RUSTON – In the last meeting between Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion which came in the conference tournament, the Bulldogs lost because of a game-winning three by the Monarchs.
 
Fast forward to Saturday afternoon and it was DaQuan Bracey being the hero as the senior nailed a game-winning three-pointer from the top of the arc to help LA Tech get past ODU by a final score of 76-73 in front of 3,763 fans inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
 
After the Monarchs' A.J. Oliver tied the game up for the third time at 73-73 with two made free throws, Bracey received the in-bounds pass with 15 seconds left and was not going to give up the basketball.    
 
The four-year starter crossed half-court, waved off a potential screen and went one-on-one with his defender.  And instead of driving it, he stepped back for three and it was nothing but net.
 
ODU (9-14, 5-5 C-USA) had one last attempt with 1.4 seconds remaining to try to tie it, but they could not get off a shot and LA Tech (17-5, 8-2 C-USA) came away with its fourth straight victory.
 
"They had been playing a lot of zone, really the whole second half," said head coach Eric Konkol.   "We were wondering if that was going to happen, but they went man-to-man.  And we just put the ball in DayDay's hands and spread the floor.  He made the right play.
 
"That play says a lot about the confidence he has and the courage he has to take that shot.  I think the other guys wanted that to happen.  I told the team that life gives you so many peaks and valleys.  It is all about the way you respond.  And our team responded very well tonight, not just from losing to Old Dominion in two really close games last year but also to the adversity we faced tonight."
 
Before the heroics, both teams had to battle foul trouble as a combined 38 fouls were called.  Both of LA Tech's big men Mubarak Muhammed and Andrew Gordon were constantly in foul trouble.
 
As was Derric Jean who picked up his fourth foul just three minutes into the second half, but not before he connected on his second three-pointer to give the 'Dogs their largest lead at 47-36. 
 
The Monarchs would not go away though and they ended up using a 10-0 run to grab their first lead of the ball game at 67-65 with 4:24 to play in the game. 
 
After a made free by JaColby Pemberton and a defensive stop, Bracey came up big by drilling a corner three to allow LA Tech to retake the lead at 69-67 with 3:18 left.  And it was his fourth three that did it in the end, finishing with a game-high 18 points. 
 
"No chance I was giving up the ball," said Bracey on the last offensive possession.  "I wanted the last shot.  As soon as it left my hand, I knew it was good.  I was in the gym a lot yesterday practicing shots like that.  Proud that the work I put in paid off."
 
Not only did the win put the Bulldogs in a tie for first in the league standings, it was also career win No. 100 for coach Konkol, becoming the sixth head coach in program history to achieve this milestone.    
 
To get it done, LA Tech had to get the majority of its scoring from either beyond the arc or from the foul line because of the way ODU defended and the way the game was called by the officials.  They did both, hitting 11 threes and going 19-of-23 from the free throw line.
 
Amorie Archibald added 16 points while JaColby Pemberton registered 12 points to go along with a team-high five rebounds.
 
ODU also had a trio of players in double-figures, led by Xavier Green who had 18. 
 
Next up on the schedule for LA Tech is a trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky to face WKU on Thursday, Feb. 6.  Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
 
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