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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -- Louisiana Tech got off to an
overpowering start in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
"The team just has great chemistry right now, a great inside
game and a great outside game," said Tamicha Jackson, who had 10
points as No. 3 Louisiana Tech routed South Alabama 95-51 on
Thursday in the tournament quarterfinals.
The Lady Techsters (26-2), who have won five of the past six Sun
Belt tournament championships, will play Arkansas State in the
semifinals Friday. The Lady Indians advanced by defeating Denver
58-53, outscoring the Pioneers 25-9 in the second half to overcome
a 10-point deficit.
Jackson was one of six Louisiana Tech players to score in double
figures. Takeisha Lewis led the Lady Techsters with 15 points and
11 rebounds. Twelve of her points came in the first half.
Melshika Bowman added 14 points for Louisiana Tech, winners of
16 straight games. Ayana Walker scored 11 and Cheryl Ford and
Catrina Frierson each added 10.
"Our inside game was very good tonight," Louisiana Tech coach
Leon Barmore said. "I think our inside post people are getting
better and better every game."
The Lady Techsters outrebounded the smaller Jaguars 57-33.
Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech shot 52.9 percent (36-of-68) from the
field, while South Alabama shot 21.5 percent (14-of-65).
Louisiana Tech used a 35-2 run to take a 37-6 lead with 9:04
left in the first half.
South Alabama (8-21) went more than 7½ minutes without a basket
before Jessica Webb's short jumper at the 8:45 mark ended the
Jaguars' scoring drought.
Louisiana Tech led by as many as 48 points on two occasions in
the second half. The final time came after Ayana Walker blocked a
shot and Bowman made a twisting layup to give the Lady Techsters a
90-42 lead with 3:33 remaining.
The Lady Techsters, who reached the semifinals of last year's
NCAA tournament before losing 77-63 to eventual champion Purdue,
outscored South Alabama by a combined 97 points in their two
regular-season games.
South Alabama beat Arkansas-Little Rock 73-58 on Wednesday to
earn a chance to play the Lady Techsters.
"We were just excited that we were able to advance from
yesterday's playoff game into this round," Jaguars coach Cheryl
Rice said.
Johnita Conrad led the Jaguars on Thursday with 17 points,
hitting five 3-pointers. Taneshia Russell added 11 points.
Rice said her players, as they did all season, gave everything
they had against Louisiana Tech.
"Whether we're up 20 or down 20, we're going to play the same
way," she said.
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
South Alabama Clubhouse
Louisiana Tech Clubhouse
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