The junior transfer scored 15 points in the final 6:34 of play, including three straight baskets in a period of less than two minutes, and that late explosion guided the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 65-60 win over long-time rival Louisiana Tech at the Cajundome.

UL (2-5) snapped a five-game losing streak heading into a week-long break for final exams, and did it by scoring the game’s final four points on Valentino Hart’s offensive rebound jumper with 41 seconds left and free throws by Dees and Rhett Hebert in the last 0:26.

"You wish you could win every game," Dees said, "but we learned some lessons in those last few games. As a unit, maybe we’ve learned how to close games out and put teams away."

Tech (1-5) missed three three-point attempts in the final 35 seconds, and ironically it was Dees that controlled the rebound on the first and hit a following free throw that provided a four-point advantage.

Dees finished with 23 points and Ross Mouton added 16 for the Cajuns, who also outrebounded the Bulldogs by a 40-25 advantage.

"We may have played one of our best games of the year and lost," said Tech coach Keith Richard. "But that’s because Lafayette made some plays down the stretch. We had a point of emphasis not to let Dees and Mouton get their averages, and he just takes over late. We couldn’t get a stop on him."

Chad McKenzie had 21 points and a game-high nine boards for Tech, which led 57-55 with 3:37 left before Dees scored on three straight UL possessions.

His driving layup tied the game at 57 with 3:18 left, and after Tech’s Harry Disy missed a free throw 30 seconds later Dees went coast to coast for a layup that put the Cajuns in front for good at 59-58.

"We’re still relying too much on Dees and Mouton," said Cajun coach Robert Lee, "but I’m impressed with the character we showed. "We could’ve easily laid down, but we didn’t. This was a game we had to find a way to win for our confidence and morale."

Neither team led by more than five points in a first half that included 12 lead changes, but the Cajuns outscored the Bulldogs 8-2 over the final three minutes of the period in taking a 28-23 intermission lead.

The Cajuns opened the difference to seven points early in the second half, with Courtney Wallace’s inside jumper giving UL a 34-27 lead with 16:35 left. However, McKenzie started heating up and got two inside baskets to pull the ‘Dogs within one.

UL had little answer for McKenzie, who missed his first shot of the game and then made his next 10 before misfiring on one of Tech’s late three-point tries.

Even with his efforts, though, UL still led by three at the 9:55 mark before going cold over the next four minutes. The Bulldogs ran in seven straight points including a long three-pointer by Trey McDowell that tied it at 44, and a steal and layup by Terry Parker put Tech in front 46-44.

The ‘Dogs eventually led by four at 48-44 before Dees was fouled on a drive to the basket by Marcus Elliott. Elliott was also hit with a technical foul, and Dees hit all four free throws for a 49-48 lead.

The Cajuns led only 61-60 with 1:09 left after a Parker jumper in the lane, and Mouton and Tyren Johnson missed shots before Hart came up with the last of UL’s 17 offensive rebounds and hit a fadeaway for a three-point lead.

"That wasn’t the shot we wanted," Lee said, "but we needed to catch a break."