RUSTON – Louisiana Tech used a blistering shooting display from three and a balanced scoring effort to take down UTEP, 75–63, on Monday night in the Conference USA opener inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
 
There is something about LA Tech (8-4, 1-0 CUSA) playing UTEP (4-8, 0-1 CUSA) in the TAC.  The two matched up in the last CUSA game played that wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season.  In that contest, the Bulldogs hit 12 three-pointers.
 
Fast forward to the league opener for the 2025-26 season and the hot-shooting 'Dogs this time drained 11 triples, matching their season high output from deep.  Six of those came in the first 13 minutes of action, leading to a 35-15 advantage over the Miners.
 
Helping to gain that 20-point lead was Avery Thomas II who scored 11 of the team's first 13 points, which was also part of an 18-3 run by the home squad.
 
However, a scrappy UTEP squad ended the half on a 13-3 run of its own to slice its deficit down to 10, making it a 38-28 lead for LA Tech at the midway point.
 
The Miners continued to scrap into the second half, getting to within six points on three separate occasions.  With the Bulldogs clinging to a 47-41 edge with 14:41 still to play, LA Tech blitzed UTEP with a quick 8-0 run that was amplified by back-to-back threes from AJ Bates and DJ Dudley, forcing a timeout by the visitors.
 
UTEP would get its deficit back to single digits with 54 seconds left, but Dudley and Bates put the game away by sinking two free throws apiece as LA Tech continued its dominance over UTEP in the TAC, improving to 14-2 all-time versus the Miners at home while also making it 6-0 in CUSA openers in Ruston.
 
Six Bulldogs ended up scoring in double figures, something that had not been done in four years.  Dudley led the charge with a game-high 18 points while Bates tacked on his second double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-tying 10 assists.     
 
QUOTABLES
 
Head coach Talvin Hester
On the win…
"I knew when we took a big lead early it would not hold.  UTEP plays with a lot of intensity and at some point, they were going to start attacking.  We were shooting the ball at a pace that is hard to keep up.  I thought where we did a good job, especially in the beginning, was that we were defending and turning turnovers into easy points.  When we defend like we can defend, and we start to make shots and match that with better free throw shooting, we can make it an easier game.  We still have a long way to go."
 
On the new guys experiencing their first CUSA game…
"I think it was the perfect team to show you.  They let you play a little bit in this league and if you are not ready to play and be tough, it is probably a bad league for you to be in."
 
On taking care of the basketball…
"I do not want to get too excited about how well we took care of the basketball because you are what you do consistently.  We must be that way consistently.  We shot the ball well tonight, but we have not been a great three-point shooting team.  We are going to keep putting the work in and keep growing."
 
Guard AJ Bates
On the defensive identity of the team…
"Choosing to put in the effort on defense every day is important.  Coach is always on us about being at the mid-line and being in our gaps.  Now that conference has started, this defense means a lot."
 
Guard DJ Dudley
On first CUSA game…
"The coaches told us it was going to be physical.  We prepared for it.  The coaches were not calling fouls in practice.  UTEP is known as being one of the hardest playing teams in our conference.  I got out there to see how it is.  I thought it went well."
 
NOTABLES

• With the win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series against UTEP, 22-15.  The Bulldogs have won five of the last six meetings and are now 14-2 versus the Miners in Ruston (9-1 in CUSA games).
• LA Tech improved to 136-77 all-time in CUSA games.  The 63.8 winning percentage is the 4th-best all-time in the league.
• LA Tech improved to 6-0 all-time in CUSA home openers.  Four of the five victories have come by double digits.
• LA Tech remains undefeated at home this season, improving to 8-0 inside the Thomas Assembly Center.  The Bulldogs have won nine straight home games dating back to last season.
• The Bulldogs matched their season high with 11 made three-pointers.  LA Tech shot 45.8 percent (tied season high) from deep, marking the third time this season shooting over 40 percent.
• The Bulldogs set new season highs for made free throws (20) and free throw attempts (34).
• LA Tech committed just nine turnovers, the second fewest of the season, against a UTEP team that came in forcing over 15 turnovers per game.
• LA Tech held UTEP to 36.8 percent shooting from the field, marking the ninth time this season holding its opponent to under 40 percent.  It is the fifth straight game in doing so (first time since 2020).
• LA Tech held UTEP to 26.7 percent shooting from three-point range.  None of the 12 opponents this season has shot over 31 percent from beyond the arc this season.
• Six Bulldogs scored in double figures, the first time that has happened since Dec. 22, 2021, versus Crowley's Ridge.  It was the first time against a Division I opponent (and CUSA opponent) since Feb. 8, 2020, versus Marshall.
• DJ Dudley led the Bulldogs in scoring with a game-high 18 points.  He has anchored the squad in scoring a team-high five times and has now scored in double figures in seven of the last eight games.  He also pulled down a season-high six rebounds.
• AJ Bates notched his second double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-tying 10 assists.  He has dished out 8+ assists in four of the last six games and 5+ assists eight times.  He also tied his season high with five rebounds. 
• Kaden Cooper led the Bulldogs in rebounding with eight boards, marking the sixth time this season as LA Tech's leading rebounder.  He has 8+ boards in four of his last five games.  He also matched his season high with three steals (ninth time in Bulldog career with 3+ steals).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will hit the road to face Middle Tennessee on Friday, Jan. 2.  Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
 
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