by Malcolm Butler
The AJ Bates train chugs on.
Bates scored 27 points and for the second straight game played all 40 minutes to lead No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech to a 69-66 win over No. 9 seed Missouri State in the Conference USA semifinal inside VBC Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama.
Less than 20 hours after netting 29 points in an 11-point win over Middle Tennessee, Bates and his Bulldog teammates held off a late Missouri State rally for the victory.
It marks the first conference tournament title game appearance for Tech since 2022, and the Bulldogs are one win away from the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1992.
After losing 10 of their first 12 away from home this year, Tech has now won four straight.
“I think its the buy in to who we really are as a team,” said Tech head coach Talvin Hester. “The struggle of coaching is to get a bunch of alphas to buy into something and do it together. We have a bunch of alphas. We have a bunch of guys who want to be the lead dog.
“At the end of the day, it’s my job to try to get them to buy in and get them to do things together. Late in the year, these guys have started seeing success. I really do think these guys want to win. The tide rises all ships.”
Tech (19-11) led by as many as eight points (59-51) late in the game before Missouri State rallied twice in the closing two minutes to cut it to one.
Trey Williams three-pointer with 42 seconds to play pulled Missouri State to within 65-64 before sophomore forward Avery Thomas converted a tip-in off a Bates miss with 16 seconds to play, pushing the Bulldogs lead to 67-64.
Michael Osei-Bonsu, the Bears power forward who scored 19 points, hit two free throws with 3.1 seconds to play to pull Missouri State back within one.
After multiple timeouts, Tech inbounded the ball to the Kaden Cooper, who was fouled with 3.0 seconds to play. Cooper went to the line for a one-and-one and calmly sank both to give Tech a three-point line.
Out of timeouts, Missouri State tried a pass to halfcourt, but the Bulldogs Thomas came away with the steal to seal the win.
The Bears scored the first points of the game as Osei-Bonsu gave Missouri State the early 2-0 lead, marking the first time in the last four games that Tech has trailed.
However, behind Bates 16 first half points, Tech fought back and took a 30-27 lead into the halftime locker room. Tech shot 50 percent from the field (13-26) in the opening 20 minutes, including 7-of-14 by Bates.
Bates has now scored 27 or more points in three of the last four games and is averaging 24.8 points a contest during this recent four-game winning streak.
“He struggled a lot this year,” said Hester. “I think any coach in the country would rather him be hot now as opposed to November. I think it’s a testament to how mentally tough he is and how mentally strong he is to take the criticism for not hitting shots or not making plays and to keep fighting.
“It talks a lot about him and who he is that he has just kept his head up and has continued to work.”
As has been the case during this Bulldog run late in the season, a different guy stepped up in an important stretch on Friday. Sir Issac Herron scored seven straight points during a three minute stretch for the Bulldogs helping Tech increase a two-point lead out to 57-49 with 7:15 to play.
“He was unbelievable,” said Hester. “He came in and was key. It makes me feel good that I have another body that I can use because everyone is going to be tired playing three games in three days.”
The second half saw the Bulldogs help themselves from the free throw line, an area that has been a struggle this season. Tech hit 12-of-13 from the charity stripe over the final 20 minutes of action.
In addition to Bates big day, DJ Dudley scored 10 points while Avery Thomas added seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Bulldogs won all three games against Missouri State this year by a combined six points (1, 2 and 3).
“Our guys have bought in and some special things have happened,” said Hester. “We get to play for a trophy.”
Tech will play the winner of Sam Houston and Kennesaw State in the title game Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
