Games Notes

Louisiana Tech opens Western Athletic Conference play on the road Thursday as the Bulldogs play a 7:05 p.m. contest at the University of Tulsa.

Tech stands at 5-4 on the season while Tulsa is 2-5.

Tulsa enters the game after a tough start to the season and the resignation of head coach John Phillips, who gave up his position with the Golden Hurricane on Christmas Day.

Judy MacLeod, Director of Athletics at Tulsa, announced that Alvin ?Pooh? Williamson has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2004-05 season. Williamson coached the Golden Hurricane in a 70-64 loss to Oklahoma last Tuesday.

The Bulldogs built solid momentum and holiday spirit after defeating Memphis 64-55 on Dec. 20.

Sophomore forward Paul Millsap leads the Bulldogs and the WAC with 21.1 points and 12.6 rebounds per contest and has also recorded 16 blocked shots this season.

Senior guard Donell Allick is adding 12.1 points per game for the Bulldogs while senior guard Corey Dean is adding 11.1 ppg for Tech.

Jarius Glenn leads the Golden Hurricane with 17.9 ppg while Anthony Price is Tulsa's only other double digit scorer with 16.4 ppg.

Glenn also leads the Golden Hurricane on the boards with 9.6 rebounds per contest.

On paper this one looks like it could be close as Tech is scoring and giving up an average of 68.6 points per game while Tulsa is averaging 70.1 ppg and giving up 69.6 ppg.

Louisiana Tech and Tulsa are tied 4-4 in a series that began with a single game during the 1989-90 season. Tech has outscored Tulsa 594-583 and has won by an average score of 74.25 - 72.87.

The teams split home wins last season, with the Bulldogs winning 70-62 in Ruston, La., before the Golden Hurricane countered with an 80-70 victory in Tulsa.

Millsap scored 23 points to lead Tech in last season's loss at Tulsa while Wayne Powell, Allick and Dean scored 16 points each to lead the Bulldogs in last year's win in Ruston.

Seneca Collins led Tulsa in last year's loss to Tech with 17 points while Guilherme Teichmann scored 24 to lead the Golden Hurricane in last season's home win over the Bulldogs.

The game will be broadcast live on KXKZ-FM 107.5 in Ruston with a pregame show beginning at 6:35 p.m.