Nevada women fall to Louisiana Tech

RENO - The Louisiana Tech basketball team snapped Nevada's four-game winning streak by defeating the Pack, 72-57, Thursday night before 384 fans at Lawlor Events Center.

Nevada drops 3-5 in the Western Athletic Conference, 7-13 overall, while La. Tech improves to 7-1 in the WAC, 15-4 overall.

":We didn't play our game. We were a totally different team the last four games," said Cherlanda Franklin, who scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds.

Jessica Preslar led the Pack with 13 points and Brandi Fitzgerald added 10.

"We've been playing a hustle game the last four games. Today, it just wasn't there," Preslar said. "We can play with them as a team. We weren't hustling and playing our game."

Nevada coach Kim Gervasoni said aggressiveness played a key factor in the game.

"It came down to they were the more aggressive team tonight," Gervasoni said. "They pressured us and made us rush. Defensively, they did a good job on us and took us out of our game."

As a result, Nevada shot only 29 percent from the field in contrast to La. Tech's 44 percent.

Gervasoni was pleased with her team's performance from the free throw line.

"We did a good job getting to the line. We shot a good percentage," Gervasoni said.

Nevada converted 22 of 29 from the line for a 75-percent average, while La. Tech was 22 of 31.

Gervasoni added Nevada needed to be more consistent, the same consistency it had during its winning streak, which included wins over Utah Valley State, Utah State, Boise State and Hawai'i.

"We just had too many lapses," she said. "We just weren't on the same page offensively."

Four players scored in double figures for the Lady Techsters, including Aarica Ray-Boyd with 18 points and four 3-pointers.

Tasha Williams scored 13 points, Shan Moore added 12, and Amber Metoyer had 10. Ty Moore dominated the boards by grabbing 13 rebounds, including 12 on defense.

La. Tech coach Chris Long said the difference in the game came with rebounding in the second half.

"We rebounded the ball better," Long said. "I give Nevada a lot of credit. They played hard. They had stretches in the game where they played good. They attacked well and we fouled them too much."

The Pack couldn't get under nine points of the Lady Techsters during the second half.

Franklin's two free throws cut the deficit to 40-31 with 17:50 in the half, and Salaia Salave'a's consecutive baskets put Nevada behind 52-43 five minutes later.

Ray-Boyd powered La. Tech to eight unanswered points by burying two 3-pointers and then added her final trey with 7:27 in the game for a 63-46 advantage.

Nevada couldn't get its offense started as the Pack scored just seven points before the 10-minute mark in the first half.

After that, Nevada scored 19 points to trail 35-26 at halftime.

"Early on, we got some good shots, but they weren't falling," Gervasoni said. "There's no 10-point shot, we just (need to) execute."

Nevada hosts New Mexico State Saturday at 2 p.m. preceded by a free all-sports clinic at 10:30 a.m. and lunch in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day at Lawlor Events Center.

All activities are for youths in eighth grade and below and are free.