RUSTON – Louisiana Tech wins overtime thriller to close the season in Ruston against UTEP on senior night.
 
The Lady Techsters struck first with a Jordan Marshall layup, but the game would remain tight midway through the frame. UTEP would then rip a 10-2 run to take a seven point advantage. LA Tech rebounded to close the gap to two, but the Miners continued to score, winning the first quarter 23-19. Alexia Weaver was near perfect in the frame, scoring a team high eight points with two triples.
 
Paris Bradley made back to back layups to tie the game, forcing an early UTEP timeout. Bradley then rejected a Miner layup and went coast-to-coast to take the first LA Tech lead of the quarter. The rest of the frame would be tightly contested with eight lead changes and five ties in total. UTEP heaved a prayer behind the three point line and hit, giving the Miners a 38-37 lead heading to the locker rooms.
 
In the first half, there were 11 lead changes and five ties, with Louisiana Tech only leading for 3:30 of game time. Bradley and Weaver led the team with 10 points each. The Miners shot 40.0 percent from three.
 
Jordan Marshall's second chance layup gave Louisiana Tech the lead to start the third quarter, but UTEP answered fast, scoring the next five points. LA Tech would tie the game yet again, but the Miners three point shooting was unconscious, pushing the UTEP lead back to seven. Louisiana Tech would score the frame's final seven points, tying the game heading into the final quarter, 53-53.
 
Bradley opened the frame with her first triple of the night to give the Lady Techsters the lead. The next three baskets would be UTEP, LA Tech, UTEP triples, tying the game yet again. Midway through the frame, Bradley would make a layup and Jianna Morris would immediately steal the inbounds pass, getting fouled on her made layup. It would give LA Tech five points in three seconds, extending the lead to six with 5:06 left to play. Weaver's layup would stretch the lead to nine, the largest of the night for the Lady Techsters. UTEP would answer with a 12-2 run over the final two minutes of the game, giving the Miners a one point lead with seven seconds to play. Bradley would be fouled on the ensuing possession, tying the game at the free throw line. UTEP fumbled the inbounds pass under the basket, allowing the clock to hit 00:00 in regulation. This game is heading to overtime, 79-79.
 
In regulation, there were 21 lead changes and 13 ties.
 
Overtime was the Averi Aaron show. Aaron scored seven of the Lady Techsters first nine points in the frame, giving LA Tech a three point lead with her triple with 1:19 left to play. UTEP would not score a basket the last 1:30 while Aaron ended the game at the free throw line, lifting Louisiana Tech to a 91-87 victory. Aaron scored eight of the Lady Techsters 12 points and was perfect from the field. The Boerne, Texas native also grabbed a rebound, dished an assist, and recorded a steal in the extra period.
 
LA Tech did not trail in overtime, despite trailing for 21:28 of game time. Bradley led the way with 26 points while grabbing nine rebounds and five steals. It marks the second game in a row of nine rebounds and five steals for Bradley. Weaver was close behind with 22 points, shooting 8-13 from the field.
 
17 wins in a row is the most by a Conference USA team in the last 25 years and the longest win streak by Louisiana Tech since 2003.
 
Senior Mackenzie Wurm was celebrated pregame and the Lady Techsters celebrated conference title number 38 postgame.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Brooke Stoehr
We had to dig deep tonight to come out with the win. Give UTEP credit. They played really well and made some big shots. It was not our best defensive effort, but sometimes you have to credit your opponent. I am incredibly proud of the grit and resilience this group showed when we did not have our best and things did not go our way. They stayed true to who they have been all year and found a way to make enough stops and enough plays when we needed them. The beautiful thing about this group is that in a day and age when they could be a group of talented individuals about themselves, they have chosen over and over to be about the team. I am incredibly grateful for that and appreciate it so much. There is beauty in what we have watched this group accomplish so far this season because they have been the true personification of a team!
 
We will enjoy this and appreciate the moment and accomplishment of winning a regular season championship with this group. We will get back to work and concentrate on preparing to go 1-0 on Wednesday in Huntsville. We have stuck with our positive discontent all year and that will not change now. Everyone is 0-0 and we have to find a way to survive and advance!
 
NOTABLES

• This was the first game to go to overtime for the Lady Techsters this season.
• 91 points is the most LA Tech have scored in a conference game this season.
• 87 points is the most LA Tech have allowed in a conference game this season.
• Jianna Morris has made a triple in 35 straight games.
• Morris made a three pointer in every regular season game this season.
• This was the third game of 20+ points for Paris Bradley this season.
• Alexia Weaver has scored at least 20 points in three games this season.
• Five Lady Techsters scored in double figures.
• Both Bradley and Marshall were one rebound away from a double-double.
• Both teams scored 26 in the fourth quarter.
• The Lady Techsters have the longest win streak in CUSA the last 25 years with 17 in a row.
• Louisiana Tech won the last 17 games in a row of the regular season.
• The Lady Techsters have won 38 conference titles, 22 being in the regular season.
• The game consisted of 22 lead changes and 16 ties.

UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech heads to Huntsville, Alabama to play in the Conference USA Championship. The Lady Techsters will be the #1 seed and face the winner of Kennesaw State / Delaware on Wednesday, March 11 at 11:30 a.m.

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