Louisiana Tech adds Tulane women’s basketball transfer Salma Bates

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr announced Friday the addition of Tulane transfer Salma Bates to the Lady Techster women’s basketball program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Salma to the Lady Techster family,” said Stoehr. “Salma is a heady, lefty guard that can create for her teammates, score off the dribble and shoot from the perimeter. She plays with poise and will bring great experience to our backcourt.

“Salma is a competitor and a winner. She has been a part of multiple Louisiana high school state championship teams at John Curtis and has gained invaluable experience these last two years at the Division I level. She is a terrific, young woman who will be a great addition to our program and Louisiana Tech.”

Bates is a 5-foot-7-inch guard out of Kenner, Louisiana, who prepped at John Curtis High School where she led the program to three straight state titles. Rated as a three-star emerging prospect by Premier Basketball Report coming out of high school, she scored 14 points in the state title game win over McKinley her junior season.

She signed with Tulane where she spent the past two seasons playing for the Green Wave. As a sophomore she averaged 4.7 points, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds while averaging 17 minutes a game. Bates shot 44 percent from the field and 15-of-44 from the three-point line.

“I chose Louisiana Tech because Coach Brooke and her staff have treated me as family,” said Bates. “She believes in me not only as a player but in helping me reach my goals in life. Throughout the process, she shared her vision for me and the team which is exciting. The Lady Techsters have an amazing tradition, and I feel truly blessed to now be a part of it.”

Bates posted a double double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a win over Tulsa and added 15 points against Wichita State. She recorded career-highs of seven assists vs. Nicholls State and four steals against Cincinnati.

She saw action in 44 games the past two years while making four starts.