LOUISIANA TECH 2024-25 BULLDOG BASKETBALL
All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change # Icons of the Game (Long Island, N.Y.) ^ Gulf Coast Showcase (Estero, Fla.) * Conference USA game | $ Huntsville, Ala.
A LA TECH WIN... • Would give LA Tech a 23-22 advantage in the series with WKU. The Bulldogs have tied up the series thanks to winning six of the last eight meetings. • Would give the Bulldogs their sixth straight victory at home. • Would prevent a three-game losing streak by the Bulldogs. Twice this season LA Tech has lost back-to-back games but then came away victorious.
@LATECHHOOPS
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 135
VS WKU HILLTOPPERS (11-7, 2-3 cusa) Head Coach: Hank Plona Record at WKU: 11-7 (1st year) Career Record: 236-42 (9th year) Record vs. LA Tech: 0-0
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 145
BULLDOG STORYLINES & PROJECTED STARTERS
4 SEAN NEWMAN JR.
• After back-to-back two-point losses on the road, Louisiana Tech begins a three-game home stand on Thursday night with a matchup versus WKU. The Bulldogs, who own a 7-1 home record, will have five of their next seven games played in Ruston. • LA Tech was unable to get a road win this past week, narrowly falling to Kennesaw State by a score of 78-76. Down seven with 2:22 to go, the Bulldogs pulled to within one and had a couple of chances to tie the game but ended up dropping their fourth consecutive conference game on the road.
9.9 ppg | 2.4 rpg | 9.3 apg
1
• The matchup versus KSU marked the 200th Conference USA game for LA Tech who joined the league during the 2013-14 season. The Bulldogs own a 128-72 record (64.0) in league contests, which is the fourth-best winning percentage in conference history behind only Cincinnati, Memphis, and Old Dominion.
• Daniel Batcho is currently the only player in college basketball to be averaging at least 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks per game. He led the Bulldogs in scoring for the eighth time this season, recording 23 points versus the Owls. It marked his seventh 20-point scoring performance of the season. The nation’s leader in field goal percentage at 73.6 percent was 7-for-13 while also going 9-of-11 from the foul line. He ranks first in CUSA and top 20 in the country in both free throws attempted (128) and free throws made (99). The nearly unstoppable power forward is averaging 5.8 fouls drawn per game and has drawn 10+ fouls in two of the last three games. • Sean Newman Jr. is nearly averaging a double-double at 9.9 points and 9.3 assists per game, which ranks second in the country along with his total of 177 assists behind only Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga. Just 19 games into the season, he has already cracked the top 10 for most assists in program history ranking ninth. He dished out seven assists against KSU, marking the 16th time this season with at least seven dimes in a game. • Amaree Abram reached double-digit points for the 15th time this season at KSU, scoring 11 points. He made two three-pointers, giving him 15 games this season with multiple triples. He currently has a team-high 42 made threes. The shooting guard has also been stellar on defense as of late. Having to guard three of the top scorers in CUSA the last three games (Kaden Metheny -- Liberty, Jaron Pierre Jr. -- Jax State, and Adrian Wooley -- Kennesaw State), the three have averaged just 10.0 points per game while shooting a combined 27.3 percent from the field. • Talvin Hester is in his third season at the helm at LA Tech. In his second year, Hester was able to blend in seven newcomers in route to a 22-win season and a second-place finish in CUSA. He will be tasked with the same thing as seven newcomers join the 2024-25 squad, mixed in with six returners (five of which made a combined 67 starts last season). • LA Tech was picked to finish first in the Conference USA preseason poll, as voted on by the league head coaches. It was definitely not unanimous as five of the 10 conference teams picked up at least one first-place vote and the top three were separated by only four points. This marks the first time since 2014 that the Bulldogs are preseason league favorites.
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AMAREE ABRAM
• Having played four of their first six league games on the road (those opponents are a combined 32-2 at home this season), the Bulldogs look to protect home court where they are 7-1 this season and 82-18 all-time in CUSA games.
12.7 ppg | 4.8 rpg | 2.0 apg
KADEN 11 COOPER
Overall: 13-6 | CUSA: 2-4 | H: 7-1 | A: 2-5 | N: 4-0 NOVEMBER MEDIA W/L SCORE 4 LSU-ALEXANDRIA ESPN+ W 77-50 9 at UT Arlington ESPN+ W 92-77 13 vs. UMass# MSG+ W 76-66 18 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE ESPN+ W 105-67 25 vs. Southern Illinois^ FloCollege W 85-79OT 26 vs. Richmond^ FloCollege W 65-62 27 vs. Eastern Kentucky^ FloCollege W 78-69 30 SOUTHERN ESPN+ L 70-73 DECEMBER 4 at #16 Memphis ESPN+ L 71-81 8 at UL-Lafayette ESPN+ W 69-58 13 GEORGIA SOUTHERN ESPN+ W 77-63 16 GRAND CANYON ESPN+ W 74-66 21 RUST COLLEGE ESPN+ W 108-60 JANUARY 2 at UTEP* ESPN+ L 60-70 4 at New Mexico State* ESPN+ L 48-78 9 FIU* ESPN+ W 81-64 11 LIBERTY* ESPNU W 79-74 16 at Jacksonville State* ESPN+ L 61-63 18 at Kennesaw State* ESPN+ L 76-78 23 WKU* CBS SN 6 p.m. 25 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPNU 5:30 p.m. FEBRUARY 1 SAM HOUSTON* ESPNU 3 p.m. 6 at Liberty* CBS SN 7 p.m. 8 at FIU* ESPN+ 1 p.m. 13 KENNESAW STATE* ESPN+ 6:30 p.m. 15 JACKSONVILLE STATE* ESPN+ 3 p.m. 20 at Middle Tennessee* CBS SN 8 p.m. 22 at WKU* ESPN+ 7 p.m. MARCH 1 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ 4:30 p.m. 6 NEW MEXICO STATE* ESPN+ 6:30 p.m. 8 UTEP* ESPN+ 2 p.m. 11 CUSA Championship$ ----- TBA
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 50-34 (3rd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. WKU: 2-2
11.4 ppg |7.7 rpg | 1.6 spg
0
2024-25 SCHEDULE
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (13-6, 2-4 cusa)
DEVIN REE
DATE/TIME: Thursday, Jan. 20 | 6 p.m. CT LOCATION: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.) SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 22-22 STREAK: LA Tech, 1 LAST MEETING: Feb. 28, 2024 | Bowling Green, Ky. LA Tech 90, WKU 84 MEDIA: CBS Sports Network TALENT: Jordan Kent (pxp), Avery Johnson (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
GAME 20 MATCHUP
5.0 ppg | 3.4 rpg | 0.3 apg
DANIEL 13 BATCHO
GAMEDAY INFO
18.7 ppg | 6.9 rpg | 2.2 bpg
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