lofton, jr. /// #bullyball from ruston to memphis

KENNETH

Bulldog To Gold Medalist To Grizzlie To Nba Rising Star

Nov. 19, 2019 junior signs with louisiana tech dec. 6, 2020 junior has coming-out party, registering 17 points and 12 rebounds at lsu march 9, 2021 junior named unanimous conference usa freshman of the year march 28, 2021 junior goes for 27 points and 13 rebounds in nit consolation game against Colorado state, making game-winning field goal july 11, 2021 junior leads team usa to gold medal in latvia, led squad in scoring at 13.1 points per game (scored team-high 16 points in finals vs. france) nov. 27, 2021 junior goes off for 36 points and 17 rebounds in narrow loss at nc state march 7, 2022 junior selected first team all-conference usa july 2, 2022 junior signs two-way contract with memphis grizzlies after going unselected in the nba draft oct. 15, 2022 junior makes 2022-23 opening night roster with memphis grizzlies oct. 22, 2022 junior makes nba debut at dallas, records 4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist jan. 31, 2023 junior named to nba all-star weekend’s rising stars game

Bulldogs In The Rankings

The Bulldogs rank high in several statistical categories in the league and in the country (as of Feb. 9).

COBE’S TIME

2019-20 (Year 1) 4.3 points per game

2020-21 (Year 2) 8.6 points per game

2021-22 (Year 3) 11.3 points per game

2022-23 (Year 4) 18.7 points per game

Cobe Williams has improved offensively every season he has been a Bulldog.

The preseason All-Conference USA selection ranks fourth in the league in scoring. He has scored in double figures in 20 of the 22 games this season, including 10 20-point games (career-high 27 vs. UAB), which is the fourth most in C-USA.

He also has the most assists on the team with 91, meaning he has scored or assisted on 36 percent of LA Tech’s field goals.

And oh yeah, he is also one of the best defenders in the country having totaled 46 steals. He is currently one of only four players in the country averaging at least 18.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.

Cobe Williams -- Louisiana Tech

Kendric Davis -- Memphis

Jalen Cook -- Tulane

Andrew Taylor -- Marshall

Milestones Hit This Season

There have been a number of personal milestones hit by the Bulldogs this season.

Cobe Williams 1,000 career points

Cobe Williams 300 career assists

Isaiah Crawford 100 career steals

Keaston Willis 250 career 3-pointers

Overtime Shutout

The Bulldogs outscored the Hilltoppers, 11-0, during the extra five minutes in route to an 8574 victory on Jan. 19. LA Tech scored on all five of its offensive possessions while WKU went scoreless, going 0-of-7 from the field.

It was the largest margin of victory in an OT game for the ‘Dogs since defeating North Texas, 73-62, in 2016. It was also the first time in program history (on record) that LA Tech shutout an opponent in overtime.

cobe & isaiah TAKE YOUR BALL

Two-time C-USA All-Defensive Team member Cobe Williams and Isaiah Crawford are making strong cases for being on the All-Defensive Team this season.

Both players have recorded at least four steals in six games, becoming just the 6th and 7th Bulldog in program history to have at least four steals six times in a single season.

Speedy Smith (2013-14) 8 times

Speedy Smith (2014-15) 7 times

Isaiah Crawford (2022-23) 7 times

Cobe Williams (2022-23) 6 times

Jacobi Boykins (2016-17) 6 times

Alex Hamilton (2015-16) 6 times

Doug Annison (1994-95) 6 times

Willie Bland (1984-85) 6 times

They are two of only 12 players in the nation with at least six games of 4+ steals. LA Tech is one of only eight teams in the country to have two players that have 46+ steals.

steals and turnovers oh my!

Turnovers and steals tend to go hand-andhand for Talvin Hester’s defense.

The 385 forced TOs ranks as the 35th most in the country while the 196 steals ranks as the 57th most in the nation.

LA Tech has forced 15+ turnovers in 13 games this season (seven of those the ‘Dogs forced 20+ turnovers). Meanwhile, they have registered double-digit steals in 10 games this season.

ISAIAH GETTIN’ BACK TO OLD SELF

Jan. 11, 2020. El Paso, Texas.

Nov. 15, 2021. Ruston, Louisiana.

Two days that Isaiah Crawford will never forget. Because on both of those days, he tore the ACL in his left knee (one of two known active players in the country to still be playing after two season-ending knee injuries).

After recovering from the first season-ending knee injury, he bounced back to have an All-Conference USA season (Third Team). He looks to have the same bounce back this season and so far he is.

Through 23 games, Crawford is averaging 12.5 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field, 43 percent from three, and 72 percent from the foul line. And defensively, he ranks in the top 50 in the country in total steals and steals per game.

He has scored in double figures 14 times, including a season-high 25 points at North Texas on Jan. 14, the most since scoring a career-high 27 at North Texas on Feb. 5, 2021.

“threeston” willis

Keaston ... aka “Threeston” ... Willis made his presence known from beyond the three-point line in his first year with the Bulldogs last season.

He ended up ranking in the top 50 in the country in three-point field goal percentage (39.2%) and three-pointers made (93). His 93 threes was the second most in program history in a single season.

He is already off to a good pace this season, having knocked down a team-high 57 three-pointers through 23 games, recently eclipsing 250 made threes in the game at Rice on Jan. 5.

