Koreem Ozier dribble vs LA Tech 2021
Luke Richard/ULM Athletics
74
La.-Monroe ULM 2-3,0-0 Sun Belt
96
Winner Louisiana Tech LATech 4-1,0-0 C-USA
La.-Monroe ULM
2-3,0-0 Sun Belt
74
Final
96
Louisiana Tech LATech
4-1,0-0 C-USA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
La.-Monroe ULM 26 48 74
Louisiana Tech LATech 46 50 96

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Shooting Woes Sink ULM at LA Tech

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

RUSTON, La. – Off-target shooting early was an obstacle ULM couldn't overcome Wednesday night in the Lanky Wells Classic.

The Warhawks shot 46 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point arc in a 96-74 loss to Louisiana Tech at the Thomas Assembly Center.

ULM dug a 20-point hole with cold shooting in the first half, when the Warhawks were 2-for-19 from 3-point range and made 12-of-32 shots overall.

"They really played lights out the first half," ULM coach Keith Richard said. "You could feel their energy. They've got great athletes with skill. They're good."

Tech scored 28 points off 16 ULM turnovers and outscored the Warhawks, 18-9, on fast-break points. The Bulldogs also shot 25-of-32 from the free-throw line.

Making his second-straight start for ULM (2-3), Koreem Ozier led the Warhawks with 18 points. Ozier made three 3-pointers and was 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.

"It was good to see him knock down some threes," Richard said. "We don't really have a lot of 3-point shooting. Anytime he can make some threes and get some open looks, that's a good thing."

Langston Powell scored 13 points as ULM outscored Tech, 29-18, off the bench. Thomas Howell and Andre Jones added 12 points each for the Warhawks.

"Langston Powell came in and did a great job in the second half," Richard said. "I thought Luke Phillips did a good job in the last 10 minutes."

Keaston Willis scored 22 points with seven 3-pointers to lead Tech in scoring. Kenneth Lofton Jr. recorded his third-straight double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs (4-1). Tech made 13-of-27 3-point attempts.

ULM missed its first three shots while falling behind 7-0 to open the game and never held a lead. Russell Harrison ended the drought with a 3-pointer at the 16:53 mark, but the shooting woes continued as Tech built its edge throughout the first half.

The Warhawks started off 6-of-19 from the floor overall and 1-of-11 from 3-point range as the Bulldogs surged ahead 24-13.

With a 13-5 run over the final 4:45 of the first half, Tech built a 46-26 halftime lead. Additionally, the Bulldogs scored 19 points off 11 ULM turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

"I think our kids were a little taken back by their speed," Richard said. "They are really, really fast. You show the guys on film, but I don't know if you can feel it until you get out there."

The Warhawks were only outscored, 50-48, in the second half as the shooting percentage rose to 55.2 percent (16-of-29).

"This is a long season," Richard said. "Having done this so many years, I can tell you 100 stories of how things within a team change. … We'll keep working at it and trying to find within this team we have what we can do better."

Up next: ULM plays at SMU on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. The Warhawks then play host to Centenary at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 to open a three-game homestand. The Warhawks entertain Northwestern State on Dec. 4 followed by a visit from Louisiana College on Dec. 8.

Tail feathers: ULM football player Ty Shelby was spotted in the crowd supporting the Warhawks. Shelby played basketball at ULM during the 2018-19 season. … Richard spent nine seasons (1998-2007) as head coach at Louisiana Tech, winning 150 games and the 1999 Sun Belt regular-season championship. … The Warhawks executed a textbook alley-oop dunk on a pass from Harrison to Andre Jones, who caught the ball high above the rim and slammed it down with both hands.  … Guard Reginald Gee left the game with an apparent foot injury in the first half and did not return.
 
 
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