LOUISIANA TECH 2023-24 BULLDOG BASKETBALL GAME 16 MATCHUP
GAMEDAY INFO DATE/TIME: Saturday, Jan. 6 | 4:30 p.m. CT LOCATION: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum (Huntsville, Texas) SERIES HISTORY: LA Tech leads, 5-2 STREAK: Sam Houston, 1 LAST MEETING: Dec. 8, 2019 | Huntsville, Texas Sam Houston 71, LA Tech 68 MEDIA: ESPN+ TALENT: Tom Franklin (pxp) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app TALENT: Malcolm Butler (pxp) STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats
2023-24 SCHEDULE
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (10-5, 0-0 cusa) Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 25-23 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. Sam Houston: 0-0
AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 75
AT SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS (7-8, 0-0 CUSA) Head Coach: Chris Mudge Record at Sam Houston: 7-8 (1st year) Career Record: Same Record vs. LA Tech: 0-0
AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 248
BULLDOG STORYLINES
Overall: 10-5 | CUSA: 0-0 | H: 8-0 | A: 2-5 | 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
MEDIA MWN ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ MWN
W/L L W W W W W L
SCORE 73-81 100-43 73-63 67-53 71-62 105-65 65-74
5 at Stephen F. Austin 9 UL-LAFAYETTE 12 SOUTHEASTERN 16 at Saint Louis 20 at Seattle U 30 at Grand Canyon
ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+
W W W L L L
56-49 72-67 89-60 74-75 73-79OT 70-73
11 at Middle Tennessee* 14 LIBERTY* 20 at Jacksonville State* 25 UTEP* 27 NEW MEXICO STATE*
CBS SN ESPN2 ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+
8 p.m. 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m.
• Louisiana Tech opens Conference USA action on Saturday when they take on Sam Houston inside Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum at 4:30 p.m. It will be the first of 16 straight league games for the Bulldogs. • LA Tech put an end to its three-game losing skid by defeating Dallas Christian, 96-55, in their final non-conference contest of the regular season. The Bulldogs scored just seven seconds into the game and never trailed, improving to 8-0 at home this season.
• The Bulldogs shot a season-best 60.3 percent from the field versus the Crusaders, the best shooting percentage since 2017. LA Tech has now shot at least 55 percent in back-to-back games, a first since 2016. A big reason for the high percentage was their dominance in the DECEMBER paint where they outscored DCC, 54-24. Over the last three games, the ‘Dogs have outscored 2 NICHOLLS ESPN+ W 68-55 their opponents, 138-58. • Defensively, LA Tech held DCC to 36.5 percent shooting, marking the 10th time this season the ‘Dogs have held their opponent to less than 38 percent from the field. They also registered 13 steals and a season-high 11 blocks (most since 2016).
• Daniel Batcho led the Bulldogs in scoring for a fourth straight game, scoring 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Over the last four games, the forward is averaging 20.0 points per game JANUARY while shooting 69 percent from the field. He is also averaging 10.3 rebounds per game 3 DALLAS CHRISTIAN ESPN+ W 96-55 during this span. He is currently one of 12 players in the country averaging a double-double 6 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ 4:30 p.m. with 14.8 points and 10.1 boards per game.
FEBRUARY 1 at FIU* ESPN+ 6 p.m. 7 WKU* ESPN+ 6 p.m. 10 at Liberty* ESPNU 7 p.m. 15 JACKSONVILLE STATE* ESPN+ 6 p.m. 17 FIU* ESPN+ 2 p.m. 22 at UTEP* ESPN+ 8 p.m. 24 at New Mexico State* ESPN+ 8 p.m. 28 at WKU* ESPN+ 7 p.m.
• Isaiah Crawford made history on Wednesday, becoming the first player in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 steals, and 50 blocks. He also recently became the first Bulldog to rank in the top 10 in career steals and career blocks. The forward leads the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game. • LA Tech gets its 11th season in Conference USA underway on Saturday. The Bulldogs own a 114-64 record (64 percent) in CUSA games, a winning percentage that ranks fourth all-time in the history of the league. They will start league action with back-to-back games on the road, a first since 2017-18 season. • LA Tech has played one of its hardest non-conference schedules in recent history. Their non-conference NET strength of schedule ranks 70th in the country, having faced four opponents that rank in the top 50 in the NET. In the four years of the NET, the toughest non-conference schedule for the Bulldogs prior to this season was 115th (2020-21 season).
A LA TECH WIN...
MARCH 7 SAM HOUSTON* CBS SN 8 p.m. 9 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPN+ 2 p.m. • Would give the Bulldogs a 1-0 start in Conference USA play. The Bulldogs are 8-2 all12 CUSA Championship$ ----- TBA time in CUSA openers. All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change * Conference USA game ^ LA Tech MTE $ Huntsville, Ala.
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• Would end a three-game road losing streak for the Bulldogs. LA Tech has lost its last three road games by a combined 10 points. • Would give the Bulldogs just their second win ever over the Bearkats in Huntsville. LA Tech’s lone road win over Sam Houston came in 1990.
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