LOUISIANA TECH 2023-24 BULLDOG BASKETBALL GAME 30 MATCHUP
GAMEDAY INFO DATE/TIME: Thursday, March 7 | 8 p.m. CT LOCATION: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.) SERIES HISTORY: LA Tech leads, 5-3 STREAK: Sam Houston, 2 LAST MEETING: Jan. 6, 2024 | Huntsville, Texas Sam Houston 81, LA Tech 77 MEDIA: CBS Sports Network TALENT: Dave Ryan (pxp), Mike O’Donnell (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app TALENT: Malcolm Butler (pxp), Jack Thigpen (analyst) STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
2023-24 SCHEDULE MEDIA MWN ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ MWN
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 36-26 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. Sam Houston: 0-1
AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 86
VS SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS (18-11, 11-3 CUSA)
Head Coach: Chris Mudge AP Poll: NR Record at Sam Houston: 18-11 (1st year) USA Today Poll: NR Career Record: Same NET Ranking: 161 Record vs. LA Tech: 1-0
BULLDOG STORYLINES
Overall: 21-8 | CUSA: 11-3 | H: 13-1 | A: 8-7 | N: 0-0 NOVEMBER 6 at Colorado State 13 LYON COLLEGE 16 at ULM 21 SOUTHERN UTAH^ 22 MCNEESE STATE^ 25 DILLARD 29 at New Mexico
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (21-8, 11-3 cusa)
W/L L W W W W W L
SCORE 73-81 100-43 73-63 67-53 71-62 105-65 65-74
DECEMBER 2 NICHOLLS ESPN+ W 68-55 5 at Stephen F. Austin ESPN+ W 56-49 9 UL-LAFAYETTE ESPN+ W 72-67 12 SOUTHEASTERN ESPN+ W 89-60 16 at Saint Louis ESPN+ L 74-75 20 at Seattle U ESPN+ L 73-79OT 30 at Grand Canyon ESPN+ L 70-73
• Louisiana Tech closes out the regular season with two home games, starting on Thursday night versus Sam Houston with tipoff set for 8 p.m. CT inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court. The Bulldogs are riding a five-game winning streak, the third time this season with at least five victories in a row (first time since 2013-14 season). • LA Tech clinched a top-2 seed in the CUSA Tournament after defeating WKU. The Bulldogs and Bearkats remain tied atop the league standings as both have won their last five games. • LA Tech won its third conference road game in seven days, outlasting WKU by a score of 90-84. It was the most points allowed by the Bulldogs all season, but they were able to outscore the top scoring offense in the league. In doing so, LA Tech finished the regular season with an 8-7 road record (second time in last nine seasons with a winning road record) as well as a 6-2 CUSA road record, their best winning percentage in league road games since the 2012-13 season. • The defensive-minded Bulldogs proved they can score with the best of them too, shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 55.0 percent from three, and 78.1 percent from the foul line against the Hilltoppers. LA Tech knocked down 11 three-pointers while also connecting on a season-high 25 free throws (went 16-of-17 in the second half ). They rank 55nd in the country in three-point shooting percentage (36.4) and 39th in free throws made per game (16.4).
• Despite allowing a season-high 84 points, the Bulldogs still rank seventh in the country in field goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot just 39.1 percent. They have held eight CUSA opponents under 60 points (out of 14 games) while ranking 14th in the nation in scoring defense, JANUARY allowing just 63.9 points per game. 3 DALLAS CHRISTIAN ESPN+ W 96-55 6 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ L 77-81 • LA Tech won the battle of the boards again versus WKU, marking the 22nd time this season they 11 at Middle Tennessee* CBS SN W 60-52 have outrebounded its opponent. They currently rank top 50 in the country in rebounds per game 14 LIBERTY* ESPN2 W 80-76OT (38.83) and rebounding margin (6.2). 20 at Jacksonville State* ESPN+ W 74-57 25 UTEP* ESPN+ W 68-54 • Sean Newman Jr. has his best game as a Bulldog as the point registered career highs in points (19) and rebounds (7) while also dishing out eight assists. His 5.2 assists per game ranks 52nd in 27 NEW MEXICO STATE* ESPN+ W 73-53 the country, having amassed a CUSA-best 130 assists this season. FEBRUARY 1 at FIU* ESPN+ W 93-53 7 WKU* ESPN+ L 76-81 10 at Liberty* ESPNU L 62-65 15 JACKSONVILLE STATE* ESPN+ W 63-58 17 FIU* ESPN+ W 75-68 22 at UTEP* ESPN+ W 65-59 24 at New Mexico State* ESPN+ W 67-58 28 at WKU* ESPN+ W 90-84
• Isaiah Crawford is playing some of his best basketball right now, averaging 20.8 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last four games. He posted his ninth 20+ scoring performance against WKU, tallying 20 points on the nose. He is averaging 17.9 points during conference play, which is tops in the league. • After missing the first matchup against WKU, Tahlik Chavez made his presence felt against the Hilltoppers by scoring 16 points while going 4-of-7 from long range. He has scored in double figures in 11 of the 13 CUSA games played, averaging 16.2 points per game during conference action which ranks fourth in the league. He is shooting a CUSA-best 42.2 percent from three which
ranks 16th in the country (45.8 percent during league play).
MARCH • Daniel Batcho had 15 points as well as four blocks against WKU. The forward currently ranks 7 SAM HOUSTON* CBS SN 8 p.m. ninth in the country in blocks per game (2.40), having posted 3+ blocks 12 times this season. 9 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPN+ 2 p.m. 13 CUSA Championship$ ESPN+ TBA
A LA TECH WIN...
All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change * Conference USA game ^ LA Tech MTE $ Huntsville, Ala.
• Would clinch at least a share of the CUSA regular season title. It would be the third CUSA title for the Bulldogs in their 11th year in the league and would be the fourth regular season crown over the last 12 seasons. LA Tech has won 25 regular season titles all-time. • Would give the Bulldogs their sixth straight win and their 12th in the last 14 games. • Would improve the Bulldogs to 4-0 versus the Bearkats in Ruston. The two last squared off inside the Thomas Assembly Center in 2018, which was a 76-69 win for LA Tech.
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