By Kevin Albarez, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo by Kevin Albarez
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Paris Bradley’s career-high 21 points was not enough for Louisiana Tech as the Lady Techsters fell 61-43 to Middle Tennessee inside the Murphy Center on Saturday afternoon.
Louisiana Tech (11-8, 4-4 CUSA) battled Middle Tennessee (14-6, 6-1) throughout the first quarter. Bradley scored the first seven points for the Lady Techsters, including a three from the corner to give Tech a 7-5 lead three minutes into the game. The Techsters couldn’t get a shot to go down the rest of the quarter. However, one of the nation’s best teams at getting to the free throw line used that to their advantage. The final eight points for LA Tech came from the charity stripe, including the final six in the last minute to pull within one.
Tech continued to struggle from the field in the second quarter, only able to connect on three triples. The Blue Raiders would go into the locker room up 32-24.
Bradley continued to do the heavy lifting for the Techsters in the third. The freshman was a perfect 3-3 to account for seven of Tech’s 11 points. Louisiana Tech finished the quarter shooting 41.7 percent from the field, with the other points coming from Isla Airey and Jianna Morris.
Louisiana Tech continued to fight throughout the final stanza. An Averi Arron three from the top of the key and two Bradley free throws cut the deficit to eight with seven minutes remaining. MTSU would take advantage of the foul trouble to the Techster’s forwards to extend the lead back to double figures.
Louisiana Tech finished shooting just 27.3 percent from the field, but 40.0 percent from long range and 76.5 percent from the charity stripe. Bradley was the only Lady Techster in double digits, while Jianna Morris added seven points and five boards. Robyn Leefinished with 10 rebounds.
Middle Tennessee shot 38.5 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from long range, and 78.9 percent from the free throw line. Anastasiia Boldyreva finished with a double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Jalyn Gregory had 17 points and Ta’Mia Scott had 13.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Brooke Stoehr
“I thought our group battled today but didn’t have enough balance offensively. Give Middle credit. You have to be extremely tough from a mental and physical standpoint to handle their runs and answer them on their home court. We’re in a three possession game to cut it to two possessions in the fourth and we couldn’t answer. I thought we had some really good moments and didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had when we they presented themselves. We will get back to work on Monday and continue to move forward and build with this group. There is a lot of basketball left to be played, and each of these experiences are preparing us for playing our best basketball in February and March.”
NOTABLES
- Paris Bradley has scored double figures in seven consecutive games and 11 of the past 13 games.
- Bradley extends her consecutive games with an assist to 19.
- Bradley’s three 20-point games are the most by a Lady Techster freshman since JaQuan Jackson had three in 2013-14.
- Bradley has led Tech in scoring six times this season, the second most on the team.
- The three triples by Bradley tie her career-high that she set on three other occasions.
- It is the third time Robyn Lee has 10+ rebounds this season and the fourth time in her career.
- Louisiana Tech dropped to 7-14 all-time against Middle Tennessee.
UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will have a bye on Thursday before finishing the first half of CUSA action with a trip to Sam Houston on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum on ESPN+.