RUSTON – Two of the top defenses in Conference USA will meet up on the hardwood Saturday afternoon as Louisiana Tech closes out its road swing at UAB with tipoff set for 2 p.m. inside Bartow Arena.
 
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Blake Garder and Bill Jones calling the action.  Fans can also listen to Dave Nitz and Jack Thigpen call the game on KXKZ 107.5 FM (Ruston), KOKA 93.3 FM/980 AM (Shreveport) and KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield) as well as on the LA Tech Athletics app.  
 
LA Tech (14-5, 5-2 C-USA) was able to rebound from a heartbreaking loss at home by defeating Middle Tennessee, 80-73, in Murfreesboro this past Thursday. 
 
The Blue Raiders made a furious run late in the game, but in the end the Bulldogs were too good offensively as they shot a season-best 59.2 percent from the field to notch their third conference road win this season, tied for the most in the league.
 
Mubarak Muhammed was dominant in the win, notching his fifth double-double of the season by recording career-highs in points (22) and rebounds (17).  The senior forward went 9-of-10 shooting, the best field goal percentage of any Bulldog in a game this season. 
 
He currently leads the conference in rebounds, averaging 9.6 per game, and has registered 10+ boards in four straight games. 
 
LA Tech, who is in a three-way for third in the league standings, continues to lead C-USA in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, allowing just 61.3 points and 38.3 percent shooting. 
 
UAB (12-8, 3-4 C-USA) is equally as good defensively, allowing just 63.0 points per game while opponents are shooting only 39.9 percent from the field.  Both marks rank in the top three in C-USA and in the top 60 in the country.
 
The Blazers are in a five-way tie for seventh in the standings after suffering an 84-77 loss at home to Southern Miss this past Thursday.  The 77 points scored tied for the second most all season with Jalen Benjamin scoring a career-high 29 points.   
 
Benjamin is one of two Blazers averaging double-figures in scoring at 12.5 points per game.  A lot of his damage comes from beyond the arc (31 made three-pointers) and from the foul line (57 made free throws).  Both totals lead the squad.
 
UAB leads the all-time series over LA Tech, 8-6.  The Blazers won the first four meetings, all coming prior to the two teams becoming league foes in C-USA.  Since they did so in 2013-14, the Bulldogs hold a 6-4 advantage. 
 
LA Tech has not had much success in Bartow Arena though, winning just one of eight meetings which came in 2014.