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 finals. LA Tech has been to the CUSA championship twice before (2022, 2014). • Would give the Bulldogs their fourth consecutive victory. LA Tech is currently on a season-best three-game winning streak. • Would give the Bulldogs their third victory over Missouri State. LA Tech came into this season trailing in the all-time series against the Bears, 0-2.
@LATECHHOOPS
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 212
VS #5 MISSOURI STATE BEARS (16-17) Head Coach: Cuonzo Martin Record at MSU: 86-81 (5th year) Career Record: 289-238 (16th year) Record vs. LA Tech: 2-2
AP Poll: NR Coaches Poll: NR NET Ranking: 205
BULLDOG STORYLINES & PROJECTED STARTERS
AJ BATES
• With the wire-to-wire win over No. 5 seed Middle Tennessee, LA Tech advanced to the CUSA Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2022 (sixth time overall). The Bulldogs swept the season series against their next opponent Missouri State with narrow wins of 79-78 in double overtime and 72-70. This will not be the first time they square off in the postseason. The Bears defeated the Bulldogs 69-40 in the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
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• No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech will take on No. 9 seed Missouri State Friday in the Conference USA Basketball Championship semifinals 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.
11.8 ppg | 2.8 rpg | 5.9 apg
DJ DUDLEY
• The Bulldog defense flexed their muscle again versus the Blue Raiders, holding MTSU to just 19 made field goals (tied for its fewest this season) on 40.4 percent shooting. Coming into the contest, LA Tech ranked 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.
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• LA Tech delievered its third straight strong performance, defeating Middle Tennessee 80-69. The victory carried extra significance for LA Tech, which had seen its postseason runs ended by MTSU in each of the last two CUSA Tournaments. The Bulldogs continued to stay hot, having now won five of their last seven games including their first three-game winning streak of the season. The Bulldogs have yet to trail in any of their last three contests.
14.2 ppg | 2.8 rpg | 1.9 apg
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Overall: 19-13 | CUSA: 11-9 | H: 14-3 | A: 4-10 | N: 1-0 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+ W 80-69 13 vs. Missouri State$ CBS SN 11:30 a.m.
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 76-53 (4th year) Career Record: Same Record vs. MSU: 2-0
• LA Tech has dominated the glass most of the season, outrebounding 21 of its 32 opponents. The team came into the tournament ranked 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). Offensively, the paint has been a place where the Bulldogs have thrived. LA Tech is averaging 33.3 paint points per game, having scored 30+ points 23 times. In the last four contests, the ‘Dogs have outscored their opponents 128-56. • AJ Bates, an Honorable Mention All-CUSA selection, stuffed the stat sheet with 29 points, six assists, and a career-high six steals against MTSU in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs’ floor general who has started all 32 games is averaging 11.8 points per game, second most on the team, while also anchoring the squad with 5.9 assists per game, a mark that ranks 30th nationally. His 188 total assists this season rank as the ninth most in LA Tech single-season history, and he has recorded at least five assists in 21 games. • DJ Dudley, a Third Team All-CUSA honoree, recorded 16 points on 6-of12 shooting versus the Blue Raiders. The junior has been the Bulldogs’ top scoring option throughout the season, averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game. The sharpshooter also anchored the team’s perimeter attack, knocking down 59 three-pointers at a 39.1 percent clip while adding 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per contest.
JAYLEN FENNER
2025-26 SCHEDULE
#4 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (19-13)
5.7 ppg | 2.9 rpg | 1.1 spg
AVERY 5 THOMAS II
DATE/TIME: Friday, March 13 | 11:30 a.m. CT LOCATION: VBC Propst Arena (Huntsville, Ala.) SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 2-2 STREAK: LA Tech, 2 LAST MEETING: Feb. 24, 2026 | Ruston, La. LA Tech 72, MSU 70 MEDIA: CBS Sports Network TALENT: Jordan Kent (pxp), Mike O’Donnell (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app TALENT: Kyle Schassburger (pxp) STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
GAME 33 MATCHUP
9.1 ppg | 7.0 rpg | 1.1 spg
MELIAN 21 MARTINEZ
GAMEDAY INFO
• Avery Thomas II posted 15 points and nine rebounds to go along with three steals versus MTSU. The forward has scored in double figures in seven of the last nine games, including each of the last four. During this span, he is shooting 47.1 percent from deep (16-of-34). • 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 76 career wins, the eighth most victories as a head coach in program history.
@LATECHHOOPS
4.3 ppg | 3.0 rpg | 1.8 bpg
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