WKU Women’s Basketball put together a dominant performance Thursday, taking down Louisiana Tech 69-61.
The win brought the Lady Toppers’ win streak to four games and improved their record to 13-5 (4-2 Conference USA). The win also brought the team to third in the CUSA.
Senior guard Destiny Salary scored 17 points while playing all 40 minutes. Senior guard Alexis Mead added 13 points, and four starters scored in double digits.
“Staying together and communicating within each other on the court was a big help,” Mead said. “Just going down the stretch and being able to stay as a solid five unit is going to help us in the playoffs.”
First Half
The Lady Toppers started hot, leading the Lady Techsters 19-5 with just over three minutes left in the quarter. However, the Lady Toppers were outscored 11-2 the rest of the way, leading by just five points at the end of the first quarter. Junior guard Josie Gilvin led with eight points.
The second quarter was the same, with WKU taking a 15-point lead with two minutes left. But the Lady Techsters kept it close, scoring eight points late and keeping within striking distance. Gilvin kept up her strong performance, scoring five points.
Second Half
Louisiana Tech cut the lead to five early in the third quarter, but the Lady Toppers would battle back, taking an 11-point lead capped off by a Mackenzie Chatfield three with four seconds left. Senior guard Alexis Mead led the way with five points.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair. The Lady Techsters cut it to three points late with two minutes left, but Salary and Mead hit clutch shots to lead the Lady Toppers to a 69-61 win. Salary took over, scoring seven points in the quarter.
“It was a good win against a good team,” Head Coach Greg Collins. “It was a great environment. That’s the best school day I can remember. It’s a lot of fun to have them here and it was good to see our players run up there and give high fives and take selfies with the kids.”
The Lady Toppers will be back in action at Diddle Arena against Sam Houston State this Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.
Sports Reporter Austin Rice can be reached at [email protected]