RUSTON – Louisiana Tech delivered a dominant performance in a rivalry showdown Saturday afternoon, rolling past UL-Lafayette 65-44 inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court in front of 2,320 fans.
 
The victory marked the 94th all-time win for LA Tech (6-3) over ULL (1-10) and carried added historical significance as win No. 1,500 in men's basketball program history.
 
LA Tech set the tone early and never looked back, using a pair of triples by DJ Dudley and suffocating defense to go on an 11-0 run to take an 18-7 lead with 10:50 remaining in the first half.
 
AJ Bates provided most of the offense the rest of the way in the stanza, scoring 11 of his game-high 23 points in the final 8-minute stretch to give the Bulldogs a 31-19 halftime lead.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns got the deficit down to single digits twice in the early going of the second half, but that was as close as the rivals would get as the Bulldogs controlled the game on both ends of the floor.
 
ULL would score only six points in the final 10 minutes of the second stanza.  Meanwhile, LA Tech extended its margin to as many as 21 points on the final basket which was an alley-oop slam by Kaden Cooper.
 
Bates and Dudley led the way offensively with 23 and 19 points, respectively.  Bates also dished out eight assists while Dudley made all five of LA Tech's three-point attempts plus three steals.
 
Cooper was dominant on the glass, adding a double-double with 10 points and 20 rebounds, anchoring a LA Tech effort that finished with a 37-29 rebounding edge.  The 'Dogs capitalized in the paint and transition opportunities, outscoring the Ragin' Cajuns 32-6 in the paint and had an 11-1 scoring advantage on fastbreak points.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
 
On the win…
"We followed the scouting report well.  I was pleased with the way things came together for us in the game.  We have some growing still to do.  Excited about the way we played and the energy we played with.  It was a total team effort."
 
On the meaning of this rivalry win…
"I don't think our guys can fully understand the magnitude of this game.  We have so many new guys that are in their first year here.  I wanted us to give it those that it mattered to, give beyond ourselves, for all of the alumni and Bulldog fans.  We wanted to give them something to cheer about."
 
On Kaden Cooper…
"He was dynamic on the glass.  There were times we could not get a rebound and I challenged him because I knew he could do it.  I am going to challenge him to be that guy every day."
 
On the combination of AJ Bates and DJ Dudley…
"AJ and DJ were able to make shots.  I thought AJ was strong to the basket on his drives.  And he made all nine of his free throws.  When you can make free throws, you can create separation.  They are both maturing as point guards."
 
NOTABLES

• With the win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series versus rival UL-Lafayette, 94-77.  The Bulldogs have won three straight over the Ragin' Cajuns, the first time since 1997-98.
• LA Tech collected its 1,500th victory in program history. 
• LA Tech improved to 6-0 at home this season and 23-6 all-time versus UL-Lafayette inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
• The 44 points was the fewest allowed by the Bulldogs against the Ragin' Cajuns since Jan. 22, 1998.  LA Tech has now held six of its nine opponents to 60 points or less. 
• LA Tech limited ULL to 30.0 percent shooting from three-point range.  Not a single opponent this season has shot over 30 percent from deep versus the Bulldogs.
• LA Tech shot 84.2 percent from the free throw line, its second highest percentage of the season.
• AJ Bates scored a game-high 23 points.  The sophomore has led the Bulldogs in scoring four times this season.  It was his second 20+ scoring performance of the season and the third of his Bulldog career. 
• AJ Bates went 9-of-9 from the free throw line.  He is just the seventh Bulldog in the last 20 years to shoot 100 percent from the foul line (minimum nine attempts).
• DJ Dudley reached double-digit points for a fifth straight game with 19.  He made all five of LA Tech's three-pointers, a new career high for the junior.  It is the most made threes in a single game by a Bulldog this season.
• Kaden Cooper registered his second double-double of the season and the fifth of his Bulldog career with 10 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.  He is the first Bulldog to pull down 20 boards in a single game since Dec. 29, 2009 (Olu Ashaolu).
• Kaden Cooper became the eighth player in the country this season to record 20+ rebounds in a single game.  It is the most rebounds by a CUSA player this season.
• AJ Bates dished out eight assists, marking the third straight game with at least eight dimes (fourth overall this season). 
• DJ Dudley registered a season-high three steals.  He is the fourth different Bulldog this season to record at least three steals in a single game.

TICKET COMBO
To celebrate the historic milestone of 1,500 wins in Bulldog Basketball history, fans can grab a four-game ticket combo for only $15.  Go to LATechSports.com/1500MBB to claim your combo today.
 
UP NEXT
LA Tech will head down to New Orleans to battle Tulane in Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Dec. 17.  Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
 
SUPPORT LA TECH ATHLETICS
Championships require championship resources.  Fans can make a direct impact on the success of LA Tech Athletics through LTAC, Aillet Society, T-Club, and Young Alumni program as well as the CHAMP fund, a revenue-sharing initiative designed to directly support LA Tech Athletics through NIL and marketing opportunities for Bulldog and Lady Techster student-athletes.  Visit BuildTheLegacy.com today.   
 
BARK LOUDER
Our mission is to engage, develop, and advance the Louisiana Tech Athletics brand.  You can do that by spending time consuming our content and by investing your talents.  By barking louder with your time and talent, you can affect progress and brand advancement in a meaningful way.  Visit LATechSports.com/BarkLouder today.  You bark.  We bark.  Louder together.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Basketball, follow us on X (@LATechHoops), Instagram (@LATechHoops), and Facebook (LATechMBB).