RUSTON, La. – Junior guard Cloe Lane had a career night with 24 points as the Alcorn State University women's basketball program fell 87-50 to Louisiana Tech Friday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. With the loss, the Lady Braves finished their non-conference schedule with a 4-7 mark.
Lane shot 9-17 (52.9 percent) from the floor, 2-4 (50.0 percent) from deep, and converted all four of her free-throw attempts. The Kansas City, Kan. native added four rebounds, an assist, a block, and five steals. Senior guard Tia Sanders was the only other Lady Brave to reach double-digit scoring with 10 points. The team's leading scorer this season pulled down four rebounds with an assist and a steal. Senior guard Alexus Freeman contributed seven points with a pair of rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Freshman forward Jamaysha Bernard led Alcorn on the glass with a season-high seven boards.
The Lady Braves shot 16-51 (31.4 percent) from the field, including 6-15 (40.0 percent) from beyond the arc, and 12-19 (63.2 percent) at the free-throw line.
LAT (9-4) controlled the game from start to finish, opening with a 12-0 run before pulling away with 19 unanswered to take a 35-6 lead with 8:55 to play in the second quarter. Lane scored all six of Alcorn's points in the first and added another five in the second 10 minutes of action. The hosts netted 28 in the opening quarter and added another 26 to take a 54-19 lead at the break.
The second half was more competitive with Louisiana Tech outscoring Alcorn by a narrow 33-31 advantage. A key part of the game was the charity stripe, with the Lady Braves not getting to the line until the 2:59 mark in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Lady Techsters benefitted from 18-22 shooting at the line. Alcorn did outscore the hosts 19-13 in the final quarter, but by then the game was out of reach.
The Lady Techsters had five players reach double figures, led by Zhanae Whitney's 14-point, 10-rebound double-double. Kierra Anthony also finished with 14, Anna McLeod added 11, and Taylor Stahly and Reauna McDonald both contributed 10. LAT went 32-64 (50.0 percent) from the floor and 5-16 (31.3 percent) from long-range.
Louisiana Tech controlled the specialty stats, scoring more points in the paint (50-16), more points off turnovers (31-10), more fast-break points (11-4), and more bench points (39-9). The hosts also won the battle on the glass (49-27), committed fewer turnovers (22-27), and grabbed more steals (16-10).
Alcorn opens up SWAC play on Monday in Prairie View, Texas in a 3 p.m. contest against the Lady Panthers (2-9). Prairie View A&M win its first two games of the season but is looking to snap a nine-game skid.
Notes
- The four wins in non-conference play marks the best start since the 2006-07 season when the Lady Braves also won four with wins over Jacksonville State, Idaho, Lamar, and Tennessee State.
- Lane's nine field goals, four free-throws, and 38 minutes also marked career highs. She tied her mark in steals, having earned five against Oral Roberts on Dec. 15 in Alcorn's first game at the Shocker Winter Classic.
- Bernard set a season high in free-throws made with a 2-3 effort at the charity stripe.
- Redshirt-sophomore guard Brianna Tolliver made her first three-pointer of the season. She also set season highs with four boards and 17 minutes played.
- Louisiana Tech led by as many as 43 points (1:37 in the 3rd). It marks the largest lead by an opponent this season.
- Alcorn was held to just six points in the first 10 minutes, a season low for a quarter. The 19 points in the first half are also a season low.
- LAT scored 19 straight, the most consecutive points scored by an opponent this season.
- The Lady Techsters remain perfect in the all-times series, improving to 9-0.
- With the loss, Alcorn went 0-2 against Conference-USA opponents this season. The Lady Braves dropped a close 72-67 decision at Southern Miss on Nov. 24 in the Lady Eagles Thanksgiving Classic.
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