NEWARK, Del. – Louisiana Tech delivered one of its most dominant defensive performances of the season on Saturday afternoon, overwhelming Delaware with a suffocating second half to cruise to an 81-38 victory inside the Bob Carpenter Center.
 
Two days stunning first-place Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia, LA Tech (18-13, 11-9 CUSA) turned a comfortable halftime lead into a runaway, outscoring Delaware 41-16 after the break while allowing just four field goals in the final 20 minutes to complete the road sweep going into the Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship.
 
The Bulldogs never trailed against the Flames and never trailed versus the Blue Hens, leading from start to finish and seizing full control midway through the second half with a staggering 28-0 run that turned the game into a rout.
 
The defensive effort was relentless as Delaware finished the afternoon shooting just 11-of-48 from the field (22.9%) and 6-of-29 from three-point range.
 
On the flipside, the Bulldogs were efficient offensively, shooting 54.2 percent from the floor and knocking down 10 three-pointers, while forcing 18 turnovers that led to 31 points.
 
LA Tech built early momentum behind the hot shooting of Avery Thomas II, who connected on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc in the opening half to help the Bulldogs take a 40-22 lead into the break.
 
The Bulldogs then delivered their most dominant stretch of the afternoon midway through the second half. After Delaware trimmed the deficit to 33-50, LA Tech responded with the decisive 28-0 surge, fueled by transition baskets, steals, and second-chance opportunities. The run ballooned the lead to as many as 45 points, the Bulldogs' largest advantage of the game.
 
Six Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by Avery Thomas II with a season-high 20 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting. Kaden Cooper added 17 points, seven rebounds and six steals, while Jaylen Fenner chipped in 14 points. DJ Dudley finished with 10 points, and AJ Bates orchestrated the offense with a game-high nine assists to go along with nine points.
 
The Bulldogs also controlled the glass, outrebounding Delaware 39-25, while scoring 36 points in the paint.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
 
On the win…
"Our defense was unbelievable in the second half.  I thought it was good in the first half, but we were stifling in the second half.  We were in gaps, we had active hands, and we were getting steals and turning them into easy offense.  We did not have to play against Delaware's zone so much, but when we did, we moved the basketball and got good looks.  We did not try to force anything.  Kaden Cooper, Jaylen Fenner, Avery Thomas, they were dynamic in going to get offensive rebounds too."
 
On sweeping the road trip…
"I feel like our guys are playing more confident.  They are believing in who we are and what we have built as a team.  We wanted to be playing our best basketball at this time.  Coming into this trip, we had not been very successful on the road.  As a coach, I can look back and say we should have done this earlier or I am glad we are doing it now.  I would rather say we are playing this kind of basketball at this point in the season."
 
On Jaylen Fenner…
"The way he guarded [Christian] Bliss today was unbelievable.  Active hands, moving his feet.  He showed how tough he is as a freshman.  You talk about an era where coaches do not want young guys.  He is growing up before our eyes."
 
On Kaden Cooper…
"He changed the game.  His activity on ball screens, his offensive rebounding, the way he ran the floor, it was one of the reasons we jumped out to that big lead in the second half.  I am fighting for him to be that guy every day because when he is we are tough to beat."
 
NOTABLES

• With the win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series versus Delaware, 2-1.  The Bulldogs swept the season series against the Blue Hens.
• LA Tech swept its first road swing of the season with wins over Liberty and Delaware.  It was the first conference road sweep for the Bulldogs since 2024 (at UTEP and New Mexico State).  The Bulldogs won four of their last seven road games.
• LA Tech won its 18th game of the season.  The Bulldogs have now won 18+ games in 13 of the last 15 seasons.
• LA Tech won its first ever game in the state of Delaware. It marks the 39th different state the Bulldogs have won a game in their program's history.
• The 43-point victory was the second largest CUSA win in LA Tech's history (largest ever in a CUSA road game).  It was also the largest road win in recorded history.
• The 38 points by Delaware were the fewest allowed by LA Tech ever in a CUSA game. 
• LA Tech hit 10 three-pointers, the third most in a single game this season.  It was just the third time this season the Bulldogs connected for double-digit threes.
• The Bulldogs dished out 22 assists.  It was the fourth time this season with 20+ assists.
• LA Tech registered 14 steals, the second most in a single game this season, and tied for the fourth most in a CUSA game by the Bulldogs.
• LA Tech outscored Delaware, 36-10 in the paint.  The Bulldogs have not scored 30+ points 23 times this season.
• LA Tech outrebounded Delaware, 39-25.  The Bulldogs have outrebounded 21 of their 31 opponents this season.  It was the 11th time the Bulldogs had at least 10 more boards than their opponents.
• Avery Thomas II scored a season-high 20 points.  It marked the third time this season he led the Bulldogs in scoring.
• Kaden Cooper scored in double figures for the 13th time, netting 17 points.  He also anchored the team in rebounding for the 12th time this season.  Cooper added a career-high six steals, the most by a Bulldog since Amaree Abram (Nov. 25, 2024).
• Jaylen Fenner scored in double figures for a fourth straight game, posting 14 points. 
• AJ Bates just missed out on a double-double with nine points and nine assists.  He now has 231 career assists, the 20th most in program history.  He has registered at least five assists in 20 games this season.
• Melian Martinez recorded two blocks, giving up 49 for the season.  He is one away from becoming the 19th Bulldog in program history with 50 career rejections.  He has registered double-digit blocks 14 times this season.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will head to Huntsville, Alabama for the Conference USA Men's Basketball Championship.  The Bulldogs will face an opponent to be determined on Thursday, March 12.
 
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