Duruji's 23 points leads Louisiana Tech in C-USA opener

Dec 29, 2018, 11:55 pm

RUSTON, La. -- Anthony Duruji scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Louisiana Tech won its seventh straight on Saturday, 71-56 over Southern Miss in the Conference USA season opener for both teams.

JaColby Pemberton had seven boards and hit four of Louisiana Tech's 12 3-pointers in scoring 14 points. Daquan Bracey added 11 points with six assists and the Bulldogs (11-3, 1-0) held Southern Miss to 32 percent shooting to improve to 8-0 at home.

The first of Amorie Archibald's back-to-back 3-pointers amid an 11-0 run put the Bulldogs up for good, 8-5, and Louisiana Tech led by as many as 11 in the first half. Southern Miss closed to 30-27 on Cortez Edwards' jumper with 1:43 left, but Bracey's 3 put the Bulldogs up 33-27 at halftime.

Duruji hit a jumper and back-to-back 3s amid a 24-6 Bulldogs run for a 24-point lead with 13:42 to play and the Golden Eagles got no closer than the final score.

LaDavius Draine scored 13 points and Edwards added 10 for Southern Miss (8-5, 0-1).