Nevada women's basketball preview

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: LA. TECH (10-10, 5-2) AT NEVADA (12-8, 6-1)

When: Tonight, 7:05 p.m.

Where: Lawlor Events Center

Radio: ESPN Radio 630 AM

Coaches: Chris Long (Louisiana Tech); Kim Gervasoni (Nevada)

Probable starters: TECH - F Ty Moore (12.6, 9.6), Tamika Kursh (6.0, 5.2); G Eboni Mangum (8.1, 2.1), Shan Moore (11.6, 3.4), Amber Metoyer (5.8, 6.2); NEVADA - F Marianne Lombardi (5.3, 4.9), Andrea Sitton (3.1, 2.0); G Dellena Criner (14.4, 3.4), Traci Graham (13.1, 2.4), Brandi Fitzgerald (9.7, 4.7)

The prediction: Nevada 53, Louisiana Tech 50

GAME NOTES: The Lady Techsters had won 12 straight against Nevada before the Wolf Pack pulled out a 54-53 road win back on Jan. 18. Tech leads the all-time series 12-1 ... Nevada senior guard Traci Graham needs 13 points to become the seventh player in Nevada history to score 1,000 points. Chris Starr (2,356), Kate Smith (1,942), Dawn Pitman (1,654), Kat Larson (1.334), Ieesha Dondelle (1.095) and Katie Golomb (1,063) are the others to accomplish the feat ... The Wolf Pack's defense has been top notch much of the year. Nevada is 6-0 when holding team to 60 points or less, and 11-2 when holding teams under 70. The only tems to beat Nevada scoring under 70 are USF and Boise State ... Nevada is No. 9 in the country and leads the WAC with 12.85 steals per contest, while Tech is averaging 10.25 a game. Dellena Criner leads the WAC with 2.9 thefts a game, while Brandi Fitzgerald and Graham are fourth and sixth, respectively, in the conference ... Criner is coming off her first double-double when she scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Fresno State last week ... Following the game against Tech, Nevada will hop a flight to Hawai'i for a game against the Rainbow Wahine in an attempt to sweep the season series.

Compiled by Darrell Moody