LOUISIANA TECH 2023-24 BULLDOG BASKETBALL GAME 25 MATCHUP
GAMEDAY INFO DATE/TIME: Thursday, Feb. 15 | 6 p.m. CT LOCATION: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.) SERIES HISTORY: LA Tech leads, 1-0 STREAK: LA Tech, 1 LAST MEETING: Jan. 20, 2024 | Jacksonville, Ala. LA Tech 74, Jax State 57 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 MEDIA MWN ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+ MWN
Head Coach: Talvin Hester Record at LA Tech: 31-26 (2nd year) Career Record: Same Record vs. Jax State: 1-0
AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 78
VS JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS (12-13, 4-6 cusa) Head Coach: Ray Harper Record at Jax State: 144-107 (8th year) Career Record: 480-217 (25th year) Record vs. LA Tech: 1-2
AP Poll: NR USA Today Poll: NR NET Ranking: 188
BULLDOG STORYLINES
Overall: 16-8 | CUSA: 6-3 | H: 11-1 | A: 5-7 | 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
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGs (16-8, 6-3 cusa)
W/L L W W W W W L
SCORE 73-81 100-43 73-63 67-53 71-62 105-65 65-74
DECEMBER 2 NICHOLLS ESPN+ W 68-55 5 at Stephen F. Austin ESPN+ W 56-49 9 UL-LAFAYETTE ESPN+ W 72-67 12 SOUTHEASTERN ESPN+ W 89-60 16 at Saint Louis ESPN+ L 74-75 20 at Seattle U ESPN+ L 73-79OT 30 at Grand Canyon ESPN+ L 70-73
• Louisiana Tech looks to snap its two-game losing streak on Thursday night when they host Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. CT inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court. The Bulldogs are currently tied with Sam Houston atop the CUSA standings. • LA Tech lost another heartbreaker this past Saturday, falling in the final seconds to Liberty, 65-62, in Lynchburg, Virginia at Liberty Arena. After Sean Newman Jr. tied the game up at 6262 with 12 seconds left, the Flames were able to hit a game-winning three pointer with two ticks on the clock. The Bulldogs managed to shoot 51.9 percent from the field (third time in last six games over 50 percent shooting), they did commit 19 turnovers which tied for the most in conference play. • The Bulldogs registered 11 steals versus the Flames, the eighth time this season with 10+ in a single game. They had recorded five blocks, the 12th time this season with at least five rejections in a single game (third straight). LA Tech ranks first in CUSA and 23rd in the country with an average of 5.0 blocks per contest as Daniel Batcho and Isaiah Crawford rank 1-2 in that category in the league. LA Tech ranks 11th in the country in scoring defense (63.6) and eighth in the country in field goal percentage defense (39.0).
• Isaiah Crawford led the Bulldogs in scoring for the ninth time this season and the 25th time in his career after posting 19 points at Liberty. He has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 games and is averaging 17.2 points per game during CUSA play, tied for third JANUARY most in the league. On the defensive end, he tied his career high with six steals to go along 3 DALLAS CHRISTIAN ESPN+ W 96-55 with three blocks. He currently ranks in the top three in league play in steals per game (2.56) 6 at Sam Houston* ESPN+ L 77-81 and blocks per game (2.11). 11 at Middle Tennessee* 14 LIBERTY* 20 at Jacksonville State* 25 UTEP* 27 NEW MEXICO STATE*
CBS SN ESPN2 ESPN+ ESPN+ ESPN+
W W W W W
60-52 80-76OT 74-57 68-54 73-53
FEBRUARY 1 at FIU* ESPN+ W 93-53 7 WKU* ESPN+ L 76-81 10 at Liberty* ESPNU L 62-65 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.
• Daniel Batcho had 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds versus the Flames. He continues to average a double-double at 14.7 points and 10.5 boards per contest (ranks 10th in the country), one of only 13 players in the country averaging a double-double. He has led LA Tech in rebounding 17 times this season, including seven of the last eight games. • Sean Newman Jr. dished out seven assists in the game versus Liberty. The point guard has registered at least five assists in a single game 14 times this season (has 32 assists over the last five games). He currently leads CUSA in assists per game at 5.3 per contest. • After missing the WKU game, Tahlik Chavez returned to score 11 points including three made three-pointers at Liberty. It marked the 14th time this season making at least three triples in a single game. He has now 63 made threes on the year while shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc, the best shooting percentage in CUSA and 17th best in the country. • The Bulldogs are currently tied with Sam Houston atop the CUSA standings with seven games remaining. Only three games separate first place from last place in the league.
MARCH 7 SAM HOUSTON* CBS SN 8 p.m. 9 MIDDLE TENNESSEE* ESPN+ 2 p.m. 12 CUSA Championship$ ----- TBA • Would snap the Bulldogs two-game losing skid. LA Tech has lost three games in a row just
A LA TECH WIN...
once this season, which was a stretch of three straight road contests in non-conference.
All home games CAPS | All times CST and subject to change * Conference USA game ^ LA Tech MTE $ Huntsville, Ala.
@LATECHHOOPS
• Would improve the Bulldogs home record this season to 12-1. LA Tech has lost back-toback CUSA home games only twice in its 10+ years in the league. • Would give the Bulldogs their 17th win of the season. LA Tech is close to reaching 20 victories, something the program has done nine times in the last 11 seasons.
@LATECHHOOPS
/LATECHMBB