{"id":503445,"date":"2026-01-09T09:47:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T09:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/503445\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T09:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T09:47:15","slug":"bulldogs-fall-at-home-to-flames","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/503445\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulldogs Fall at Home to Flames"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


\n
\n
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\tStory Links
\n\t\t
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n

\"Delaware\"\/<\/p>\n

Next Game:<\/p>\n

Delaware<\/p>\n

1\/10\/2026 | 2 p.m.<\/p>\n


\n Jan. 10 (Sat) \/ 2 p.m. \n <\/p>\n

\"Delaware\"\/<\/p>\n


\n \u00a0Delaware \n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

RUSTON \u2013<\/strong> Louisiana Tech had its nine-game home winning streak come to an end Thursday, falling 72-56 to Liberty inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
\n\u00a0
\nFacing one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, LA Tech (8-7, 1-3 CUSA) matched LU (12-3, 4-0 CUSA) as both squads went exactly 9-of-24 from beyond the arc.
\n\u00a0
\nThe difference in the game ended up being the paint where the Flames had a 28-18 scoring advantage and figured out a way to outrebound the Bulldogs, 41-33.\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nIt was Zach Cleveland, who is known more for his rebounding and distributing, that gave Liberty the early offensive advantage.\u00a0 The forward scored all 10 of his points in the first eight minutes of the game, helping the Flames race out to a 21-10 lead.
\n\u00a0
\nFor LA Tech, it was DJ Dudley’s<\/a> turn to get hot.\u00a0 The junior got started with a steal and fastbreak layup followed by a three-pointer to spark a 7-0 run by the ‘Dogs to get the deficit down to four.\u00a0 However, threes from three different Flames players pushed their lead back to double-digits, but not before Dudley beat the clock with a banked-in triple to make it a 34-27 game at halftime.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Bulldogs made it a six-point game twice in the early second half, once on a three-pointer by AJ Bates<\/a> and again on a thundering dunk by Sir Issac Herron<\/a>.\u00a0 Unfortunately, LA Tech could never string together enough defensive stops in order to eat into the deficit anymore.
\n\u00a0
\nThere were a pair of chances following threes from Bates and Scooter Williams<\/a>, but for the entire second stanza the Bulldogs never scored more than four points in a row.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the Flames were even more efficient offensively, going 12-of-24 in that second 20-minute stretch.
\n\u00a0
\nFree throws also played a key role as LU went 13-of-16 from the charity stripe while LA Tech was only able to make five of its 11 attempts.\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nDudley finished with a game-high 17 points as the lone scorer in double figures for the ‘Dogs.
\n\u00a0
\nQUOTABLES<\/strong>
\nHead coach Talvin Hester<\/a><\/strong>
\n\u00a0
\nOpening statement\u2026
\n“We did not capitalize when we had chances.\u00a0 And when we made mistakes, they made us pay for them.\u00a0 We did not make them pay when they made mistakes.\u00a0 If you would have told me before the game that we would hit nine three-pointers and they would hit nine three-pointers, I would have told you we had a chance to win the basketball game.\u00a0 We fouled a little bit too much, and we got outrebounded.\u00a0 I did not think we finished well at the rim.\u00a0 And when there were crucial times, we made key mistakes.”
\n\u00a0
\nOn the difference in the paint\u2026
\n“Rebounding is an effort deal.\u00a0 It is a choice.\u00a0 Good teams do what they are supposed to do.\u00a0 The result does not always come out your way, but the effort must be there.\u00a0 If you do that, you give yourself a chance.”
\n\u00a0
\nOn DJ Dudley<\/a>\u2026
\n“He was on fire there in the first half, but then Liberty really started paying attention to him in the second half.\u00a0 We need to learn that when somebody has it going like that, we need to find him more.\u00a0 We must learn that it is not about me, it is about we.”
\n\u00a0
\nNOTABLES<\/strong><\/p>\n