Nevada women's basketball preview box

LOUISIANA TECH (8-9, 2-2) AT NEVADA (12-5, 3-1)

When: Today, 6 p.m.

Where: Lawlor Events Center

TV/Radio: None/1450AM, pregame at 5:45 p.m.

Coaches: Nevada's Kim Gervasoni (53-85) in her 5th year; Tech's Chris Long (51-27) is in his 4th year

Projected starters: TECH - F JoKeirra Sneed (13.6 ppg, 10.2 rp), Shanavia Dowdell (11.9, 8.0); G Tiawana Pringle (6.9, 2.9), Natassja Levingston (8.5, 1.9), Tarkeisha Nysinger (8.2, 5.3); NEVADA - F Cherlanda Franklin (5.1, 5.1), Brandi Fitzgerald (8.1, 4.2); C Marianne Lombardi (4.4, 3.4); G Dellena Criner (18.1, 3.8), Mikail Price (10.3, 2.8)

About Nevada: The Pack got some bad news over the weekend when it was learned that freshman center/forward Shavon Moore suffered ligament damage to her knee and will miss the rest or the season. It will be up to Lombardi, Andrea Sitton and Sabrina Keys to pick up the slack ... Criner is coming off her second 30-point game or the season against Boise State (33). She has raised her scoring average to 18.2, tops in the WAC ... Nevada will need to shoot better from beyond the arc than it did against Boise State. Nevada shot just 24 percent, and Johnna Ward and Mikail Price were a disappointing 3-for-15 combined ... Ward and fellow freshman Jennifer Gross both finished with 10 points off the bench against Boise State. Gross also pulled down eight rebounds.

About Louisiana Tech: The Lady Techsters are off to a slow start , but did get a big win over previously unbeaten New Mexico State the last time out ... Nevada's defense will focus on containing JoKierra Sneed and Shanavia Dowdell, both of whom put up a double-double against NMSU. In fact Sneed averages a double-double (13.6 points and 210.2 rebounds per game).

Compiled by Darrell Moody