By JJ MARSHALL

jjm023@latech.edu

 

Tasha Williams received Most Valuable Player honors this past weekend as she lifted the Lady Techsters 79-75 over Rice in Houston, Texas, winning the Gene Hackerman Invitational.

The returning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year’s three-point play with 35 seconds remaining sealed the win for the Techsters.

The Lady Techsters (3-1) defeated the University of Texas-San Antonio last Friday 75-67, and the win last Saturday against Rice gave the Techsters the championship on the Owls’  home floor.

“We did a lot of good things tonight,” head coach Chris Long said.

“We had to overcome a lot of adversity and we made plays down the stretch when it counted.”

Five Tech players scored in double figures, led by Williams’ 17 points.

Ty Moore added 15 points of her own to go with a team high 12 rebounds.

The Lady Techsters held Rice to 0-10 from the three-point line and out rebounded the Owls 41-35.

Tech shot a season high 47 percent from the field the day after struggling from the field in the first game.

In the opening game of the tournament against UT-SA, Tech overcame poor shooting to advance into the final game of the championship.

The Lady Techsters shot only 10-31 in the first half, and trailed by three points entering the final twenty minutes.

“In the first half we got good looks, we just didn’t knock down shots,” Long said.

“We missed 10 free throws including a number of front ends of one-and-ones.”

“If we would have made our free throws in the first half, we would have felt a little more comfortable.”

It was the tale of two halves  in this game for Tech.

In the second half the Lady Techsters shot 50 percent from the field.

“We got Tasha some more looks, and we did a better job of pushing the basketball,” Long said.  “When we do that, good things happen. I also thought defensively we locked them down much better in the second half.”

Aarica Ray-Boyd and Williams led the Techsters with 15 points each, but were the only players in double figures.

Tech also overcame a cold night at the free-throw line, shooting 58 percent.

Williams also dished out eight assists, a season high.