Dec. 2, 2009
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
MONROE, La. - Senior Kyle Gibson's game-winning three-point shot was the deciding factor in Louisiana Tech's 76-73 win over ULM on Wednesday.
"That was a gutty performance by ULM," Tech head coach Kerry Rupp. "We had to claw and scratch to get that win. We used team play at the end of the game and when we do that, great things happen for us."
As it was in Tech's previous game at TCU, Gibson hit key free throws in the final minute. After a tying three by ULM with 15 seconds remaining, David Jackson found Gibson open for his fifth three of the game.
Gibson, a Los Angeles, Calif. native had 26 points and added seven rebounds. Senior Magnum Rolle led all players with 13 rebounds including nine offensive boards.
Tech withstood foul trouble and a season-high 23 points from ULM's Tony Hooper and improved to 6-1 on the season. ULM fell to 3-4.
ULM led 11-4 four minutes into the game. On a 14-4 run, the Bulldogs took an 18-15 lead, but the Warhawk's Hooper nailed his third three-point shot of the game to tie the contest at 18-18 with 11:15 remaining in the first half.
On an in-bounds pass from DeAndre Brown, freshman Darius Redding streaked towards the basket for an emphatic one-handed dunk. It gave Tech a 27-21 lead with 5:30 left in the half.
The Bulldogs withstood five three-pointers by Hooper, who had 17 first-half points, to take a 39-34 halftime lead. ULM was 6-11 from beyond the arc, but Tech owned the rebound margin at 24-15.
Tech used their defense to create offensive opportunies in the second half. Gibson stole a ULM pass and Guyton finished with a dunk to extend the lead to 48-37. ULM took advantage when Guyton slipped on the floor with the ball. The Warhawks converted on the layup and shrunk the lead to 51-47 with 12:50 remaining.
Tech went on a four-minute scoring drought before Brown hit a driving lay-up, was fouled and converted the free throw to lead 54-49 halfway through the second half.
ULM hit a free throw and for the first time since midway through the first half, ULM was within two points at 56-54.
Tech ran into foul trouble late in the game as Guyton and Olu Ashaolu both fouled out between the four and six minute mark.
On back-to-back Tommie Sykes two-foot jump shots, ULM tied the game at 68-68 with three minutes remaining.
Rolle became the third Bulldog to foul out of the game as he picked up his fifth with 1:19 remaining and a 71-69 lead. ULM hit two free throws to bring the Warhawks within one at 70-71 with a minute left. After two missed free throws by Brown, ULM's Hooper missed a three-pointer. After a ULM foul, Gibson went to the line and hit both free throws to give the Bulldogs a 73-70 lead with 32 seconds remaining.
ULM's Lawrence Gilbert hit a three to tie the game with 15 seconds remaining. That was enough time for Gibson to get open in the corner and receive a pass from Jackson to drain the game-winning three-point shot with no time left on the clock.
Brown finished with 16 points and Guyton with 10. Jackson provided a spark off the bench by hitting all four shots from the field and two free throws to score 10 points.
The Bulldogs next play host to Northwestern State at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
