Louisiana Tech lost to Florida International University 77-64 on Saturday afternoon at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami. The Bulldogs, who were seeking a road sweep, led by five points early in the second half but were outscored 30-12 for the remainder of the game.
LA Tech, now with a 14-11 overall record and 7-7 in Conference USA play, struggled particularly with rebounding. FIU pulled down 40 rebounds, including 17 offensive boards that resulted in 17 second-chance points. In contrast, LA Tech managed only 24 rebounds, their lowest total of the season.
Head coach Talvin Hester commented on the loss: “Rebounding was a major factor in the game. We did not rebound. We have been good on the glass both offensively and defensively, but we did not have it today. The first 10 minutes of the second half we were really good. But I do not think the ball moved enough. When we got the ball in the paint, FIU did a good job putting pressure on the ball which led to a lot of turnovers. It is frustrating when team’s just take the ball from you. We did not have it today.”
Hester also addressed his team’s performance after halftime: “We were fresh at the time. I think we lost our minds when we got tired. I started subbing a few guys, and we did not have the same level of intensity on the floor. We took the six-point lead, but we started fouling. It takes mental toughness to go on the road and win, and we could not do that today.”
AJ Bates led Louisiana Tech with 14 points and matched his career high with four steals while also contributing four assists. DJ Dudley added 13 points and recorded four assists—his highest total in a conference game this season—and Kaden Cooper scored in double digits for his third consecutive game with ten points and tied his season high with three steals.
Despite outscoring FIU in paint points (36-34), LA Tech saw its six-game winning streak over FIU come to an end but still leads their all-time series 15-9.
The Bulldogs registered 11 steals—its most in a conference game this season—and have averaged ten steals over their last three games.
LA Tech will return home to face Jacksonville State at Thomas Assembly Center on Wednesday, February 18 at 6:30 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+.
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