Louisiana Tech renews an old rivalry for the holidays Saturday as the Bulldogs play host to McNeese State at 3 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.

Children high-school aged and younger will be admitted to the game for free.

The Bulldogs stand at 3-4 on the season while McNeese State is 4-3.

Louisiana Tech holds a 48-36 (.571) series advantage over McNeese State with the teams meeting three times since Keith Richard took over as coach of the Bulldogs prior to the 1998-99 season. Tech took a 93-60 home win during the 1999-2000 season before McNeese State countered with a 76-61 home win during the 2000-01 campaign. Tech moved up to a 2-1 series lead in the Richard era after taking a 69-68 holiday win at McNeese State on Dec. 27 of last season.

In last year's game against McNeese State, Tech looked to be in the holiday spirit as the Bulldogs fought through a wild finish to take a 69-68 win over McNeese State at Burton Coliseum.

Tech showed the gift of giving in the first half of that game as the Bulldogs turned the ball over to McNeese State 19 times. But in second half the Bulldogs gave themselves a gift in the form of inspired play and fewer turnovers that allowed Tech to escape with its second road win of the season even as McNeese State's Eldridge Lewis nailed a 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

The Bulldogs' Paul Millsap fouled out with 5:44 remaining in last year's game, but not before recording his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Millsap, the current LSWA Player of the Week, leads the Bulldogs this season with 21.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game and picked up his 25th career double-double in Tech's last game as he scored 30 points and added 13 rebounds in a loss at Texas-Antonio.

Edward Garriett led McNeese State in last year's game against Tech with 15 points and is the leading scorer for the Cowboys this season with 17.7 points per contest.

Both teams have two others players scoring in double figures as Corey Dean is hitting for 12.3 ppg for Tech while the Bulldogs are also getting 10.3 ppg from Donell Allick.

McNeese State's Darrius Manciel is adding 13.0 ppg while J.T. Williams is chipping in for the Cowboys with 11.3 ppg.

The Bulldogs are hoping for a better showing at the free-throw than their last game as they connected on only 7-of-26 attempts (26.9 percent) in the loss at UTSA. Tech is shooting 53.3 percent (81-152) from the line on the season.