JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Following a pair of double-digit comebacks, Louisiana Tech was on the verge of doing it again, but its comeback effort fell short in a 64-60 loss to Jacksonville State on Saturday afternoon inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
Down 16 with five minutes to go, LA Tech (10-8, 3-4 CUSA) went on a 13-0 run to get to within one possession at 60-57.  With 25 seconds to go, the Bulldogs were able to secure yet another defensive spot but could not secure the rebound. 
 
As a result, they were forced to foul which led to two made free throws by Jax State (9-9, 4-3 CUSA).  The 'Dogs came down and got a three-pointer from Avery Thomas II to cut it two.  Forced to foul again, the Gamecocks knocked down two more free throws to stop the Bulldogs attempt at a third straight comeback.
 
LA Tech dug itself another hole on the road as Jax State came out and buried its first five attempts, four of which came from downtown to quickly take a 14-4 lead. 
 
The Bulldogs won the last five minutes of the first half as well, down 32-18 before closing the stanza on a 9-2 run that was sparked by a pair of jumpers from DJ Dudley. 
 
Dudley connected on a made layup to cap an 8-2 run early in the second half, forcing a timeout by the Gamecocks while getting the deficit down to five at 40-35 with 14:33 to play.
 
In a game of runs, Jax State responded with a 15-2 run to build its largest lead of the contest at 55-37, something LA Tech could not ultimately overcome.
 
The Bulldogs were held to 39.3 percent shooting from the field (20-of-49) with only four made threes on 17 attempts.  Three of those came from Dudley who finished with a game-high 25 points, one shy of tying his season high. 
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
 
On the loss…
"This team has a lot of fight in them.  Our defense is competing enough to give us chances, but we must find a way to make baskets.  We cannot keep playing games shooting in the 30s, especially on the road.  At some point, we are going to have to make jump shots."
 
On the late run…
"We locked in on defense.  We understand the magnitude of winning the last five minutes of the game.  But, when we get to situations where we have open shots, we must be confident to knock them down.  Basketball is a game of runs.  I needed the team to be confident in their shooting.  We got back into the game, got it to one possession.  We got a stop but gave up an offensive rebound."   
 
NOTABLES

• With the loss, LA Tech now trails in the all-time series against Jax State, 2-3.  The three consecutive losses to the Gamecocks have come by a combined eight points.
• LA Tech scored 34 points in the paint.  The Bulldogs have now scored 30+ paint points in 13 of their 18 games.
• LA Tech hit 12 of its 13 shots at the foul line for 92.3 percent, a new season high.
• DJ Dudley scored a game-high 25 points, one shy of tying his season high.  The junior has led the Bulldogs in scoring nine times this season, including each of the last four games (has scored 17+ points in all four).
• DJ Dudley went 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least one three-pointer to 13.
• Melian Martinez and Jaylen Fenner tied for the game high with six rebounds.  The six boards was a career high for Fenner.
• Melian Martinez registered two blocks.  It marks the seventh time this season he has recorded multiple rejections in a single game (has done so in four of the last five games).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will be back at home on Saturday, Jan. 24 to host Kennesaw State.  Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
 
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