Lady Techsters 86, Liberty 72
Paris Bradley dropped a career high 31 points, including 7-of-8 from the three-point line, to lead Louisiana Tech to an 86-72 win over Liberty Sunday in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The game in Liberty Arena started on the wrong foot with Liberty racing out to a 9-1 lead. Two Bradley three’s ignited a 12-0 run for the Lady Techsters, eventually ending the quarter 16-15 in favor of LA Tech. Bradley scored 11 points on a perfect 4-4 shooting, including 3 from downtown.
Jordan Marshall let the Lady Techsters keep their foot on the gas, scoring the first five points of the second quarter. The teams would trade baskets until a bloody-nosed Jianna Morris ripped six straight points to extend the lead to 13 points for Louisiana Tech. Bradley would make her fifth three of the night, sending the Lady Techsters into halftime with a 41-30 lead. The guard from Carrollton, Texas, had 17 points in the first half, shooting 5-5 from deep.
Both offenses found fire in the third, scoring a combined 48 points. Liberty closed the gap to six after flagrant foul free throws and a made three point shot, but the Lady Techsters kept the lead safe with elite perimeter shooting, nailing 5-7 in the frame. Paris Bradley remained perfect, shooting 7-7 from deep through three quarters.
The Lady Techsters led stayed safe, never entering single digits. The Lady Flames tried to foul late to try and muster a comeback, but Bradley and Averi Aaron’s free throws kept Louisiana Tech ahead, going 7-8 in the final stretch. Aaron led the way with 10, shooting a perfect 3-3 from the court and grabbing three rebounds.
Louisiana Tech shot the ball at a season high pace, nailing 60 percent of their three-point shots, the best outing of the season. Bradley ended 7-8 from three after starting a perfect 7-7, the most by a Lady Techster this season and a Liberty Arena record (as was her 31 points).
Alexia Weaver and Morris led the way with six assists apiece while Aaron led in rebounds for the second game in a row with seven.
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Bulldogs 70, Delaware 68 (OT)
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech spent nearly the entire Saturday afternoon playing from behind, but the Bulldogs delivered when it mattered most, rallying late and pulling off a 70-68 overtime win over Delaware inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
LA Tech (9-7, 2-3 CUSA) trailed almost all of regulation, down by as much as 12 points to Delaware (5-10, 1-4 CUSA), before mounting a late comeback to grab its first lead at the 1:28 mark in the second half to ultimately force the extra period.
The Bulldogs were forced to overcome another deficit in OT, falling behind by four with two minutes remaining. The home squad would finish strong, outscoring the Blue Hens 7-1 the rest of the way to snatch the victory.
Delaware took control of the game early, shooting a blistering 66.7 percent from the field in the first stanza. Even so, LA Tech took advantage of some UD turnovers to make a quick 7-0 run to trail only 34-29 at the midway point.
The ‘Dogs started to slowly chip away in the second half, leaning on freshman Jaylen Fenner who scored eight straight points – including two big three-pointers – to knot the game up at 42-42 with 13:00 left in the stanza.
UD’s Christian Bliss countered with a 7-0 run all his own to put the Blue Hens back in front. With the visiting team holding a 58-50 advantage with six minutes to play, the Bulldogs went on a 13-3 run with six of those points coming from AJ Bates. The most important points were a pair of free throws made the sophomore, giving LA Tech its first lead of the contest at the 1:28 mark.
It was Bliss again keeping Delaware in it, scoring a layup that made it 63-63. Bates tried to end things in regulation, but his three-pointer was off the mark, forcing overtime.
LA Tech quickly got behind the eight-ball in extras – a sloppy turnover, a foul 23 feet from the basket, and three missed free throws by DJ Dudley. The result was a three-point deficit that was erased by Dudley who redeemed himself by burying a deep three even things up at 67-67 with 59 ticks left.
UD’s Jayden Taylor made one of two free throws on the Blue Hens next possession to go back in front by one, but Dudley had his number called again, using a high ball screen to drive hard right and score the layup through contact.
LA Tech needed a big stop on the defensive end and got it as Avery Thomas II switched onto Bliss and contested his 8-foot jumper. Melian Martinez proceeded to pull down his eighth rebound, get fouled, and make one of two free throws. Then it was Thomas II again who snagged Delaware’s out-of-bounds pass in midair to seal the victory.
Dudley finished with a team-high 17 points, followed by Fenner who tied his career-high with 15. Bates was the third Bulldog in double figures with 11.
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Bethune-Cookman 74, Tigers 65
Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications
Grambling State dropped a 74-65 decision to Bethune-Cookman on Saturday afternoon at Moore Gymnasium.
Grambling State moved to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), while Bethune-Cookman improved to 5-10 overall and 2-0 in the conference play.
Bethune-Cookman built early momentum and took control in the opening half, shooting 43.8 percent from the field while limiting Grambling to 24 points before halftime. The Wildcats knocked down four three-pointers in the first 20 minutes and carried a 35-24 lead into the break.
Grambling State showed improved offensive rhythm in the second half, scoring 41 points and cutting into the deficit on several occasions. The Tigers trimmed the margin to single digits multiple times behind aggressive play in transition and at the free-throw line, but Bethune-Cookman answered with timely baskets to keep control.
Rickey Ballard led Grambling State with 14 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. Roderick Coffee III followed with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Antonio Munoz added 11 points and five assists. Derrius Ward chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Devyn Franklin contributed six points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Tigers finished the game shooting 39.3 percent from the field and were limited to 4-of-20 shooting from three-point range. Grambling forced 17 Bethune-Cookman turnovers and converted them into 22 points, but second-chance opportunities were scarce as the Wildcats held a rebounding edge and scored 15 second-chance points.
Bethune-Cookman placed four players in double figures, led by Daniel Rouzan’s 15 points. Tyler Andrews, Jakobi Heady and Quentin Heady each scored 12 points, with Andrews knocking down four three-pointers. The Wildcats scored 40 points in the paint and used a balanced attack to maintain their advantage.
Despite a late push that cut the deficit to seven in the final minute, Grambling State was unable to complete the comeback as Bethune-Cookman sealed the game at the free-throw line.
