RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — AJ Bates scored 23 points and dished out eight assists, leading Louisiana Tech to a methodical 65-44 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Thomas Assembly Center.

The Bulldogs, improving to 6-3, never trailed after the game’s opening minute and used a stifling defensive effort to suffocate the Ragin’ Cajuns’ offense. Louisiana-Lafayette fell to 1-10 with the loss, continuing a difficult start to the season.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as Louisiana Tech established a defensive tone that would last all night. After Louisiana-Lafayette’s Todd Jones opened the scoring with two free throws, the Bulldogs clamped down. The Ragin’ Cajuns committed four turnovers and missed their next five shots from the field over a nearly five-minute span. During that stretch, Louisiana Tech engineered a 12-0 run, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 12-2 lead. The run was capped by a DJ Dudley three-pointer, assisted by Scooter Williams, with 11:28 remaining in the first half. Louisiana-Lafayette never recovered from that early drought, struggling to find any consistent offensive rhythm against the Bulldogs’ pressure.

Bates, a 6-foot-3 guard from Houston, was the orchestrator for Louisiana Tech, playing all 40 minutes. His 23 points and eight assists fueled an offense that, while not explosive, was efficient enough against a struggling opponent. He was complemented by Dudley, who added 19 points, and Kaden Cooper, who chipped in 10 points. The Bulldogs shot 44.9% from the field and were an effective 16 of 19 from the free-throw line.

Louisiana-Lafayette was led by Dorian Finister’s 14 points, but the team’s offensive woes were stark. The Ragin’ Cajuns shot a frigid 30% from the field, making only 15 of 50 attempts. They turned the ball over 14 times and managed just eight assists on their 15 made baskets. Their offensive rating of 74.4 points per 100 possessions underscored a afternoon of frustration.

The Bulldogs took a 31-19 lead into halftime and steadily extended their advantage in the second half. Any attempt by the Ragin’ Cajuns to mount a challenge was met with a response from Bates or Dudley. A three-pointer from Dudley, again assisted by Bates, pushed the lead to 56-44 with just over nine minutes to play, effectively sealing the game. Louisiana Tech’s largest lead was the final 21-point margin.

Defensively, Louisiana Tech was active, recording five steals and two blocks, while also benefiting from Louisiana-Lafayette’s poor shot selection and execution. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ 11 offensive rebounds were a rare bright spot, but they could not convert those second chances into enough points.

The announced attendance was 2,320 at the Thomas Assembly Center. The game’s total points, 109, fell well under the pregame over/under line of 125. Louisiana Tech covered the pregame spread of being a 10-point favorite.

Louisiana Tech looks to build on the win when they travel to face Tulane on Wednesday. Louisiana-Lafayette will try to halt its skid when it visits Southern Mississippi on Thursday.