The man has been a weapon from deep his entire collegiate career at UIW/LA Tech.

270 total made three-pointers (108 games)

1+ made threes 95 times

2+ made threes 73 times

3+ made threes 51 times 4+ made threes 29 times 5+ made threes 14 times 6+ made threes 6 times 7+ made threes 3 times

Immediate Impact For Frosh

Jordan Crawford had only one scholarship offer from a Division I college basketball program ... and that was the home town school of Louisiana Tech.

The true freshman who won four state championships at nearby Simsboro High School has made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs.

He has played in all 24 games while making 17 starts, and is second on the team in total assists (85) and third in total steals (28).

His 85 assists are the 15th most of any freshman in the country and ranks sixth most of any player in C-USA.

BABY J NAMED C-USA FOW x2

Dec. 26, 2022

Jordan Crawford (aka Baby J) was named C-USA Freshman of the Week after recording a double-double with 13 points and a career-high 12 assists versus Jarvis Christian. He also tallied four rebounds and four steals in the win.

In doing so, he became just the fourth Bulldog in program history to receive C-USA FOW honors multiple times.

Nov. 14, 2022

After making a big splash in his Bulldog debut, Jordan Crawford was voted as the Conference USA Freshman of the Week in week one.

He saw 20 minutes of action in the season opener against Mississippi College, registering 15 points, three assists, and three steals.

He became the seventh Bulldog in program history to be named C-USA FOW and only the second to win the award in week one.

Bench Points

Scoring depth has been a plus for the Bulldogs this season as the bench is averaging 24.4 points per game, which ranks third in Conference USA and top 60 in the country.

This bench scoring average currently ranks as the third best in program history over the last 30 years (7 games of 30+ and 3 games of 40+ bench points)

2012-13 30.6 bench points per game

2013-14 28.2 bench points per game

2019-20 25.9 bench points per game

2022-23 24.4 bench points per game

2020-21 24.4 bench points per game

Mte Success

Practically every season, Louisiana Tech plays in a multi-team event. And practically every season, the Bulldogs go updated in said events.

LA Tech went 3-0 in the Samford MTE this season, winning road games at Alabama A&M and Samford plus a neutral site victory over UT Southern.

Over the last decade, the ‘Dogs are a combined 31-6 in multi-team events.

2012-13 CBE HOF Classic 3-0

2013-14 Gulf Coast Showcase 3-0

2014-15 Coaches vs. Cancer 3-1

2015-16 HOF Invitational 3-1

2016-17 California Bears Classic 3-1

2017-18 Cancun Challenge 4-0 New Orleans Shootout 2-0

2018-19 Delaware Invitational 0-2

2019-20 Indiana Challenge 3-1

2020-21 Louisiana Tech Classic 2-0 2021-22 Lanky Wells Classic 2-0

Hester Wins First Game As Hc

Talvin Hester picked up his first ever win as head coach in the season opener as the Bulldogs defeated the Choctaws of Mississippi College, 78-61.

He became the third straight LA Tech HC to win the season opener and the seventh straight to win their home opener.

williams preseason all-cusa

Cobe Williams was one of 10 players named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team in a vote by the league head coaches.

The fourth-year guard was a C-USA Honorable Mention selection last season after starting in all 34 games, averaging 11.3 points per game to go along with a team-best 103 assists and 42 steals.

He is one of the most experienced Bulldogs on the roster, having played in 96 career games.

Coached In Many Leagues

With over 20 years of coaching experience, new head coach Talvin Hester has seen first hand the talent level of several college basketball conferences. In fact, he has coached in eight different Division I leagues.

Big 12 Texas Tech

Conference USA Louisiana Tech

Summit League Oral Roberts

American Athletic Houston

Sun Belt Texas State

Southland Stephen F. Austin

Western Athletic San Jose State

SWAC Prairie View A&M

Wins And Sun In Puerto Rico

LA Tech got in some extra work this summer in preparation for the 2022-23 season under first-year head coach Talvin Hester as the Bulldogs went on a summer tour to Puerto Rico (in previous years the Bulldogs have gone to the Bahamas (2014) and Costa Rica (2018)).

The ‘Dogs spent six days on the island where they toured the capital city of San Juan, enjoyed paddle boarding, ziplining, down time at the pool and beach ... and three wins.

Def. LBP White Al-Stars 113-67

Def. LBP Blue All-Stars 87-80

Def. LBP Red All-Stars 108-91

LA Tech combined to shoot 45.8% from the field, 40.4% from three, and 81.4% from the foul line. Four players averaged double-digit scoring.

Keaston Willis 18.3 ppg

Kaleb Stewart 18.0 ppg

Cobe Williams 16.0 ppg

Dravon Mangum 14.0 ppg

From Bulldog To Grizzlie

Kenneth Lofton, Jr. racked up several honors in his two seasons of playing Bully Ball with the Bulldogs prior to declaring for the NBA Draft.

• Two-time All-Conference USA

• Louisiana Major College Player of the Year

• NABC First Team All-District 11

• Naismith Trophy Midseason Team

• C-USA Freshman of the Year

Despite going undrafted, he ended up signing a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies where he made the opening day roster.

Junior was one of just 17 undrafted rookies to make an NBA opening day roster and became the first Bulldog since Erik McCree (2018 with Utah Jazz) to play in an NBA game.