By Kevin Albarado, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications
RUSTON — Down nine heading into the fourth quarter, Louisiana Tech held Western Kentucky to two points over the final 10 minutes to mount a ferocious comeback at the Thomas Assembly Center on Wednesday night.
With the 45-41 win, LA Tech improved 12-17 overall and 6-8 in Conference USA. WKU dropped to 15-14 and 6-8 in the league. The Lady Techsters and Lady Toppers are tied for fourth in the conference standings with a week and a half left in the regular season.
WKU ended the third quarter on a 5-0 run, but the fourth quarter belonged to Tech.
Neither team scored for the final stanza’s first three and a half minutes. An Amaya Brannon layup started to change that in favor of Tech. Paris Guillory’s 3-pointer from the corner capped off an 8-0 run that brought the Lady Techster to within 39-38. The Lady Toppers would get their only points at the four-minute mark to push the lead back to three. Brannon countered with a layup of her own.
Tech struggled from the line in the three quarters, making just 1-of-6, but would knock down 8-of-10 in the fourth. The final six attempts came in the final 15 seconds of the game. Jianna Morris drew a foul with 13 ticks on the clock and drained both to give the Lady Techsters their first lead since the second quarter. The Techsters’ defense rose to the occasion and forced the Lady Toppers into two turnovers, including one by Guillory on the inbounds right in front of the Tech bench.
Tech opened the game with consecutive 3s by Silvia Nativi and Salma Bates but would not make one for the remainder of the half. Having to rely on the inside game, the Lady Techsters relied on Anna Larr Roberson to keep them in the game.
Roberson scored 10 consecutive points for the Lady Techsters over the second and third quarters before having to sit due to foul trouble. That is when the Lady Toppers made a run to get a nine-point advantage after three.
Roberson scored a game-high 12 points while grabbing six boards. Guillory narrowly missed her first career double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds while adding three steals and two assists.
The Lady Techsters’ defense held every Lady Topper out of double figures. Destiny Salary and Karris Allen had a team-high eight points.