RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Liberty never trailed Thursday night, leading wire-to-wire for a 72-56 men’s basketball victory over Louisiana Tech at the Thomas Assembly Center.

The Flames built a 34-27 halftime lead and maintained control throughout the second half. Liberty’s efficient offense, posting a 118.8 rating, outpaced the Bulldogs’ struggling attack. Brett Decker led Liberty with 15 points, while Zach Cleveland added 10 points and eight assists. DJ Dudley scored 17 points for Louisiana Tech.

Liberty improved to 12-3 overall. Louisiana Tech fell to 8-7. An announced crowd of 2,373 attended the Conference USA game.