RUSTON, La. (AP) Brett Decker Jr. had 15 points in Liberty Flames's 72-56 victory against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Thursday night.
Decker also added six rebounds for the Flames (12-3, 4-0 Conference USA). JJ Harper scored 13 points while going 4 of 7 from the floor, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line. Colin Porter had 11 points and shot 4 for 10, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs (8-7, 1-3) were led by DJ Dudley, who posted 17 points. Scooter Williams Jr. added nine points for Louisiana Tech. Sir Issac Herron finished with eight points and two steals.
Liberty took the lead less than five minutes into the game and did not trail again. Decker led the Flames with 11 points in the first half to help put them up 34-27 at the break. Liberty outscored Louisiana Tech by nine points over the final half, while Harper led the way with a team-high 11 second-half points.
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1st Half
LIB
Flames
34
LT
Bulldogs
27
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
JJ Harper vs. Sir Issac Herron (AJ Bates gains possession)
19:29
AJ Bates misses two point jump shot
19:27
Sir Issac Herron offensive rebound
19:10
DJ Dudley misses two point jump shot
19:08
Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
18:51
+3
Brett Decker Jr. makes three point jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists)
3-0
18:25
+2
Sir Issac Herron makes two point dunk (Avery Thomas II assists)
3-2
17:55
+2
Zach Cleveland makes two point hook shot
5-2
17:30
Avery Thomas II misses three point jump shot
17:28
Flames defensive rebound
17:16
Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
17:14
Sir Issac Herron defensive rebound
17:00
+2
AJ Bates makes two point turnaround jump shot
5-4
16:34
JJ Harper misses three point jump shot
16:32
Kaden Cooper defensive rebound
16:18
AJ Bates misses two point jump shot
16:16
Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
16:10
Colin Porter misses three point jump shot
16:08
Avery Thomas II defensive rebound
15:43
+2
DJ Dudley makes two point jump shot (Sir Issac Herron assists)
5-6
15:19
Colin Porter misses two point jump shot
15:17
Avery Thomas II defensive rebound
15:08
AJ Bates turnover (bad pass) (Zach Cleveland steals)
15:04
+2
Zach Cleveland makes two point layup
7-6
14:40
Kaden Cooper turnover (lost ball) (Colin Porter steals)
14:34
+2
Brett Decker Jr. makes two point layup
9-6
14:18
Kaden Metheny shooting foul (DJ Dudley draws the foul)
14:18
TV timeout
14:18
DJ Dudley misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:18
DJ Dudley misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:18
Brett Decker Jr. defensive rebound
14:00
Avery Thomas II shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
14:00
+1
Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 1 of 2
10-6
14:00
Zach Cleveland misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:00
Kaden Cooper defensive rebound
13:42
+3
Kaden Cooper makes three point jump shot (AJ Bates assists)
10-9
13:08
Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
13:06
Zach Cleveland offensive rebound
13:00
+2
Zach Cleveland makes two point hook shot
12-9
12:35
DJ Dudley misses two point layup
12:33
Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
12:28
Brett Decker Jr. turnover (out of bounds)
12:05
Avery Thomas II turnover (lost ball) (Josh Smith steals)
11:59
+2
Zach Cleveland makes two point layup
14-9
11:59
Scooter Williams shooting foul (Zach Cleveland draws the foul)
11:59
TV timeout
11:59
+1
Zach Cleveland makes regular free throw 1 of 1
15-9
11:44
AJ Bates turnover (bad pass) (Kaden Metheny steals)
11:26
+2
Kaden Metheny makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)
17-9
11:07
AJ Bates misses two point jump shot
11:05
Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
10:50
Zander Yates misses three point jump shot
10:48
Josh Smith offensive rebound
10:41
Kaden Cooper shooting foul (Josh Smith draws the foul)
10:41
Josh Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:41
+1
Josh Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2
18-9
10:24
Kaden Cooper offensive foul (Zander Carter draws the foul)
10:24
Kaden Cooper turnover (offensive foul)
10:12
Melian Martinez blocks Josh Smith's two point alley-oop dunk
10:10
Scooter Williams defensive rebound
10:04
Zander Carter shooting foul (Jaylen Fenner draws the foul)
10:04
+1
Jaylen Fenner makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-10
10:04
Jaylen Fenner misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:04
Zander Carter defensive rebound
9:46
+3
Brett Decker Jr. makes three point jump shot (Josh Smith assists)
21-10
9:23
Zander Yates personal foul (DJ Dudley draws the foul)
9:19
Scooter Williams misses two point jump shot
9:17
Zander Yates defensive rebound
8:57
Scooter Williams blocks Brett Decker Jr.'s three point jump shot
8:55
Flames offensive rebound
8:52
Kaden Metheny misses three point jump shot
8:50
Scooter Williams defensive rebound
8:46
Scooter Williams misses two point layup
8:44
Melian Martinez offensive rebound
8:44
Colin Porter shooting foul (Melian Martinez draws the foul)
8:44
