UCLA Women’s Challenge Rebuffed by Louisiana Tech

It was almost as if the Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team felt insulted Tuesday night when UCLA cut the Lady Techsters’ lead to 14 points midway through the second half of their nonconference game in Pauley Pavilion.

How dare the Bruins interrupt what was shaping up as one of those easy nights, a mere tuneup for fourth-ranked Louisiana Tech’s showdown against third-ranked Cal State Long Beach Thursday night?

The Lady Techsters didn’t take too kindly to the Bruins’ threat. After a timeout, they reeled off 12 straight points and went on to whip UCLA, 76-50, in front of 350 fans.

It could have been worse, but the Lady Techsters were guilty of some sloppy play, and their 22 turnovers nullified several scoring chances.

Forward Stacey Davis led undefeated Tech (18-0) with 18 points, while center Tori Harrison added 13. The Lady Techsters, who shot 54%, used their superior quickness on the front line to score heavily from inside.

The Bruins, meanwhile, had a dreadful shooting night, as they made 17 of 68 shots for 25%. Fans in the halftime shooting contest made a better percentage.

UCLA (11-8) was coming off consecutive wins over Arizona State and Arizona--games in which freshman guard Jaime Brown, making her first starts, sparked the Bruins with 20- and 22-point performances. She made her first four shots in each win.

Tuesday night, Brown was 0 for 7 in the first half and didn’t score until she made her first shot in the second. By then, the Bruins trailed, 38-21, and their chances for a comeback seemed remote.

But UCLA was able to make one run at the Lady Techsters when it bunched eight points together to cut Tech’s lead to 50-34 with 13:43 remaining. Two minutes later, Anne Dean and Shari Biggs each hit jumpers to make it 54-40.

But that was as close as the Bruins would come.