Bulldogs Rally to Top Cajuns, 91-79

The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns couldn’t hold on to a ten point lead, as Louisiana Tech used runs of 16-2 and 14-1 to run away from the Cajuns 91-79 for their 36th straight home win at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston Saturday afternoon.
The trio of Alex Hamilton (30), Eric McCree (25) and Dayon Griffin (22) combined for 77 of Tech’s 91 points in the contest. Hamilton added eleven rebounds and eight assists to lead Tech in all three departments.
Kasey Shepherd tied his career high with 22 points to lead the Cajuns. Johnathan Stove added fifteen and Jay Wright had twelve for Louisiana
The Cajuns led by four at halftime, 37-33. The Bulldogs fought back to tie the game at 42 with 18:08 to play , but Shepherd hit a pair of layups and a three pointer as part of a 9-0 run to open up a 51-42 lead. Hamilton hit one of two free throws to break the string, but Shawn Long hit a pair of freebies to give the Cajuns (3-4) their biggest lead, 53-43 with 14:18 remaining. But, over the next four minutes, the Cajuns made just one of six field goals and committed five turnovers as Tech scored sixteen of the next eighteen points to take a four point lead, 59-55, with 9:42 left.
Louisiana scored six of the next eight points and tied the game on three different occasions, the last on a pair of Shepherd free throws with 7:19 to play. But Tech (8-1). then put the game away as Hamilton and McCree combined for eleven of the next 14 Bulldogs’ points to take command of the game, 77-64 with 4:52 left.
After making just 3-9 free throws in the first half and missing their first free throw of the second half, the Bulldogs made 18 straight the rest of the way to finish 21-28 for the game. Tech shot 54.5 percent (18-33) after intermission. The Cajuns, meanwhile, were 16-38 in the second half.
Louisiana outrebounded its opponent for the seventh straight game, taking a 43-37 advantage on the boards with 17 of those on the offensive end. Shawn Long led the way with 14 while Jay Wright added eight. The Cajuns turned the ball over 14 times while Tech turned it over just eleven times. Both teams had 15 assists.
The Cajuns will head west for their next two games, the first being Tuesday night at historic Pauley Pavilion against UCLA. Tipoff for that game is at 8:05 central time.