Tech Rallies in Final Six Minutes

LAFAYETTE ? Louisiana Tech outscored Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team 13-4 in the final six minutes to rally and escape the CAJUNDOME with a 61-59 victory in the 2008-09 season opener for both teams.

The Bulldogs, which trailed Louisiana since the 5:48 mark of the first half, trailed 55-48 with six minutes remaining. Five points from Jamel Guyton ? a three-pointer at 5:38 and two free throws at 5:07 ? cut the Cajuns lead to 55-53.

Travis Bureau made a layup at 4:45 to push UL's lead to 57-53. That would be the final field goal make for the Cajuns until 14 seconds remained and Tech reeled off eight unanswered to steal the game.

With 1:00 remaining, Magnum Rolle pulled Tech even at 57-all with a jumper. Rolle then stole the basketball from Tyren Johnson and raced in for a slam dunk which put Tech in front 59-57. Ryan McCoy missed a jumper for Louisiana on the ensuing possession and Rolle nabbed the defensive rebound. The Cajuns were forced to foul which led to two freebies by Guyton upping the Bulldogs lead to 61-57.

The Cajuns marched up the court and Willie Lago cut through the lane for a layup which was good and made it 61-59. Louisiana Tech tried a homerun pass for a quick score but the pass was overthrown and landed out-of-bounds giving the Cajuns possession.

The Cajuns called a timeout. Bureau was given the ball and he rolled around a screen for an open look at a go-ahead triple, but the shot bounced off the rim and Rolle grabbed another key defensive rebound.

Guyton paced Louisiana Tech and all scorers with 27 points. The Cajuns were led by Bureau's 19 and 11 points from La'Ryan Gary.

Louisiana played the game without returning starters Randell Daigle (hand injury) and Chris Gradnigo (elbow injury).

Bureau's first triple of the game broke a 2-all tie at 18:35. Tech got a jumper from Kenneth Cooper at 16:37 to make it a 5-4 Cajuns lead.

A Johnson steal on Tech's next possession led to Barr converting a turnaround hook shot at 16:04 for a 7-4 edge. Louisiana had three steals by the first media timeout.

A pair of freebies from Olu Ashaolu pulled the Bulldogs within one at 14:29. UL fed the ball inside to Jeremy Barr who scored in the paint at 14:19 creating a three-point lead again.

Louisiana hit a cold spell, shooting 1-of-6 over the next three-plus minutes and Tech was able to draw even at 9-all by the 13:04 mark.

Bureau ended the Cajuns drought at 10:49 when he connected on a three-point basket at the top of the key to give UL a 12-9 advantage. Guyton answered for Tech at 10:27 with a triple and the teams were even once again.

Neither team gained an advantage larger than one point for the next three minutes. UL kept Tech off the scoreboard with a defense that had picked up seven steals and forced nine turnovers. Tech was able to keep the Cajuns from pulling away with a defense that had UL shooting 5-of-17 (29 percent) through the 7:58 mark of the opening half.

Louisiana broke a 20-all tie with a 5-0 run during the five minute mark. Bureau's third 3-pointer of the game came at 5:48 and made it 23-20. Brandon Dison grabbed a missed basket by Guyton and started the Cajuns up floor where Colby Batiste buried a hook shot at 5:09.

The Cajuns held on to the lead the remainder of the half. Twice the Bulldogs would close within three, but a Bureau inside basket at 1:24 followed by a Corey Bloom three-point make with 50 second remaining. Bloom's bucket created the 32-26 halftime lead Louisiana held.

Bureau led Louisiana with 12 points in the opening stanza. He also had four of the Cajuns' eight steals.

The Cajuns were able to open their halftime edge by shooting 6-of-12 (50 percent) in the final 7:58. Defense was strong for UL in the first 20 minutes ? the Cajuns forced Tech into 13 turnovers and held them to only 16 field goal attempts.

Louisiana returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 18 as Lamar visits the CAJUNDOME. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m., for a meeting between former American South-and Sun Belt-rivals which haven't met since December 1999.

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