RUSTON – The "next man up" mentality was on display Monday night as Louisiana Tech had five players score in double figures, leading to a 79-58 victory over ULM inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
 
LA Tech (2-2) started the game minus three critical players – Cobe Williams, Kaleb Stewart, and David Green – for various reasons.  It created an opportunity for new players to step up in their place.  And that they did. 
 
Quandre Bullock, Terran Williams, and Kenny Hunter came off the bench to tally 32 combined points (each scoring double digits).  Keaston Willis fought through first-half foul trouble to notch 13 points.  And Isaiah Crawford did a little bit of everything, registering a team-high 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. 
 
Neither team gained separation early in the game.  That was until the Bulldogs used the three ball to go on an 11-0 run – one from Willis and two from Bullock – to build a 27-13 lead.  That advantage was short-lived as ULM (2-3) countered with an 11-0 run of its own to bring it back to a three-point contest.
 
An offensive rebound and putback by Hunter snapped the run and led to LA Tech closing out the stanza on an 8-1 run to make it 35-25 at halftime.
 
Five quick points out of the break by Dravon Mangum made it 40-25, forcing a timeout by the Warhawks.  The visiting team got the deficit back into single digits at 40-31 with 17:03 to play, but an isolation layup by Isaiah Crawford followed by triples from Willis and Williams pushed it out to a 17-point lead.
 
LA Tech ended up making 10 of their last 13 field goal attempts while winning the battle of the boards, 42-25, to keep ULM from getting back into the game, ultimately picking up their 10th straight win over their I-20 neighbor.
 
The Bulldogs shot 47.4 percent from the field (27-57), 34.8 percent from deep (8-23), and 89.5 percent from the foul line (17-19).  The Warhawks managed just 20 made field goals, 11 of those coming from beyond the arc.  Tyreke Locure had a game-high 18 points.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
 
"Rebounding was the key.  I thought we were not good rebounding at Texas Tech and I thought we lost the game at UL-Lafayette because of rebounding down the stretch.  We had some tough practices, focusing on rebounding, and we ended up outrebounding ULM, 42-25.  I think this team is showing that when we really work on something, we get better at it.  We are maturing and growing as a team."
 
"I felt like we got deeper as a team tonight.  I built some trust in some other guys, to make plays for us, to defend.  We want to keep building on that.  I want the strength of our team to be our team.  I am excited about what we did right tonight.  There are things we did wrong like our turnovers, but I think this team is mature enough to keep getting better."
 
NOTABLES

• With the 79-58 win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series over ULM, 56-36.The Bulldogs won their 10th straight game over the Warhawks (second longest active streak over any opponent).
• The Bulldogs improved to 17-0 versus the Warhawks inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
• LA Tech ran its non-conference home winning streak to 30, which ties for the longest such streak inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
• LA Tech has beaten ULM by double digits in five straight meetings.
• Isaiah Crawford matched his season high with 18 points while pulling down a season-high eight rebounds (had eight total rebounds coming into the game).
• Isaiah Crawford has recorded at least two steals in all four games this season (had two against ULM).
• Jordan Crawford made his first career start as a Bulldog, pulling down a season-high six rebounds.He also recorded three assists (has had at least three assists in all four games).
• Kenny Hunter tied his season high with 10 points while recording a season-high seven boards.
• Quandre Bullock saw his first action as a Bulldog, notching 12 points.
• Terran Williams scored a season-high 10 points (third career game in double figures).
• Keaston Willis sank three three-pointers, bringing his career total to 224 made triples.

UP NEXT
LA Tech heads to the state of Alabama to take part in the Samford MTE.  The Bulldogs will play three games in four days, starting with a matchup at Alabama A&M on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. CT.
 
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