Frazier makes splash in debut

RUSTON, La. - El Dorado freshman Whitney Frazier scored 18 points Tuesday in her collegiate debut as Louisiana Tech topped UA-Monticello 79-52 in an exhibition at the Thomas Assembly Center.
Tavasha Anderson scored a game-high 19 points and Whitney Jones added 18 points each to lead Louisiana Tech.
Anderson added 10 rebounds and Jones pulled down 13 boards to both record double doubles as the Lady Techsters outrebounded the smaller Cotton Blossoms 54-26 in the game.
"That's the one thing I mentioned in the locker room the rebounding of Whitney and Tavasha," Coach Teresa Weatherspoon said. "It's important for our bigs to get rebounds every night. But to take a look at the stat sheet and see a guard with 13 rebounds, it's excellent. Whitney has the ability to get it done every night on the boards."
Frazier hit 7-of-12 field goals and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. The Lady Techsters also got contributions from three other rookies in Courtney Hayes (6 points, 3 rebounds), Parkers Chapel's Savanna Langston (3 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) and El Dorado's Kanedria Andrews (3 rebounds, 2 assists).
"I was really pleased with the (freshmen) understanding and grasping of what I said in huddle and trying to go between four lines and execute," Weatherspoon said. "They came in with energy but nervous. Once the ball went up the jitters went away. They need to understand they are in Division I basketball and in that uniform for a reason. They started to really perform and do well."
After a sluggish start that saw Arkansas-Monticello jump out to a 10-7 lead in the first five minutes, LA Tech responded going on a 13-0 run over the next four minutes to lead 20-10 on an Anderson layup with 11:31 to play in the first half.
Tech's biggest lead of the first half came at 33-15 on a Jones layup with 6:01 to play as the Lady Techsters entered the halftime locker room leading 37-20. Tech shot 53 percent (17-32) from the field in the opening half.
Tech returns to action Nov. 8 when it hosts Delta State at 7 p.m. in its final exhibition game before its season opener Nov. 11 against Missouri State.