics App

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (26-6, 17-1 CUSA)
The Lady Techsters enter the WBIT after falling to Missouri State in the CUSA Tournament Championship 43-38. Louisiana Tech are automatic qualifiers after a stellar 2026 campaign, winning the CUSA regular season championship. LA Tech went 17-1 in conference play with all 17 wins coming in a row.
 
Louisiana Tech led Missouri State through the first half 26-23 with two late 6-0 runs to end the first and second quarters. Paris Bradley and Averi Aaron both tied for the lead with seven points apiece, but Bradley's seven rebounds were three more than the next closest player in the game. The offense took a nosedive in the second half, shooting 15.6 percent from the field, only making five shots in the final twenty minutes. Despite the poor shooting, LA Tech was always in the game, only allowing six points and one make to the Lady Bears in the final quarter. Ultimately, the Lady Techsters fell 43-38.
 
It was the lowest scoring effort in six years and the lowest shooting percentage in 14 years.
 
Bradley and Joy Madison-Key were named to the CUSA All-Tournament Team. Bradley averaged 17.7 points on 54.1 percent shooting, made 13 three pointers on 59.1 percent shooting, and grabbed 14 rebounds and five steals. Madison-Key dished a tournament high 16 assists, including nine against Delaware in the semifinals.
 
This is Louisiana Tech's first WBIT berth and 38th postseason berth as a program (27 NCAA, 3 AIAW, 6 WNIT).
 
Louisiana Tech held CUSA opponents to 44.6 points per game in the CUSA Tournament, 13.7 points below their already number one CUSA defense of 58.3.
 
The Lady Techsters won 19 games in a row, the first time in over 20 years. LA Tech boasts the best offense (73.2), defense (58.3), margin (14.8), field goal percentage (44.3), and assists (16.1) in Conference USA.
 
ABOUT RICE OWLS (28-5, 17-1 AAC)
The Owls host the first round of the WBIT under eerily similar circumstances as Louisiana Tech. Both schools went 17-1 in conference, had win streaks of 19 or more games, and lost in their conference tournament championship to the six seed while scoring 40 or less points.
 
Rice was defeated by UTSA in the American Championship 54-40. The Owls shot 27.1 percent from the field and 21.7 from the three point line. After managing an 8-6 lead to close the first, Rice only mustered five points in the second quarter, trailing 20-13 entering halftime. The Roadrunners outscored the Owls 20-13 in the third quarter, ultimately giving them a 54-40 victory.
 
Hailey Adams led the Owls with 12 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and an assist, while Victoria Flores added eight points and a steal.
 
The Owls are top 4 in both offense (70.0, 4^th) and defense (59.5, 2^nd) in the American Conference.
 
No team in the country shoots free throws better than the Rice Owls. Six players shoot above 80.0 percent, totaling an 81.6 percentage, the best mark in the country.
 
Rice is littered with award winning talent. Guard Victoria Flores Jr. won Player of the Year in the American Conference, the first Owl to do so. Flores averaged 14.1 points per game and led the league in free throw percentage at 89.1 percent. Shelby Hayes won Most Improved while Louann Battiston Jr. won Sixth Player of the Year. Flores and Dominque Ennis won First Team All-Conference while Hailey Adams was named to the All-Defensive Team. Head coach Lindsey Edmonds was also named Coach of the Year.
 
THE SERIES
Louisiana Tech leads Rice 17-16 in the all-time series history. The Owls won the last matchup 60-57 in Houston during the 2022-23 season before leaving CUSA.
 
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