No. 9 Louisiana Tech 66, San Jose St. 59

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) After playing four straight games on the road and enduring its closest conference game of the season, Louisiana Tech is exhausted and ready to go home.

``I could not jump, especially the last five minutes,'' Cheryl Ford said after the ninth-ranked Lady Techsters extended their winning streak to 17 games with a 66-59 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night. ``It's been a tough couple of weeks. I'm ready to go home and get some rest.''

Ford had 16 points and 14 rebounds as Louisiana Tech (19-2, 11-0 Western Athletic) tied a record by winning its 14th straight conference game.

Trina Frierson tipped in a missed free throw in the final 30 seconds to give Louisiana Tech a four-point cushion, and Ford made three free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal the win.

``Coach just told us we had to reach down and fight through it,'' Ford said. ``That's what we did, and we won.''

Erica Smith added 14 points as Louisiana Tech won for the 17th straight time.

``You have to give San Jose State credit for being ready to play, but we're coming off what has to be the worst road trip in the WAC,'' Louisiana Tech coach Kurt Budke said. ``Sometimes you have to gut it out and find a way to win. I'm not unhappy at all. I'm pleased with the win and more pleased I get to see my wife and kids for the first time in two weeks.''

Cricket Williams had 22 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists for San Jose State (8-12, 4-7), which lost its season-high fourth straight. Jessica Kellogg added 17 points.

``I think we did a great job overall,'' said Williams, who's from New Orleans. ``We all played a great game. This should be an inspiration for us. We should have won this game, and that should give us some confidence.''

The Lady Techsters, who played games in four different states in a 10-day span, could set the record at home against Fresno State on Thursday night. Since traveling to Boise State for a Jan. 30 game, Louisiana Tech has spent one day at home in the past two weeks.

Tamaka Clay hit one of two free throws to give Louisiana Tech a two-point lead heading into the final minute. San Jose State missed a free throw, then turned the ball over to set up Frierson's key basket.

``Somebody found a way to get this done for us,'' Budke said.

In three previous meetings between the teams, Louisiana Tech won by 30, 40 and 45 points. The Spartans' worst loss of the season came to the Lady Techsters, 83-38 on Jan. 9.

``You almost have to play a perfect game to beat them,'' Spartans coach Janice Richard said. ``We only had a few breakdowns, and we weren't able to knock down the shots when we needed.''

Kellogg hit three 3-pointers in a two-minute stretch early in the second half as the Spartans rallied to tie the game at 42-42 with 14:13 remaining. It was still tied a minute later when Ford hit the first of two free throws to put Louisiana Tech ahead to stay.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)