Hilltoppers too much for Techsters, 66-55

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team fell on the road to Western Kentucky 66-55 inside the E.A. Diddle Arena Thursday evening. The Hilltoppers held LA Tech to 36 percent shooting (19-53) while knocking down 42 percent of their own attempts, going 26-62 from the floor.

After a 5-5 start to the game, with Anna Larr Roberson scoring her first bucket since missing the last six games due to injury, Western Kentucky (9-8, 6-2 C-USA) manufactured a 14-4 over the next four minutes to take a 12-point lead (19-7). LA Tech (11-7, 4-4 C-USA) answered with a 7-2 run, but a 53 percent first quarter gave WKU a 23-14 lead after one.

Neither team could find much consistency in the second, but Tech was able to shave one point off the WKU lead thanks to two late free throws from Roberson, sending the teams into the halftime locker room at 33-25.

The third quarter offered more of the same, with back-and-forth spurts until the final 90 seconds, with WKU finishing on a 7-1 run to expand their lead to 15, 51-36.

Tech finally found some rhythm in the fourth quarter, putting together an 8-0 run on back-to-back threes from Gabbie Green and Silvia Nativi, followed by a jumper from Mackenzie Wurm to cut the lead back to ten (59-49) with 4:37 remaining, but WKU answered right back on the next possession.

Tech would throw one final surge at the Hilltoppers, cutting the lead to seven with 1:44 to play off six quick points from Keiunna Walker but could get no closer. Walker scored a game-high 16 points to go with five rebounds. Roberson added eight points and eight rebounds in her return.
Back2Back Bang-Bang pic.twitter.com/y7uPzDI20i
– Lady Techsters (@LATechWBB) January 20, 2023

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Brooke Stoehr…
“I didn’t think we were very good defensively early, and then we couple that with missing shots, they got some separation getting up by nine. I thought we defended better in the second and third quarters and cut into the lead, but then we’d have a turnover. You have to be poised when you play on the road, especially in a place like this.

We had some really good energy this week, and it was disappointing how we came out tonight, and we couldn’t recover from that. We did have a shot at the end when we cut it to seven with a chance to get the ball back but don’t grab a loose ball. It was a frustrating night, for sure. You can’t feel sorry for yourself, though. We have to go play the best team in the league on Saturday, and we knew this would be a tough week.”

NOTABLES
LA Tech leads the all-time series 27-25 and now has a 16-9 edge in games played in Bowling Green. WKU has now won 11 of the last 12.
Tech’s bench reached double figures for the 16th time this season and 20-plus for the 11th time scoring 21.
LA Tech shot a season-high 93 percent from the line going 13-14.
Keiunna Walker reached double figures for the 12th game in a row with 16. Walker also drew her 34th charge of the season.
Salma Bates registered her 250th career assist.
Amaya Brannon tied a season-high with three assists.
Mackenzie Wurm had a season-high two steals.
Gm 18 | By The Numbers pic.twitter.com/6x0lwcPo5O
– Lady Techsters (@LATechWBB) January 20, 2023

UP NEXT
Louisiana Tech will wrap up its three-game road stretch with a quick trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. inside the Murphy Center. The game can be seen on ESPN+. Live stats and radio can be found on the LA Tech Athletics app.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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