SPRINGFIELD – Louisiana Tech scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to close out a high-scoring Conference USA decision here Saturday, spoiling Missouri State's senior day at Plaster Stadium, 42-30.
 
In the regular-season finale for both teams, LA Tech quarterback Trey Kukuk rushed for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns while passing for 87 additional yards to lead the Bulldogs (7-5, 5-3 CUSA) to a 475-yard afternoon.
 
Missouri State (7-5, 5-3 CUSA) racked up 416 yards of total offense of its own with the Bears accounting for 21 first downs. Jacob Clark led the way with 294 passing yards and a pair of scores in his final home contest. Clark was 17-for-31 through the air with Jmariyae Robinson snagging team-high 3 catches for 66 yards and a score to extend his streak to 34 consecutive games with a pass reception.
 
The Bears also got 84 ground yards on 13 carries from Shomari Lawrence on the afternoon. Lawrence's 75-yard touchdown run with 9:30 remaining in the game made it a 28-23 game midway through the fourth quarter. Missouri State was unable to convert the two-point conversion attempt moments later, and LA Tech's Devin Gandy made them pay. Gandy's 93-yard kickoff return extended the Bulldogs' lead to 35-23 just 15 seconds after Lawrence's thrilling run.
 
Later, the never-say-die Bears drew within 35-30 on a 12-yard touchdown run by Ramone Green Jr. with 6:44 to play in the game. The efficient, six-play scoring drive saw MSU's senior signal caller complete a 31-yard strike to Robinson before a critical third-down pass to Tristian Gardner to the LTU 25. From there, Green carried twice with runs of 13 and 12 yards to get MoState within five.
 
However, the visitors returned fire again on their next possession with Kukuk completing a key third-and-four strike to Eli Finley for 17 yards to the Bulldogs 41. Two plays later, Kukuk put the finishing touches on his memorable outing with a 58-yard touchdown run of his own to make it a two-score game once again, 42-30.
 
Clark and the Bears were able to keep hope alive for a few more plays before game-clinching interception by LA Tech's Jakari Foster put the game out of reach. Thanks in part to a defensive penalty, the Bulldogs were able to convert one more first down and run out the clock for the 12-point victory.
 
Andrew Burnette also eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the Bulldogs, carrying 16 times for 132 yards and a pair of first-half scores. The Bulldogs finished with 388 ground yards and five touchdowns.
 
MSU's defense stayed busy with senior linebacker Kanye Young sharing team-high honors with 11 total tackles, along with Jared "Bird" Lloyd who added a pair of QB hurries to his stat line.
 
In the first half, the Bears spotted Louisiana Tech the first 14 points, but rallied with a 10-point second quarter to pull within 14-10 at the break. The Bulldogs outgained the Bears 227-173 in the first 30 minutes behind 116 rushing yards by Burnette.
 
Burnette took the Bulldogs' first play of the afternoon 98 yards to paydirt to put the visitors ahead 7-0 less than five minutes in. LTU added another TD on their next drive, turning to Burnette again for a one-yard touchdown carry early in the second quarter to cap an 11-play, 85-yard march.
 
The Bears then righted the ship with Clark engineering a 14-play march on MSU's first drive of the second quarter with Yousef Obeid booting through a 42-yard field goal to cut into the early deficit. After forcing the Bulldogs to punt on their next possession, the Bears drove 85 yards in seven plays before the intermission with Clark connecting with Robinson from 23-yards out to make it a 14-10 contest. The drive also included a key 27-yard pass to Tristian Gardner.
 
Robinson's second-quarter TD grab was the 15^th of his career, tying him for fifth on the Bears all-time list.