RUSTON, La. – Guided by a career-high 31 points from junior guard
Kyra Collier, the Little Rock Trojans (1-0, 0-0) took down the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (1-1,0-0) 69-58 Friday afternoon. The win was the Trojan's first ever in the Thomas Assembly Center. Little Rock is now 18-12 all-time in season openers and 46-37 when playing in the state of Louisiana.
Collier got off to a hot start, scoring the Troajn's first four points and would tally 12 points at the halftime break, 10 of them coming in the first quarter. Little Rock would hold a 35-22 advantage headed into the locker room.
The Lady Techsters would come out with a vengeance in the third quarter, scoring 20 points on 46.7 percent shooting compared to the Trojan's eight points on 27.3 percent shooting, and would put a clamp on defensively, jumping out on top 48-43.
LA Tech would extend the lead to 51-44 early in the fourth quarter before the tides changed and Little Rock's Team would turn up the defensive pressure. Collier's 21
st point of the outing tied the game at 51-51 with 7:02 left on the clock and the Trojan's would close the contest on a 18-7 run, 10 of those points coming from the North Little Rock, Ark. product.
Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year
Ronjanae DeGray would add 10 points and eight rebounds for the Trojans,
Teal Battle logged nine points,
Anna Hurlburt and
Raeyana DeGray chipped in six points apiece,
Yanina Inkina logged five points and
Sydney Chastain handed out six assists to go with two points. Hulburt also collected two blocks.
Collier is the first Little Rock player to score 30 or more points since Taylor Gault's 31 points vs. Oral Roberts on Nov. 21 of 2012.
The Trojans will return to Little Rock for a three-game home stand in the Jack Stephens Center starting Wednesday, Nov. 14 against Florida Atlantic at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the games can be purchased
here.
