RUSTON – Career-highs by Jordan Brown and freshman Joe Charles were not enough for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball team as in-state rival Louisiana Tech benefitted from a decisive advantage at the free-throw line and rallied for a 78-69 victory on Saturday at the Thomas Assembly Center.
Kenneth Lofton, Jr., Amorie Archibald, and Cobe Williams combined for 36 of Louisiana Tech’s 47 points in the second half with the Bulldogs going 15-for-23 (65.2 percent) from the floor and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Williams led the Bulldogs (7-2) with 20 points with Lofton posting a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Archibald added 18 points, including 5-for-5 from the free-throw line as Louisiana Tech held a 24-9 advantage over Louisiana (5-4) from the free-throw line.
Brown who erupted for 20 points of his game-high 30 in the first half for Louisiana matched his career-high at 28 points with 2:15 remaining with a bucket before recording Louisiana’s first 30-point game since Cedric Russell scored 30 points at Arkansas State on Feb. 6, 2021. The sophomore finished 13-for-18 from the floor for the Ragin’ Cajuns while grabbing a team-high six rebounds.
Lofton’s three-point play with 12:33 remaining snapped a 47-all deadlock and gave Louisiana Tech the lead for good. Louisiana cut the lead to 59-58 on a layup by Dou Gueye with 7:51 left, but the Bulldogs got a free throw from Lofton and buckets by David Green and LaDamien Bradford to push their lead to 64-58.
Charles, making his first career start for Louisiana, scored a career-high 11 points after finishing 4-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-5 from behind the 3-point line. Greg Williams, Jr., and Kentrell Garnett scored eight points each for the Ragin’ Cajuns with Trajan Wesley adding six.
Louisiana will return to action on Tuesday when it travels to face 2021 Final Four participant Houston in a 7 p.m. contest. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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