Game 23 LA Tech vs WKU Game Notes

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LOUISIANA TECH 2023-24 BULLDOG BASKETBALL GAME 23 MATCHUP

GAMEDAY INFO DATE/TIME: Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 6 p.m. CT LOCATION: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.) SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 21-21 STREAK: WKU, 1 LAST MEETING: Feb. 23, 2023 | Bowling Green, Ky. WKU 76, LA Tech 66 MEDIA: ESPN+ TALENT: Lyn Rollins (pxp), Victor Howell (analyst) RADIO: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app TALENT: Malcolm Butler (pxp), Jack Thigpen (analyst) STATS: LATechSports.com/Stats

2023-24 SCHEDULE

LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (16-6, 6-1 cusa) Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 31-24 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. WKU: 1-1

AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 68

VS WKU HILLTOPPERS (15-7, 4-4 cusa) Head Coach: Steve Lutz Record at WKU: 15-7 (1st year) Career Record: 62-30 (3rd year) Record vs. LA Tech: 0-0

AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 153

BULLDOG STORYLINES

Overall: 16-6 | CUSA: 6-1 | H: 11-0 | A: 5-6 | 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

• Louisiana Tech put sits six-game winning streak on the line Wednesday night when the Bulldogs play host to WKU inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court. • The Bulldogs are coming off their most dominant performance of the season, defeating FIU 93-53 in Miami this past Thursday to stay atop the league standings. The 40-point victory was the second largest road win in recorded history and tied for the second largest road win in a CUSA game in the league’ history.

• It was another stellar defensive effort for the Bulldogs who held the Panthers, the second-highest scoring team in CUSA, to a season-low 53 points and 32.2 percent shooting. It marked the 14th time this season LA Tech has held its opponent to less than 40 percent shooting. The ‘Dogs have held five of their seven CUSA opponents to less than 60 points. DECEMBER They currently rank No. 1 in conference play in defensive efficiency while ranking top 10 in 2 NICHOLLS ESPN+ W 68-55 the country in both field goal percentage defense (38.3) and scoring defense (62.7).

JANUARY 3 DALLAS CHRISTIAN ESPN+ W 96-55 6 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ L 77-81 11 at Middle Tennessee* CBS SN W 60-52 14 LIBERTY* ESPN2 W 80-76OT 20 at Jacksonville State* ESPN+ W 74-57 25 UTEP* ESPN+ W 68-54 27 NEW MEXICO STATE* ESPN+ W 73-53 FEBRUARY 1 at FIU* ESPN+ W 93-53 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.

• It was an offensive onslaught for LA Tech as well against FIU, shooting a season-best 62.4 percent from the field as well as 52.4 percent from deep and 100.0 percent from the foul line (first time in program history shooting 60-50-100 in a single game and only the fourth team in all of college basketball to do it this season). • Tahlik Chavez poured in a game-high 27 points against the Panthers. The sharpshooter buried a season-high seven three-pointers, tied for the fourth most in a single game in program history and tied for the most by a CUSA player this season. In league play, he is averaging 16.1 points while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and a CUSA-best 48.9 percent from beyond the arc (22-of-45). • Daniel Batcho registered his CUSA-leading 10th double-double of the season (third straight), recording 20 points and 13 rebounds at FIU. He is averaging 15.0 points and 10.5 boards per game. He ranks top 10 in the country in rebounds per game and blocks per game with a CUSA-leading 48 rejections. Batcho and Zach Edey (Purdue) are the only players in the nation currently averaging at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game. • Isaiah Crawford continues to pace the Bulldogs offensively, averaging 15.8 points per game. During league play, he ranks third in CUSA in scoring (17.6 points_ and in field goal percentage (53.7). Defensively, he is top five in both steals per game (2.00) and blocks per game (2.14). The forward is currently the only player in the country with at least 45 steals and 35 blocks this season.

• Isaiah Crawford and Daniel Batcho make up arguably the best frontcourt in CUSA. The duo both rank in the top 10 in the league in points per game, rebounds per game, field goal percentage, and blocks per game, combining for 30.8 points and 16.4 boards per contest as MARCH well as 83 blocks (rank 1-2 in field goal percentage and blocks per game). 7 SAM HOUSTON* 9 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* 12 CUSA Championship$

CBS SN ESPN+ -----

8 p.m. 2 p.m. TBA

All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change * Conference USA game ^ LA Tech MTE $ Huntsville, Ala.

A LA TECH WIN... • Would give the Bulldogs their seventh straight CUSA win, which would tie for the longest CUSA winning streak in a single season in program history (record set in 2017). • Would give the Bulldogs their eighth straight win over the Hilltoppers in the TAC. LA Tech’s last loss at home to WKU came in 1998. • Would give the Bulldogs their 170th home win since February of 2012 (are 169-21 during this time span -- 88.9 percent winning percentage).

@LATECHHOOPS

@LATECHHOOPS

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