Louisiana Tech ready for road showdown
RUSTON, La. - For the second time in as many games, Louisiana Tech will take the floor in a Conference USA contest without the traditional benefit of a practice and shoot-around on the opponent's home court.
This time Mother Nature is the culprit.
Head coach Brooke Stoehr and Co. will face an up-and-coming Florida International team this morning at 10 a.m. at Ocean Bank Convocation Center in the Golden Panthers Education Day Game. The Lady Techsters (12-5, 3-1 C-USA) and the Golden Panthers (5-12, 2-2 C-USA) will be aired live on ESPN3 (WatchESPN app).
Louisiana Tech was originally scheduled to arrive in Miami Wednesday at 6 p.m. and practice at Ocean Bank Convocation Center. However, due to the winter weather in Atlanta, Louisiana Tech's plane
was delayed hours coming out of the international airport, thus forcing the Lady Techsters to miss their connection.
As of the publication time of this release, the best case scenario for the Lady Techsters was to arrive in Miami after 1 a.m. tonight, less than 10 hours before tipoff.
Louisiana Tech was able to overcome somewhat similar circumstances last weekend in Huntington, West Virginia, when the team's bags didn't arrive at the Charleston airport.
The Lady Techsters weren't able to practice, but still went out and recorded a 74-65 win over Marshall the next day.
In the past few years, the Florida road trip has been relatively simple for Conference USA teams as Florida International and Florida Atlantic have both struggled to qualify for the league tournament. However, this year is much different.
Both the Golden Panthers and Owls have already shown they are more than capable of playing with some of the top teams in the league.
Florida International is coming off its most impressive victory of the season, defeating Rice 68-58 and snapping the Owls nine-game winning streak Saturday.
Although Tech has owned the series to a tune of 11-0, including a 76-63 win in Miami last season, the Lady Techsters know they are in for a fight on the hardwood.
Florida International is led by the one-two punch of guard Kristian Hudson (13.9 ppg, 29-75 three-pointers) and forward Kiandre'a Pound (13.9 ppg, 9.6 rpg).
Pound was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year four years ago.
However, the biggest offensive threat over the last five games has been sophomore guard Alexis Gordon.
The Palm Bay, Florida native is averaging 19.6 points per contest during that time, which includes a 40-point outburst in a win over Vermont.
Gordon has connected on 26-of-48 three-pointers during the five game stretch.
As a team, Florida International is one of the top three-point shooting (.339 percent) and free throw shooting (.743) teams in Conference USA, although the Panthers struggle defensively, allowing 72.2 points per game and ranking last in rebounding (minus-4.0 rpg).
Louisiana Tech counters with its own three-headed threats featuring forward Alexus Malone (13.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and guards Kierra Anthony (13.0 ppg, 41 steals) and Taylor Stahly (11.2 ppg, 47-105 three-pointers).
Stahly has hit at least one three-pointer in 17 straight games, the longest streak by a Lady Techster since current head coach Brooke (Lassiter) Stoehr recorded a streak of 25 straight games during 200002.
The Lady Techsters rank among the league leaders in rebounding (plus-4.8 rpg), steals (10.2 rpg) and turnovers forced (20.0).