Ruston, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Led by Raheem Appleby with 16 points, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs downed the American Eagles, 63-44, in a non-conference battle as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at the Thomas Assembly Center.

For the Bulldogs (3-1), Erik McCree added 13 points, Michale Kyser chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds and Alex Hamilton finished with nine points and six assists.

Pee Wee Gardner led the Eagles (2-2) with 11 points while Jesse Reed scored 10.

The Bulldogs took a 34-23 lead into the break after shooting a sizzling 58.3 percent from the field. The Eagles tried to keep pace by knocking down 47.4 percent of their field goal tries, but was only 2-of-7 behind the 3-point line.

The Bulldogs cooled down after halftime, shooting 43.5 percent from the field, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. The Eagles struggled to find the bottom of the basket in the second, making just 25 percent of their field goal attempts and 2-of-9 on the perimeter.

The Bulldogs did a great job of taking care of the ball, as they turned it over just seven times, while they were able to convert 13 American miscues into 20 points. The Eagles finished with a slight edge on the boards, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 28-26.