RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and a decisive final-quarter surge, the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters pulled away from the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Golden Lions for a 73-49 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday afternoon at the Thomas Assembly Center.

A crowd of 4,200 watched as the Lady Techsters used a dominant 29-point fourth quarter to break open what had been a competitive contest through three periods, improving their season record to 2-2. The Lady Golden Lions, hampered by inefficient shooting and turnovers, fell to 1-4.

The first half was a low-scoring, defensive affair. Louisiana Tech held a narrow 28-20 lead at halftime, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm. Arkansas-Pine Bluff managed just eight points in the opening quarter and 12 in the second, shooting a frigid percentage from the field.

The Lady Golden Lions showed signs of life after the break, erupting for 20 points in the third quarter to keep the pressure on the Lady Techsters. A three-pointer from Indiya Bowen and a layup from Jailah Pelly highlighted the period, but Louisiana Tech answered enough to maintain a 44-40 advantage heading into the final frame.

The fourth quarter, however, belonged entirely to Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters’ offense finally clicked into gear, outscoring Arkansas-Pine Bluff 29-9 over the final 10 minutes. The run was fueled by a combination of forced turnovers and sharp outside shooting, effectively putting the game out of reach.

Jianna Morris led all scorers for Louisiana Tech, pouring in 17 points. She was instrumental in the fourth-quarter explosion, connecting on multiple three-pointers. She was complemented by Paris Bradley, who added 15 points, and Alexia Weaver, who chipped in 13. Hillary Dawson provided a strong presence off the bench with nine points.

For Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jailah Pelly was the primary offensive threat, finishing with 14 points. Tyra Taylor contributed 12 points, and Indiya Bowen added 10 in the losing effort.

The statistical sheet painted a clear picture of the contest. While both teams had an identical 72 possessions, Louisiana Tech’s offensive execution was vastly superior. The Lady Techsters posted an offensive rating of 100.7, compared to a meager 67.8 for the Lady Golden Lions.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s shooting woes were a decisive factor. The team connected on only 18 of its 59 field goal attempts, a 30.5 percent clip. From beyond the arc, they were just 4 of 17. Louisiana Tech was not much more efficient from deep, hitting 7 of 26, but their overall field goal percentage of 42.6 percent proved sufficient.

Turnovers and points off those mistakes also told a key part of the story. The Lady Golden Lions committed 17 turnovers, which the Lady Techsters converted into 15 points. Louisiana Tech gave the ball away 13 times, leading to only eight points for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Louisiana Tech also held advantages in points in the paint, 34-26, and offensive rebounds, 11-9.

The game was the second in a challenging early-season stretch for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which lost to Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday. Louisiana Tech, meanwhile, bounced back from a road loss to the same Louisiana-Monroe team last Friday.

Looking ahead, Louisiana Tech will host Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Arkansas-Pine Bluff continues its road trip with a game at South Dakota next Tuesday.