RUSTON, La. — Ryan Bowie posted his sixth double-double of the season with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds, but Alex Hamilton led five players in double figures with 18 points and 11 assists to help Louisiana Tech defeat UTSA 85-75 on Thursday night at Thomas Assembly Center.
Bowie finished the game 9-of-17 overall and 5-of-10 behind the 3-point line to pace the Roadrunners (4-17, 2-6 C-USA). Louisiana natives J.R. Harris and Christian Wilson added 19 and 17 points, respectively, and UTSA finished with a season-high 18 assists.
Meanwhile, Hamilton was joined in double figures by Dayon Griffin (17), Jacobi Boykins (16), Erik McCree (15) and Merrill Holden (10) to lead the Bulldogs (15-5, 4-3 C-USA), who shot 51.9 percent on the night and 60 percent in the second half.
The first half was a game of runs as the teams traded hot streaks before Louisiana Tech took a 40-34 lead to halftime.
Bowie opened the game with the first of his three first-half 3-pointers only to see the Bulldogs counter with a 15-2 spurt for a double-digit cushion. Harris drained back-to-back triples and fed Phillip Jones for a dunk and a quick 8-0 burst to pull the visitors within a basket, 15-13.
Once again, Louisiana Tech responded with seven consecutive points and led 27-17 before the Roadrunners went on a 10-0 run to knot the score at 27.
Harris started the stretch with an old-fashioned three-point play that was followed by a pair of free throws and a driving layup from Wilson, who also tied a career high with seven assists. Bowie then capped the run with a trey late in the shot clock.
The squads then traded 7-0 spurts to tie again at 34-34 with 2:42 to play in the half, but the Bulldogs scored the final six points of the period for the 40-34 edge at intermission.
Louisiana Tech scored the first two baskets of the final period for a 10-0 run to span the halves before Harris ended the UTSA drought with a jumper.
The home squad slowly built its lead to as much as 63-46 with nine minutes left before the Roadrunners started to chip away at the deficit. Nick Allen’s baseline jumper was followed by a Harris trey with just 2:01 left to pull within 76-78.
Bowie’s final 3-pointer of the night sliced the Bulldogs’ lead to 78-71 before a layup and pair of free throws from Wilson cut the advantage to 81-75 with 25 seconds left.
However, Louisiana Tech hit four free throws in the final 23 seconds to salt away the 85-75 final.
UTSA will be back in action at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30 when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a matchup at Southern Miss (5-12, 2-4 C-USA).