RUSTON – Louisiana Tech's DJ Dudley, AJ Bates, and Melian Martinez earned Conference USA postseason honors, the league office announced on Monday.
 
Dudley was voted Third Team All-Conference USA, while Bates received Honorable Mention All-CUSA and Martinez was named to the CUSA All-Defensive Team.
 
Dudley has been the Bulldogs' top scoring option throughout the season, averaging a team-best 14.1 points per game. The sharpshooter also anchored the team's perimeter attack, knocking down 57 three-pointers at a 39.0 percent clip while adding 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest.
 
The junior has led LA Tech in scoring a team-high 13 times and has reached double figures in 21 games, including eight 20-point performances – seven of which came during conference play. During one stretch of league action, Dudley scored 17 or more points in seven straight games.
 
He also delivered several clutch moments this season, making the game-winning basket in four contests, including conference victories over Delaware, Middle Tennessee, and Missouri State. Dudley's season high came against Missouri State when he poured in 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting. During conference play, he averaged 15.5 points per game, ranking 13th in CUSA.
 
Bates, the Bulldogs' floor general, earned honorable mention recognition after averaging 11.2 points per game, second most on the team, while also serving as the team's primary playmaker.
 
The guard is the only Bulldog to start all 31 games this season and leads the team with 5.9 assists per game, a mark that ranks 30th nationally. His 182 total assists this season rank as the 10th most in LA Tech single-season history, and he recorded at least five assists in 20 games. Bates also produced three double-doubles during the campaign.
 
One of his most notable performances came against Jacksonville State when he dished out a career-high 15 assists, the most ever by a Bulldog against a CUSA opponent and tied for the second most in program history.
 
Bates also averaged 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, scoring in double figures 17 times, including four 20-point games. He led the Bulldogs in scoring eight times, highlighted by a career-high 34-point performance in LA Tech's upset win over first-place Liberty. In that game, Bates shot 13-of-23 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range.
 
Martinez anchored the Bulldogs' defense and earned a spot on the CUSA All-Defensive Team after leading the conference in both blocks per game (1.81) and total blocks (49). His shot-blocking presence also ranks 38th nationally in blocks per game and 58th in total blocks.
 
The center has recorded at least three blocks in 10 games this season and averaged 2.21 blocks per game during conference play, the top mark in the league.
 
Martinez's season highlight came against Missouri State when he swatted a career-high seven shots. He is also on the verge of a milestone, needing just one more block to reach 50 for the season, which would make him the ninth Bulldog in program history to reach that mark in a single season.
 
Martinez has been a key piece of a Louisiana Tech defense that ranks among the top 10 in the nation in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense this season. 
 
Sixteen Bulldogs have now garnered 26 All-CUSA honors since joining the league in 2013-14, the second most in the league during this span. Meanwhile, Martinez became the ninth Bulldog to be named to the CUSA All-Defensive Team, the most of any conference team over the last 13 years. LA Tech has had at least one player make the All-Defensive Team in 10 of the 13 seasons.
 
CONFERENCE USA POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Zach Cleveland, Liberty
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Kashie Natt, Sam Houston
 
Newcomer of the Year
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, Jacksonville State
 
Freshman of the Year
Christian Bliss, Delaware
 
Sixth Player of the Year
Jacob Walker, Sam Houston
 
Gene Bartow Co-Coaches of the Year
Ritchie McKay, Liberty
Chris Mudge, Sam Houston
 
All-CUSA First Team
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, Jacksonville State
RJ Johnson, Kennesaw State
Zach Cleveland, Liberty
Brett Decker Jr., Liberty
Teagan Moore, WKU
 
All-CUSA Second Team
Christian Bliss, Delaware
Corey Stephenson, FIU
Keith Palek III, Missouri State
Jemel Jones, New Mexico State
Po'Boigh King, Sam Houston
 
All-CUSA Third Team
Kaden Metheny, Liberty
DJ Dudley, Louisiana Tech
Torey Alston, Middle Tennessee
Michael Osei-Bonsu, Missouri State
Kashie Natt, Sam Houston
 
All-CUSA Honorable Mention
Justyn Fernandez, Delaware
AC Bryant, Jacksonville State
Colin Porter, Liberty
AJ Bates, Louisiana Tech
Kamari Lands, Middle Tennessee
Jacob Walker, Sam Houston
Elijah Jones, UTEP
Kaseem Watson, UTEP
Jamal West Jr., UTEP
Grant Newell, WKU
 
CUSA All-Defensive Team
Eric Dibami, FIU
Braedan Lue, Kennesaw State
JJ Harper, Liberty
Melian Martinez, Louisiana Tech
Kashie Natt, Sam Houston
 
CUSA All-Freshman Team
Christian Bliss, Delaware
Eric Dibami, FIU
Trey Simpson, Kennesaw State
Jacob Walker, Sam Houston
Armelo Boone, WKU
 
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).