Louisiana Tech defeats UTEP 75-63
Louisiana Tech Edges UTEP in Conference Thriller, 75-63
The Thomas Assembly Center was electric on Tuesday night as Louisiana Tech hosted conference foe UTEP in a tightly contested matchup. In the end, the Bulldogs came out on top, 75-63, behind a balanced attack and strong defensive effort.
The home team took an early lead, building a 20-point advantage midway through the first half before UTEP narrowed the gap to just two points at the break. Louisiana Tech's DJ Dudley led the way in the opening stanza, scoring 10 of his 18 points in the period. The Bulldogs' Kaden Cooper and AJ Bates also chipped in with eight and seven points, respectively.
At halftime, Louisiana Tech held a slim 38-28 lead, but UTEP threatened to pull off an upset in the second half. The Miners cut the deficit to just four points before the Bulldogs regained control behind Dudley's hot shooting. He converted on three of his five attempts from beyond the arc in the period.
The Turning Point:
With around 10 minutes remaining, Louisiana Tech's Caleb Blackwell and UTEP's Jamal West Jr. exchanged baskets, tying the game at 41-41. However, the Bulldogs responded with a 7-0 run, capped off by a three-pointer from Dudley to give them a 48-41 lead.
Key Performances:
* DJ Dudley (Louisiana Tech) - 18 points, 3-7 3PT, 46.2% FG
* Kaden Cooper (Louisiana Tech) - 8 rebounds, 10 points, 1 ast, 3 stl
* AJ Bates (Louisiana Tech) - 10 assists, 10 points, 5 reb
UTEP's Caleb Blackwell and Jamal West Jr. also had strong games for the Miners.
Comprehensive Team Statistics:
Louisiana Tech (HOME):
* Field Goals: 22/52 (42.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 11/28 (39.3%)
* 3-Point FG: 11/24 (46.0%)
* Free Throws: 20/34 (59.0%)
UTEP (AWAY):
* Field Goals: 21/57 (37.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 13/27 (48.1%)
* 3-Point FG: 8/30 (27.0%)
* Free Throws: 13/16 (81.0%)
Advanced Stats:
Louisiana Tech:
* eFG%: 52.9%
* FT Rate: 65.4%
UTEP:
* eFG%: 43.9%
* FT Rate: 28.1%
The advanced stats highlight the Bulldogs' efficiency on offense and their ability to capitalize on free throws.
Final Margin:
Louisiana Tech's victory came with a final margin of 12 points, capping off an impressive conference win for the home team.
In the end, it was Louisiana Tech's balanced attack and strong defensive effort that proved too much for UTEP to overcome. The Bulldogs' win improves their standing in conference play, while the Miners look to regroup and bounce back against future opponents.