Lady Dawgs Lose

BASKETBALL

Adrienne Johnson scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Louisiana Tech (7-4) to a 77-62 win over Georgia (9-3) in the opening round of the FIU Fun & Sun Classic on Wednesday.

Jasmine James posted a team-high 20 points for Georgia and freshman Khaalidah Miller chipped in 10 off the bench.

"Louisiana Tech stayed the course for the entire 40 minutes," Andy Landers said. "It was a very well-deserved win for Louisiana Tech and a very sound effort."

Tech seized control of the game late in the first half and then used a decisive 10-0 run in the second stanza.

The Lady Techsters outscored Georgia 13-5 over the final 5:46 of the opening period to turn a tie game into a 41-33 lead at the intermission.

Georgia was within five points at 50-45 with 15:51 remaining and gained possession on a steal. However, a turnover in transition led to an uncontested Johnson layup that sparked a 10-0 surge during the next two minutes.

The Lady Dawgs never whittled the lead to single digits the rest of the way.

"When we got it close, it seemed to me that we turned it over and they scored easily and quickly on the other end," Landers said. "Then you have to start over trying to get it back close. At least half of our turnovers were on the perimeter, and when that happens it results in easy baskets on the other end."

After Louisiana Tech led for most of the game's early moments, the Lady Dawgs knotted the score at 18-18 on a Miller three from the right corner with 9:50 remaining in the half. The team's traded back-to-back threes to make it 24-24 before the Lady Techsters surged ahead to their eight-point halftime advantage

Louisiana Tech's 77 points were the most the Lady Dawgs have surrendered this season, and the Lady Techsters' 51.6 percent shooting effort from the floor represented the first time a Georgia foe has made half their shots. Tech also won the rebound count, 41-20.

"It was a very poor effort on the defensive end and very poor effort on the boards and that's very disappointing," Landers said. "That was the difference."

The Lady Dawgs will now face FIU in the tourney's consolation game at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Georgia will then open Southeastern Conference play this Sunday when the Lady Dawgs host South Carolina at 2 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum. The first 1,000 kids (8th grade and below) in attendance will receive University of Georgia silly bands.