Melian Martinez misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:44
Melian Martinez misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:44
Ryan Jones Jr. defensive rebound
8:14
Zach Cleveland misses two point jump shot
8:12
Ryan Jones Jr. offensive rebound
8:11
Jaylen Fenner personal foul (Ryan Jones Jr. draws the foul)
8:07
Colin Porter turnover (lost ball) (DJ Dudley steals)
8:00
+2
DJ Dudley makes two point layup
21-12
7:37
Brett Decker Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Scooter Williams steals)
7:28
+3
DJ Dudley makes three point jump shot (Scooter Williams assists)
21-15
7:08
Melian Martinez blocks Zach Cleveland's two point layup
7:06
Ryan Jones Jr. offensive rebound
7:03
Colin Porter misses two point layup
7:01
Bulldogs defensive rebound
7:01
TV timeout
6:52
+2
Melian Martinez makes two point layup (Scooter Williams assists)
21-17
6:33
+2
Ryan Jones Jr. makes two point layup
23-17
6:04
+2
DJ Dudley makes two point jump shot
23-19
5:48
Zach Cleveland misses two point layup
5:46
Will Allen defensive rebound
5:25
DJ Dudley misses two point jump shot
5:23
Melian Martinez offensive rebound
5:22
Melian Martinez misses two point tip layup
5:20
Colin Porter defensive rebound
5:02
+3
Josh Smith makes three point jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists)
26-19
4:39
Jaylen Fenner turnover (bad pass)
4:23
Zach Cleveland misses two point jump shot
4:21
Kylan Howze defensive rebound
4:14
AJ Bates misses two point layup
4:12
Scooter Williams offensive rebound
4:04
Scooter Williams misses three point jump shot
4:02
Kaden Metheny defensive rebound
3:52
+3
Brett Decker Jr. makes three point jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists)
29-19
3:31
Will Allen misses three point jump shot
3:29
Brett Decker Jr. defensive rebound
3:17
Brett Decker Jr. misses two point jump shot
3:15
Kylan Howze defensive rebound
3:05
+2
Scooter Williams makes two point alley-oop dunk (AJ Bates assists)
29-21
3:03
TV timeout
2:46
JJ Harper turnover (traveling)
2:20
Kylan Howze misses two point jump shot
2:18
Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
2:07
JJ Harper misses three point jump shot
2:05
AJ Bates defensive rebound
1:56
+3
Avery Thomas II makes three point jump shot (AJ Bates assists)
29-24
1:37
Brett Decker Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:35
Kylan Howze defensive rebound
1:11
AJ Bates misses three point jump shot
1:09
Brett Decker Jr. defensive rebound
0:45
+2
JJ Harper makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)
31-24
0:15
Kylan Howze misses two point layup
0:13
Zach Cleveland defensive rebound
0:06
+3
Colin Porter makes three point jump shot (Brett Decker Jr. assists)
34-24
0:01
+3
DJ Dudley makes three point bank jump shot
34-27
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
LIB
Flames
38
LT
Bulldogs
29
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:50
+2
JJ Harper makes two point alley-oop layup (Zach Cleveland assists)
36-27
19:35
JJ Harper personal foul (AJ Bates draws the foul)
19:16
+3
AJ Bates makes three point jump shot (Kaden Cooper assists)
36-30
18:45
Kaden Cooper personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
18:41
+2
Brett Decker Jr. makes two point layup
38-30
18:11
Avery Thomas II misses three point jump shot
18:08
Bulldogs offensive rebound
18:08
Avery Thomas II misses two point jump shot
18:03
Colin Porter defensive rebound
17:50
Colin Porter misses three point jump shot
17:48
Avery Thomas II defensive rebound
17:34
AJ Bates misses two point layup
17:32
Avery Thomas II offensive rebound
17:29
+2
Sir Issac Herron makes two point dunk (Avery Thomas II assists)
38-32
17:10
Brett Decker Jr. misses two point layup
17:08
Sir Issac Herron defensive rebound
17:05
JJ Harper blocks Scooter Williams's two point layup
17:03
Colin Porter defensive rebound
17:03
AJ Bates personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
16:45
+2
Colin Porter makes two point layup (Zach Cleveland assists)
40-32
16:23
Zach Cleveland blocks AJ Bates's two point jump shot
16:21
Brett Decker Jr. defensive rebound
16:21
Avery Thomas II personal foul (Brett Decker Jr. draws the foul)
16:09
Josh Smith offensive foul (Avery Thomas II draws the foul)
16:09
Josh Smith turnover (offensive foul)
15:52
AJ Bates turnover (bad pass) (Colin Porter steals)
15:52
Sir Issac Herron personal foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
15:52
TV timeout
15:40
Colin Porter misses two point layup
15:38
Josh Smith offensive rebound
15:33
+3
Kaden Metheny makes three point jump shot (Josh Smith assists)
43-32
15:22
Scooter Williams turnover (bad pass)
14:57
Brett Decker Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:55
Avery Thomas II defensive rebound
14:40
+3
DJ Dudley makes three point jump shot (Scooter Williams assists)
43-35
14:22
Jaylen Fenner shooting foul (Colin Porter draws the foul)
14:22
+1
Colin Porter makes regular free throw 1 of 2
44-35
14:22
+1
Colin Porter makes regular free throw 2 of 2
45-35
14:08
Avery Thomas II misses three point jump shot
14:06
Flames defensive rebound
14:06
Jaylen Fenner personal foul (Brett Decker Jr. draws the foul)
13:47
+3
Kaden Metheny makes three point stepback jump shot (Zach Cleveland assists)
