Lady Techsters finish regular season with Conference USA series at Rice
HOUSTON, Texas – Points could be at a premium this weekend at Tudor Fieldhouse when the top two defensive teams in Conference USA meet.
Louisiana Tech (13-7, 8-6) face Rice (13-2, 9-1) Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. in the final regular season Conference USA series of the year for the Lady Techsters.
Rice, winners of 22 straight home league games dating back to a loss to Louisiana Tech in March of 2018, ranks No. 1 in scoring defense (57.9 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.341). The Owls have held seven opponents to under 55 points this year.
Louisiana Tech ranks No. 2 in Conference USA in scoring defense (59.1 ppg) and No. 3 in field goal percentage defense (.384). Tech has held 13 of its 14 league opponents to 63 points or less.
“You can’t play passive or scared or settle for jumpers,” said Louisiana Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr. “You have to be very strategic with your attack and what you are looking for offensively. We have been very solid defensively. We have to find a way to get to the free throw line and find a way to score some in transition.”
The centerpiece to the Owls defense is 6-foot-9-inch Nancy Mulkey (16.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.2 bpg), who poses a huge defensive obstacle for opposing teams. Mulkey leads C-USA in blocked shots with 48.
“You have to make some three-pointers,” said Stoehr. “Last year we led the majority of game at home until the last possession of the fourth quarter but we shot it from the perimeter well in that game. You have to be able to make outside shots and play with some confidence about you.
“I do think our team is playing with a lot more confidence on the offensive end. Because of how Rice plays with their Princeton offense, you don’t get a lot of possessions. It’s a low-possession game. You have to take advantage of scoring opportunities when you get them.”
Louisiana Tech hasn’t played since a two-game road sweep at UAB after seeing its games against Middle Tennessee last weekend canceled due to travel issues caused by winter weather.
Rice (13-2, 9-1) dropped its first Conference USA game, splitting a two-game road sweep at Marshall. The Thundering Herd defeated the Owls 68-56 Sunday afternoon to snap Rice’s nine-game winning streak. The only other loss by the Owls this season came at 4th ranked Texas A&M (57-53).
Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series 15-12, although the Owls have won four straight, including an overtime victory in Ruston last year.
“They like to run and to push and to play fast in transition,” said Stoehr. “If they don’t get an early look in transition, then they will get into their Princeton offense. They are pretty methodical about what they are trying to do.”