Techsters drop heartbreaker at WKU, 71-67

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky – Louisiana Tech was on the verge of yet another upset against one of the top teams in Conference USA but the Lady Techsters dropped a heartbreaker, falling 71-67 at Western Kentucky Saturday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena.

Tech (14-15, 6-12 C-USA) jumped out to a 12-point first half lead before watching WKU (22-7, 14-4) fight back to take as much as a seven point lead in the third quarter. The two teams continued to battle in a game that saw five ties and 11 lead changes.

Junior Raizel Guinto scored a career-high 20 points, hitting 6-of-10 three-pointers, but it was her layup with 2:27 to play in the game that gave Tech a 67-66 lead. Tech maintained the lead until less than a minute to play when WKU came down with a loose ball on the offensive end following a miss and converted with a Raneem Elgedawy layup with 53 seconds to play to go up 68-67.

“We were up 67-66 and couldn’t get a loose ball and they kept possession and ended up scoring,” said Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr. “I thought that was a big play. We had gotten the stop but we couldn’t get the loose ball.”

On Tech’s next possession the Lady Techsters got a couple of opportunities. Tech inbounded the ball following a missed shot and a loose ball that was knocked out of bounds by WKU with 27 seconds to play. Amber Dixon drove down the left side of the lane and went up against two WKU defenders and missed the shot, falling to the floor.

“I thought we got a great look on next to last offensive possession,” said Stoehr. “I am anxious to see that one on film. I thought she got ridden and hit on the paly and there was no call. But that didn’t lose the game.

“I thought we fought. We didn’t back down. We got down seven in the second half and continued to fight. I thought Raizel shot the ball well which was good to see. We had some turnovers in the stretch where they came back. It’s another gut-wrenching loss. We have had four of those in the last eight games.”

Tech jumped out to an early lead, building as much as a 21-9 advantage in the opening quarter. WKU fought back to cut the Tech advantage to 34-33 at halftime and then pulled ahead 58-51 late in the third quarter.

But the Lady Techsters rallied, closing the deficit to 58-55 at the end of the third and then opening the fourth quarter with a Guinto three-pointer that tied the game at 58-58.

In addition to Guinto’s effort, Anna Larr Roberson scored 11 points and added five rebounds while Amber Hawkison and Dixon each added 10 points.

Tech will head to the Conference USA Tournament Wednesday. Game time and opponent will be known later tonight.