Western Kentucky beat Alabama-Birmingham 64-55 Saturday, February 27, 2016, at E.A. Diddle Arena. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

Western Kentucky has one more game until it’s do-or-die time.

The Lady Toppers will close their regular season at 7 p.m. Saturday night in Ruston, La., against Conference USA foe Louisiana Tech.

It’ll be WKU’s final contest until it takes the court Thursday night at UAB’s Bartow Arena in a C-USA Tournament semifinal.

The Lady Toppers (23-5 overall, 14-3 C-USA) take a three-game winning streak into their tilt Saturday against coach Tyler Summitt’s Lady Techsters (14-14, 9-8).

WKU’s last loss was an 81-72 defeat Feb. 20 at Charlotte. Since then the Lady Toppers have notched wins against rival Middle Tennessee, UAB and, most recently, Southern Miss.

WKU forced 22 turnovers Thursday to overcome a rough offensive outing of its own and nip the Golden Eagles 54-53 in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Saturday’s matchup with Louisiana Tech “is a big game for us,” guard Kendall Noble told the Daily News in a phone interview after the Southern Miss game. “We can’t look ahead to next week or lose focus or anything.

“Our goal was to win out after the loss at Charlotte. We have one more game and then we can worry about the tournament when it comes.”

Noble was the key player down the stretch for the Lady Toppers on Thursday.

The 5-foot-11 redshirt junior scored a game-high 20 points, including WKU’s final seven. She hit 6 of 11 field goals, 8 of 11 free throws and totaled six rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block against two turnovers in 38 minutes.

Noble’s performance continued a pattern of different players stepping up and making plays in clutch situations, Lady Toppers coach Michelle Clark-Heard said.

“I think we’ve been in different situations and I think different people have stepped up at different times,” Heard said. “I think that’s what’s really important. We just have to continue to keep working and keep finding a way to come out with the W.”

Noble’s big night came on the same day she was named a Third Team Academic All-American.

The Hazard native is also one of six candidates for C-USA Player of the Year. The winner of that award will be announced Monday.

Noble and her WKU teammates will face another candidate for that award Saturday in Louisiana Tech forward Brandi Wingate.

The 6-foot-1 senior will be playing her final game at the Thomas Assembly Center. Wingate averages 17.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

“I know that they’re really, really aggressive,” Heard said. “They have Wingate as their leading scorer.

“They like to press all over the place and get up and down the floor. We turned it over 17 times (Thursday) and we’re going to have to take care of the basketball, be strong with the ball. We’re going to have to rebound and step up and make free throws, do the things that we need to.”

The Lady Toppers are currently tied for second in the league with MTSU, but would be the No. 3 seed in the C-USA Tournament if current standings held.

WKU can move up to the second seed for next week’s championship if it beats the Lady Techsters on Saturday and last-place FIU pulls a massive upset at MTSU.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech can clinch the No. 5 seed for the 14-team C-USA Tournament with a win against the Lady Toppers. The Lady Techsters are coming off a 54-52 home loss against Marshall on Thursday.

“Western Kentucky is a great basketball team,” Summitt said in a release. “We will have to play much better offensively than we did (against Marshall). We were bad Thursday night.

“However, I think our seniors want to go out as winners and their teammates want them to as well. We still have a lot to play for and our players know that. It will be a big challenge.”

– Follow Daily News sports reporter Brad Stephens on Twitter at twitter.com/stephens_brad or visit bgdailynews.com.

Western Kentucky (22-5, 13-4 Conference USA) at Louisiana Tech (14-14, 9-8)

7 p.m., Saturday, Thomas Assembly Center

Probable starters

Western Kentucky

Tashia Brown, F, 6-1 so. (17.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Kendall Noble, G, 5-11 r-jr. (17.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg); Ivy Brown, F, 6-1 so. (11.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg); Kayla Smith, G/F, 5-11 fr. (5.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg); Jalynn McClain, F, 6-0 sr. (3.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg)

Louisiana Tech

Brooke Pumroy, G, 5-9 sr. (12.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg); Rochelle Vasquez, G, 5-8 jr. (3.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg); Ashley Santos, G, 5-11 jr. (9.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Brandi Wingate, F, 6-1 sr. (17.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg); Reauna Cleaver, F, 6-2 fr. (5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Television

WKUsports.com (online)

Radio

WWKU 1450-AM and 102.7-FM

Coaches

Michelle Clark-Heard (99-30, fourth year; 123-62 overall), WKU; Tyler Summitt (30-29, second year; 30-29 overall), Louisiana Tech

Series history

Louisiana Tech leads 26-15 (WKU won last meeting 82-66 on Jan. 29, 2015 in Bowling Green).

Last time out

WKU won 54-53 at Southern Miss on Thursday; Louisiana Tech lost 54-52 at home to Marshall on Thursday.