Louisiana Tech looks to move above .500 as the Bulldogs play a tough one at Auburn Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup at Beard-Eaves Coliseum.

Tech enters the contest at 1-1 while Auburn stands at 3-0.

Bulldogs coach Keith Richard always expects a win from his squad but will be looking at the big picture as his team takes on a Southeastern Conference foe on the road.

"Anytime you come in and play an SEC play on its own floor, you've got a big, big job in front of you," Richard said. "We always play to win, but one thing I'll be looking for is an improvement since our last game. At this point we just have to get better game by game."

Tech sophomore sensation Paul Millsap, the 2003-04 Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and NCAA rebounding champion, has been a model of consistency so far for the Bulldogs and has turned in 25 points and 14 rebounds in each of the first two games for the 'Dogs.

Senior guard Donell Allick is the only other Bulldogs scoring in double figures with 11.0 points per contest while seniors Wayne Powell and Corey Dean are chipping in with 9.5 and 9.0 ppg respectively.

Tech has averaged 66.0 ppg as a team through two games but will probably need to turn things up against an Auburn squad averaging 85.7 ppg. Auburn's lowest scoring total this season came in an 80-78 win over Temple. The Tigers also have wins over Furman (85-74) and Nicholls State (92-78).

Toney Douglas leads Auburn with 20. ppg and in rebounds with 8.3 per contest.

The Tigers have three others scoring in double-figures with Ian Young hitting for 19.3 ppg, Quinnel Brown turning in 17.7 ppg and Frank Tolbert adding 11.7 ppg off the bench.

Both sets of starters figure to see plenty of time on the floor as Auburn's bench is averaging 9.3 ppg while Tech's bench is hitting for 5.5 ppg. Millsap and point guard Daevon Haskins have played all 80 minutes through Tech's two games.

The Tigers hold a 4-2 series advantage over the Bulldogs, but Tech won the last meeting with a 67-66 win at Auburn under Richard's guidance on Dec. 4, 2001. Tech holds a 23-32 (.418) record against schools from the state of Alabama.

Tech's game against Auburn will be carried live on KXKZ-FM radio (107.5) with a pregame show beginning at 12:30 a.m.