LOUISIANA TECH 2025-26 BULLDOG BASKETBALL
All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change ^ LA Tech MTE | * CUSA game | $ Huntsville, Ala.
A LA TECH WIN... • Would advance the Bulldogs to the CUSA Tournament semifinals. LA Tech last made it to the semis in 2022 (have done so five times). • Would give the Bulldogs their 19th all-time victory over the Blue Raiders. LA Tech owns an 11-8 edge over MTSU since the two joined CUSA in 2013. • Would give the Bulldogs their third straight victory. LA Tech has yet to win more than two games in a row this season. • Would give the Bulldogs their first victory in the CUSA Tournament played in Huntsville. LA Tech has lost its opening road game in each of the last two tourneys played in the Rocket City.
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AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 212
VS #5 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS (17-14) Head Coach: Nick McDevitt Record at MTSU: 122-132 (8th year) Career Record: 220-198 (13th year) Record vs. LA Tech: 5-7
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 154
BULLDOG STORYLINES & PROJECTED STARTERS
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• No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech will battle No. 5 seed Middle Tennessee on Thursday night in the Conference USA Basketball Championship quarterfinals at VBC Propst Arena. LA Tech finished the season with 11-9 conference record, tying for third in the league standings. The Bulldogs have finished in the top three in eight of their 13 seasons in CUSA.
• The Bulldogs enter the conference tournament with the No. 1 defense in the league. LA Tech ranks eighth in the country in scoring defense (64.6) and 10th in field goal percentage defense (39.0). LA Tech ranked first in both categories during conference play as well. • LA Tech has dominated the glass the majority of the season, outrebounding 21 of its 31 opponents (including 11 of its last 14). Most recently, the Bulldogs had a +10 rebounding margin against Liberty and a +14 rebounding margin versus Delaware. The team ranks top 50 in the nation in several rebounding categories including rebounds per game (43rd -- 38.65), offensive rebounds per game (27th -- 13.00), and rebounding margin (33rd -- +5.8).
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11.2 ppg | 2.8 rpg | 5.9 apg
DJ DUDLEY
• LA Tech closed out the regular season on a high note, winning four of its last six games including a road sweep against Liberty and Delaware. The Bulldogs never trailed in either game against the Flames and Blue Hens, winning 76-71 and 81-38, respectively. It marked the first time since 2018 that Liberty never led in a home game as LA Tech handed LU just its third league loss of the season. Then against UD, the ‘Dogs used a 28-0 run in the second half to record a 43-point victory, the largest in program history in a road game.
AJ BATES
• This will mark the third straight year that LA Tech and MTSU face off in the opening round of the CUSA Tournament. Both contests have gone down to the wire with the Blue Raiders coming out on top each game. In 2024, MTSU edged LA Tech 70-67. Last season, the two teams went into double overtime with the Blue Raiders prevailing 77-75.
14.1 ppg | 2.9 rpg | 2.0 apg
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Overall: 18-13 | CUSA: 11-9 | H: 14-3 | A: 4-10 | N: 0-0 NOVEMBER MEDIA W/L SCORE 4 at Nevada MWN L 50-77 9 LYON COLLEGE ESPN+ W 93-35 15 JACKSON STATE ESPN+ W 68-51 19 at Indiana State ESPN+ L 51-60 26 INDIANA STATE^ ESPN+ W 75-73 29 ALCORN STATE^ ESPN+ W 83-58 DECEMBER 3 at Georgia Southern ESPN+ L 69-77 7 ECCLESIA COLLEGE ESPN+ W 89-37 13 UL-LAFAYETTE ESPN+ W 65-44 17 at Tulane ESPN+ L 53-61 22 DALLAS CHRISTIAN ESPN+ W 90-37 29 UTEP* ESPN+ W 75-63 JANUARY 2 at Middle Tennessee* ESPN+ L 51-88 4 at WKU* ESPN+ L 61-66 8 LIBERTY* CBS SN L 56-72 10 DELAWARE* ESPN+ W 70-68OT 14 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPN+ W 59-58 17 at Jacksonville State* ESPN+ L 60-64 23 KENNESAW STATE* ESPN+ W 82-76 28 at UTEP* ESPN+ W 69-59 31 at Sam Houston* ESPN2 L 67-83 FEBRUARY 4 NEW MEXICO STATE* ESPN+ L 63-72 7 SAM HOUSTON* ESPN+ W 87-78 12 at Missouri State* CBS SN W 79-782OT 14 at FIU* ESPN+ L 64-77 18 JACKSONVILLE STATE* ESPN+ W 77-71 21 at Kennesaw State* ESPN+ L 55-58 26 MISSOURI STATE* ESPN+ W 72-70 28 FIU* ESPN+ L 76-84 MARCH 5 at Liberty* ESPN+ W 76-71 7 at Delaware* ESPN+ W 81-38 12 vs. Middle Tennessee$ ESPN+ 5:30 p.m.
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 75-53 (4th year) Career Record: Same Record vs. MTSU: 5-5
JAYLEN FENNER
2025-26 SCHEDULE
#4 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (18-13)
• Offensively, the paint has been a place where the Bulldogs have thrived. LA Tech is averaging 33.5 paint points per game, having scored 30+ 23 times (have done so in 14 of the 20 league games). • DJ Dudley was named Third Team All-CUSA. The junior has been the Bulldogs’ top scoring option throughout the season, averaging a teambest 14.1 points per game. The sharpshooter also anchored the team’s perimeter attack, knocking down 57 three-pointers at a 39.0 percent clip while adding 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest. • AJ Bates was named Honorable Mention All-CUSA. Bates, the Bulldogs’ floor general, is averaging 11.2 points per game, second most on the team, while also serving as the team’s primary playmaker. The guard is the only Bulldog to start all 31 games this season and leads the team with 5.9 assists per game, a mark that ranks 30th nationally. His 182 total assists this season rank as the 10th most in LA Tech single-season history, and he recorded at least five assists in 20 games. • Melian Martinez was named to the CUSA All-Defensive Team. The center anchored the Bulldogs’ defense after leading the conference in both blocks per game (1.81) and total blocks (49). His shot-blocking presence also ranks 38th nationally in blocks per game and 58th in total blocks. He has recorded at least three blocks in 10 games this season and averaged 2.21 blocks per game during conference play, the top mark in the league. • Talvin Hester is in his fourth season at the helm at LA Tech. In his third year, Hester guided the Bulldogs to a 20-win season, marking the 30th time in program history the team has reached 20+ victories. This was the second straight season Hester led the team to 20 wins, going 22-10 in 2023-24. He now has 75 career wins, the eighth most victories as a head coach in program history.
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5.7 ppg | 2.9 rpg | 1.1 spg
AVERY 5 THOMAS II
DATE/TIME: Thursday, March 12 | 5:30 p.m. CT LOCATION: VBC Propst Arena (Huntsville, Ala.) SERIES HISTORY: LA Tech leads, 18-10 STREAK: LA Tech, 1 LAST MEETING: Jan. 14, 2026 | Ruston, La. LA Tech 59, MTSU 58 MEDIA: ESPN+ TALENT: Matt Warner (pxp), Paul Nazigian (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app TALENT: Kyle Schassburger (pxp) STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
GAME 32 MATCHUP
8.9 ppg | 6.9 rpg | 1.1 spg
MELIAN 21 MARTINEZ
GAMEDAY INFO
4.4 ppg | 3.1 rpg | 1.8 bpg
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