MONROE, La. – Victor Bafutto poured in 20 points, Tyreke Locure added 14 points, Devon Hancock and Jacob Wilson had 13 points each and Thomas Howell set a career high with 15 rebounds in ULM's 101-46 rout of Champion Christian Saturday afternoon at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
Bafutto matched his career high in scoring, set just last Saturday against Loyola Maryland at the Emerald Coast Classic. He was 7-of-15 from the field, including 6-of-8 from the free-throw line with three rebounds in 22 minutes. Howell came up a point shy of a double-double, with nine points and 15 rebounds, including six offensive.
 
"We certainly had an emphasis to get the ball inside," ULM head coach Keith Richard. "I think we got it in there the first four or five possessions in a row. We're working on some new sets to get it in there. We're working on our guards passing it in there. It's not just those guys scoring in there. It's getting them more touches than we've done earlier this year. We can play inside-out too."
 
Locure added 14 points (2-of-4 3-point shooting) while handing out seven assists in 23 minutes.
 
"I thought, guard wise, that Tyreke in the first half played really well under control," Richard said. "Aggressive, but under control, and then ran our stuff when we needed to."
 
Hancock and Wilson were efficient off the bench. Hancock was 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, with two rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes. Wilson set a new career high with his 13 points, finishing 6-of-8 from the floor, knocking down his only trey, and adding six assists and four rebounds in 15 minutes.
 
"I'm really happy with Devon today," Richard said. "I thought he played the way that we were hoping he would play and can play if he can make some shots in the scheme of our offense. That's what we brought him here for. That's really going to help us in our half court stuff, especially if we throw the ball inside more, we're going to have to kick it out some, and you need to be able to make shots."
 
Defensively, ULM (3-6) limited Champion Christian (2-1, exhibition Saturday) to 27% (15-of-56) shooting and 24% (8-of-34) from 3-point range. The Tigers had 24 turnovers to 15 field goals on the game. Champion hit its first three 3-point attempts of the game for a 9-4 lead but struggled to a 5-of-31 mark over the remainder of the game.
 
"I think we adjusted well," Richard said. "We started out a little too low on our pickup and that was allowing them to get some 3-point shots off. I told them to move out three or four steps. Once they made that adjustment, things went well for us on the defensive end."
 
ULM answered Champion's early outburst with a 14-0 run, including six points from Bafutto. Jamari Blackmon hit a 3-pointer for the 11-9 lead at the 15:39 mark, and ULM never trailed again. The lead stretched to 18-9 on a triple by Locure with 13:43 left in the half.
 
The Warhawks stretched the lead to as much as 26 in the first half when Jalen Bolden scored five consecutive points in the final 1:07 before the break. Two free throws by Champion's Braylon Hawkins, who tied for the team lead with Xavier Hall with 14 points, brought Champion with 24 at halftime, 46-22.
 
The lead maintained between 23 to 27 points over the first few minutes of the second half until ULM flexed its muscle. The Warhawks went on a 23-1 run over six minutes, extending the lead to 46 at 79-33 on a free throw by Langston Powell.
 
ULM shot 54% (38-of-71) as a team and 47% (9-of-19) from 3-point range, and outrebounded Champion, 49-29. The Warhawks handed out 27 assists and forced 14 steals.
 
ULM visits Northwestern State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, December 10.