Michigan
Louisiana Tech
Fifth-Ranked Lady Techsters Speed Past Wolverines
1/9/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score:Â #5 Louisiana Tech 84, Michigan 66
Records:Â U-M (9-3), LTU (12-2)
Next U-M Game:Â Sunday, Jan. 10 -- vs. Minnesota (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team hosted fifth-ranked Louisiana Tech Saturday (Jan. 9) in a CBS regionally televised game. The Wolverines suffered their worst loss since the 1996-97 season, falling 84-66 to the Lady Techsters. Now at 9-3 (1-1 Big Ten), Michigan has dropped two straight games after recording a school-record nine-game winning streak prior to the New Year.
Junior Stacey Thomas (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) led Michigan with 14 points and added 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year. She also had four steals. Louisiana Tech senior forward Amanda Wilson scored a game-high 24 points on 12-of-15 shooting while grabbing 11 boards and four steals.
La. Tech got on the board first with a quick bucket from Wilson and steadily built a lead. Finding themselves down by 18 points with six minutes left in the half, the Wolverines battled back to come within 10, 31-41, on two free throws from Ann Lemire (Fairgrove, Mich./Frankenmuth HS). The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half, sending the teams into the locker room with a 45-34 lead for the Lady Techsters.
The second half was all Louisiana Tech. Though it took two minutes for either team to get on the board, the Lady Techsters went on a 5-0 run before Michigan landed its first basket at 15:49 on a jump shot from freshman Raina Goodlow (Detroit, Mich./Dominican HS). A layup from LaQuan Stallworth at 13:18 put La. Tech up by 21, 60-39, but Michigan again battled back to bring it within 14. Every time Michigan threatened a comeback, the Lady Techsters responded with consecutive baskets, never allowing the Wolverines closer than 12.
Michigan turns around to play its second game in as many days when the University of Minnesota tips off against the Wolverines Sunday evening (Jan. 10) at 7 p.m. The game will be aired on Ann Arbor's WTKA AM-1050.
QUOTES
Michigan Coach Sue Guevara
"It's pretty obvious we were not ready to play with the big girls. Every mistake we made, they capitalized on. That's why they're the No. 5 team in the country. We had to play our best game today and we didn't. We made poor passing decisions. We're a better team than that."
"We tried everything. We tried a 3-2 zone, they busted the threes. We tried man-to-man, their post players got it done."
"We need to do a better job executing, but Louisiana Tech had a lot to do with that. I have to give my team credit though for hustling and playing hard. We didn't want to get into a running game with them, we wanted a four-pass game. We'd force some shots after one pass though and they'd come up with the defensive rebound."
"We have 15 hours to get ready for Minnesota tomorrow."
U-M Senior Guard Ann Lemire
"A lot of us were excited, maybe a little bit nervous, but I don't know if it was intimidation. It's just frustrating when you're trying so hard and they're up by so much, getting easy, quick baskets."
Louisiana Tech Coach Leon Barmore
"We have four starters back, we had little depth last year, and to this point we've been an erratic team. (Monica) Maxwell set the tempo. Her effort at the beginning of the game was crucial."
"Michigan has a lot of young players; eventually they will be a good team, they just need a couple more players. They hurt us on the offensive boards. Michigan is a hard team to guard, but defensively, I think our effort was good. Coming in, we were worried about Michigan's transition. We heard (Indiana head coach) Jim Izard say after their game that it looked like a track meet out there."
LTU Junior Guard Tamicha Jackson
"We have a lot of respect for Michigan. They have great players, like Stacey Thomas. We didn't come in underestimating them. We knew it would be a good game."
