GameDay Central | Game Notes

RUSTON ââ'¬" It is around mid-December which means it is time for the annual in-state showdown between Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Bulldogs and Ragin' Cajuns will square off for the 163rd time on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.

This is the final non-conference home game for LA Tech (7-2), wrapping up a four-game home stand in which they have registered wins over Miles College and Jackson State and suffered a two-point loss to Stephen F. Austin.

The live video stream can be seen with a paid subscription to CUSA.tv. Fans can listen to the Voice of the Bulldogs Dave Nitz and Jack Thigpen call the action on the LA Tech Sports Network on KXKZ 107.5 FM (Ruston), KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield) and KTKC 92.9 FM (Springhill) as well as on the Louisiana Tech X mobile app.

The Bulldogs rebounded in a big way this past Saturday with a convincing 91-62 victory over JSU. It was due to a balanced-scoring effort on offense with four starters registering double-digit points.

Four of the five starters ââ'¬" Jalen Harris, Jacobi Boykins, DaQuan Bracey and Jy'lan Washington ââ'¬" scored in double figures, led by the sophomore Harris who posted 22 points in just 21 minutes of action.

Another reason for the victory was the defense which allowed just 22 points in the second half and held the Tigers to 35 percent shooting for the whole game.

The Bulldogs have put on an offensive clinic lately. In the last three games, the team is averaging 93.3 points per game while shooting 55 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 79 percent from the foul line.

LA Tech currently ranks in the top 70 in all three of those categories for the entire season, making them one of only 15 teams in the country to have those shooting percentages.

They have been able to put of these numbers while playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in recent history. Six of the seven Division I opponents have a winning record while the non-conference strength of schedule currently sits at 61 in the nation.

Louisiana-Lafayette (7-2) is yet another tough opponent on the slate. The Ragin' Cajuns have won seven of their last eight games, including the last four straight over Richmond, McNeese State, Nicholls State and most recently Loyola-New Orleans who they beat soundly, 98-56.

They too are extremely efficient on offense, averaging 91.0 points per game which ranks eighth in the country. They have scored at least 100 points three times this season.

ULL is led by its four transfer starters ââ'¬" Jakeenan Gant (Missouri), Frank Bartley (BYU), Malik Marquetti (USC) and Marcus Stroman (South Carolina). Gant is averaging a team-best 16.3 points per game, followed closely by Bartley, a preseason All-SBC Team selection, who is averaging 15.9 points per game.

Their fifth starter is senior forward Bryce Washington, another preseason All-SBC Team honoree, who is almost averaging a double-double with 9.8 points and 10.6 boards per contest.

The Ragin' Cajuns were picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt preseason poll. They are coming off a 21-win season.

LA Tech leads the all-time series with Louisiana-Lafayette, 88-74. ULL got the better end of the last meeting last year in Lafayette, winning 91-83.

It is Christmas in the TAC where there will be a teddy bear toss, Trenton Dental Holiday photo booth, FanBase tacky sweater contest and halftime caroling.

Twitter users can follow @LATechHoops for live in-game updates.