RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — In a tense, back-and-forth Conference USA women’s basketball opener, the Sam Houston Bearkats executed a composed final minute to edge the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters 67-64 on Friday night at the Thomas Assembly Center.

The game, played before a crowd of 1,431, was a defensive struggle defined by runs and critical turnovers. Sam Houston (8-4, 1-0 CUSA) never trailed by more than four points but also could not build a comfortable lead, setting the stage for a frantic finish.

Louisiana Tech (7-5, 0-1) held a narrow 64-62 advantage after Jordan Marshall converted a layup with 29 seconds remaining. The Bearkats immediately inbounded to senior guard Fanta Kone, who drove the length of the floor for a layup to tie the game with 17 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Paris Bradley’s inbound pass was intercepted by Sam Houston’s Aysia Ward-Strong near midcourt. Ward-Strong was fouled by Marshall with 12 seconds on the clock and calmly sank both free throws to put the Bearkats ahead 66-64.

The Lady Techsters had one final chance, but Jianna Morris’s contested 3-point attempt from the right wing missed as time expired. Deborah Ogayemi secured the defensive rebound for Sam Houston and was fouled, adding one final free throw for the final margin.

The contest was a tale of two halves for the offenses. Both teams shot inconsistently from the field throughout, with the Bearkats finding just enough offense from their key trio. Kone, a guard from Bamako, Mali, led all scorers with 19 points and added five assists, orchestrating the offense for the full 40 minutes. Ward-Strong, a guard from Dallas, provided 15 crucial points, including the game-winning free throws, along with four steals. Ogayemi, from Waterford, Ireland, chipped in 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double.

Louisiana Tech was paced by Kaleigh Thompson’s 16 points off the bench, while Bradley finished with 15 points and four assists. Marshall added 10 points for the Lady Techsters, who out-rebounded Sam Houston but were undone by 24 turnovers, which the Bearkats converted into 19 points.

Sam Houston established a slight early rhythm, leading 17-18 after a first quarter that featured five ties. The Bearkats maintained a one-point edge at halftime, 33-32, despite a late second-quarter push from Louisiana Tech that included a Paris Bradley 3-pointer.

The third quarter saw the Lady Techsters briefly seize momentum, using a 7-0 run to take a 49-43 lead following a jumper from reserve center Isla Airey of Melbourne, Australia. Sam Houston responded with a 9-2 spurt to close the quarter, capped by a Whitney Dunn layup, to reclaim a 52-51 advantage heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter featured six lead changes and three ties, with neither team leading by more than three points until the final second. Louisiana Tech’s last lead came at 64-62 following Marshall’s layup, setting up the decisive sequence from Kone and Ward-Strong.

Defense was the constant for Sam Houston, which held Louisiana Tech to just 13 points in the final quarter. The Bearkats’ ability to force turnovers in critical moments, finishing with 14 steals, ultimately proved the difference.

The victory marks a significant road win for Sam Houston to open conference play, defying pregame analytics that heavily favored Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters, who entered the game with an 82.6% probability of winning according to Interstat’s ELO system, saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Sam Houston continues its conference road swing with games at Liberty and Delaware next week. Louisiana Tech looks to rebound with a two-game trip to Delaware and Liberty.