RUSTON, La. – The Mississippi Valley State University women's basketball forced 17 first-half turnovers and trailed by only three at intermission but saw Louisiana Tech gradually widen its advantage in the final 20 minutes to win.
 
The Basics
 

• Final Score: Louisiana Tech 69 | Mississippi Valley State 56

 

• Records: Mississippi Valley State (0-6, 0-0 SWAC) | Louisiana Tech (6-2, 0-0 C-USA)

 

• Location: Ruston, Louisiana – Thomas Assembly Center

 

• Series History: Louisiana Tech Leads 2-0

 

• Winning Streak: Louisiana Tech (W2) | Mississippi Valley State's Last Win: N/A

 
Mississippi Valley State Top Performers
 

• Zakiya Mahoney splashed a career-best three triples on four attempts after not having more than two in a game through her first 25 games at MVSU. She also tallied a season-high four assists plus a team-best 17 points along with six rebounds and two steals.

 

• Sarah Moore had the best rebounding effort of the season by any Delta Devilette student-athlete, bringing down a personal-high 13 boards while swiping a steal in her second consecutive contest.

 

• Shelli Thigpen made her second appearance of the year and first start, logging her first assist in 2021-22, with season-highs for minutes played (23), points (8), field-goals (3) and boards (2).

 

• Kerrigan Johnson was money from downtown, making a season-best four long distance shots which she converted into 14 points.

 

• Mikayla Etienne tied her season-high with a game-best four steals and her fifth contest of ten-plus points in-a-row (11).

 
Notes
 

• The Delta Devilettes bested the Lady Techsters from the free-throw line (85% to 64%) and from beyond the arc (44% to 23%) but the difference-maker was LA Tech's edge in overall field goal percentage (44% to 29%).

 

• In a shocking stat that defies coaching and basketball logic, Valley is now 0-5 in games where it has won the turnover margin, giving up 19 while forcing 24 (+5).

 
Head Coach Walker-Johnson will get its second and final home non-conference game on Saturday, hosting the Northwestern State Demons (2 p.m.) to kick off a doubleheader with the men facing Arkansas State (4 p.m.).
 
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