Ticket punched: Missouri State upsets top-seeded Louisiana Tech to return to the NCAA Tournament

First time’s a charm.

Missouri State’s inaugural Conference USA season ended with a tournament championship on Saturday after downing top-seeded Louisiana Tech 43-38 at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama, earning a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Bears (22-12) will learn their first-round opponent and destination on Sunday night during a 7 p.m. Selection Show on ESPN.

MSU, a No. 6 seed, snapped the 19-game winning streak of Louisiana Tech (26-6) to reach its first March Madness since 2022. It can thank its defense for getting there.

Louisiana Tech, which averaged 74 points a game, was held to a paltry 22.7% from the field (15 for 66) and was stymied inside as the Lady Bears totaled 12 blocks, including seven from forward Lainie Douglas.

The 6-foot-3 sophomore continued her late-season tear by scoring 15 points to go with 11 rebounds, a near triple-double with her lofty block total.

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“We didn’t come this close to go out there and not give everything,” Douglas said.

Louisiana Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr lauded MSU’s effort.

“They played really well this week,” Stoehr said. “To come out today and defend the way they did, you tip a cap to them.”

After being held to a combined 6 for 24 from the field in Missouri State’s two regular-season losses to Louisiana Tech (68-67 loss on the road, 60-51 loss at home), junior Kaemyn Bekemeier came up big in the third and most important matchup.

The all-CUSA first-team selection had 16 points and nine rebounds, helping fourth-year MSU head coach Beth Cunningham reach her first NCAA Tournament with the program.

Bekemeier was named CUSA Tournament MVP after averaging 17.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in wins over No. 3 seed Middle Tennessee, No. 2 seed FIU and prohibitive favorite Louisiana Tech.

Having grown up 13 miles from Missouri State’s campus in Republic, helping the program she revered as a child reach its latest NCAA Tournament – the tradition-rich program’s 18th appearance – was a surreal experience.

“To wear the jersey I grew up wanting to wear and to be able to go to the big dance, it’s a dream come true,” Bemekmeier said.

Her two free throws in the final minute helped the Lady Bears hold off Louisiana Tech, which cut the Lady Bears’ lead to a single possession in crunch time.

Senior point guard Maycee James, who had five steals, also hit a pair of key free-throws to hold off a Lady Techsters program with 27 NCAA Tournament appearances to its name.

James is among the several new faces of a roster that included four freshmen in the Bears’ regular rotation. MSU lost five starters from last year’s MVC co-championship team, but returned two of league’s top reserves in Bekemeier in Douglas, who have since become bona fide Conference USA standouts.

In an unpredictable conference season (four of the league’s top six teams, including MSU went 11-7 in CUSA play) that had its highs and lows, Cunningham’s pieces played their best when it mattered it most.

“I’m literally at a loss for words, so I won’t say a whole lot,” Cunningham said through a hoarse voice. “I couldn’t be prouder of our resilience, our toughness. Hats off to Louisiana Tech, what a heck of a year to run through the conference like they did. They were outstanding.

“It was a great game, a defensive battle. Just thrilled for our kids. It’s pretty sweet, right now. Pretty sweet.”