Nov. 25, 2009
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
RUSTON, La. - Three players scored at least 20 points as Louisiana Tech had no problem defeating UALR 86-66 on Wednesday at Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs improved to 4-1 on the season. It is their best start since the 2001-02 season.
"This is a good win," Tech head coach Kerry Rupp said. "UALR is a good, solid basketball team and they play hard."
Senior Magnum Rolle finished with a game-high 23, his best output of the season. Rolle did much of his work on the free-throw line, going 11-for-17. Senior Kyle Gibson improved on his season-average with 22 points and added three steals.
Olu Ashaolu had 17 points and 7 rebounds in the first half and appeared to be on his way to a fifth double-double in as many games. However, the sophomore had just three points and didn't get a rebound in the second half to finish the game with a career-high 20 points.
"UALR did a great job of being focused on Olu," Rupp said. "They tried to put a body on him and really face-guarded him. The one thing I was proud of was that we had 17 assists. We did a great job of passing it inside and then kicking it out for open shots."
The 17 assists was the most this season.
LA Tech had a fourth player in double-figures as senior David Jackson had a season-high 12 points off the bench.
The only lead by the Trojans (1-4) was when they scored the first points of the game. The Bulldogs really took control of the game by way of a 12-0 run that was escalated by an Ashaolu offensive rebound and put back. Tech led 28-14 at the 10 minute mark. Amidst the 12 unanswered points, Jackson stole a pass and finished the play he started with a fast break dunk.
Off of a Gibson steal, sophomore Yonas Berhe assisted Ashaolu on an alley-oop one-handed dunk. UALR's Derrick Bails picked up the blocking foul and Ashaolu capitalized on the three-point opportunity. LA Tech used the momentum to carry a 50-33 lead into halftime.
The Bulldogs' lead was never threatened in the second half and a Gibson field-goal, one of his six for the game, gave them their biggest lead of the night, an 84-61 advantage with two minutes remaining.
Senior Jamel Guyton led Tech with six assists and added seven points on two three-point field goals.
Louisiana Tech will head to TCU on Saturday to face the 4-2 Horned Frogs at 7 p.m.
