Auburn Tries to Determine How Perfect Louisiana Tech (32-0) Is

The Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team has been perfect thus far, posting a 32-0 record as it heads into the NCAA Final Four for the fourth consecutive season and seventh in the nine-year history of the event.

But despite his team’s No. 1 national ranking and its role as the favorite over No. 9 Auburn (27-6) in the second of tonight’s semifinal matchups, Coach Leon Barmore is not overconfident.

“I like Stanford, Auburn and Virginia . . . in that order,” he said. Barmore was joking but refused to make predictions.

Barmore said there is more to Louisiana Tech than center Venus Lacy, who averages 24.2 points and 12.7 rebounds per game.

“We have two of the best guards in the game in Sheila Ethridge and Shantel Hardison, and they don’t get a lot of ink because of Venus Lacy,” Barmore said.

The Tigers rely heavily on 5-8 guard Carolyn Jones, who is averaging about 20 points and six rebounds.

Senior forward Evelyn Thompson, who averaged nine points during the regular season, appears intent on closing her career in style, having averaged almost 16 in the NCAA tournament.