FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (2-10) dropped their final game of 2006 to the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-3) 80-50 in the Bud Walton Arena Saturday afternoon.

?This game was won and lost in the first half,? Tech head coach Keith Richard said. ?We can?t have that against a team with Arkansas? talent. Our guard play was critical today, and I was very disappointed.

The Razorbacks took an early lead with a three-pointer, but senior Trey McDowell answered at the 19:07 mark with a three of his own to tie the game 3-3.

Arkansas slowly built a lead over the next eight minutes, but the Bulldogs answered with a run capped off by a basket-and-a-foul for senior Marcus Elliot to cut the Razorback lead to 15-13. It would be the closest the Bulldogs would come for the remainder of the half, and the Razorbacks led 37-21 at halftime.

Not much changed in the second half, and Arkansas finished with the 80-50 win.

The Bulldogs were led by senior Chad McKenzie with 16 points and six rebounds. Junior Charles Thomas led the Razorbacks with 16 points.

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday, Jan. 4, to open Western Athletic Conference play in the Thomas Assembly Center against the San Jose State Spartans at 7 p.m.