RUSTON – Louisiana Tech makes the short trip to Natchitoches on Friday to take on Northwestern State at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Lanky Wells Classic presented by the Dawghouse Sports Grill.
 
The multi-team event is named in honor of Lawrence "Lanky" Wells who was a three-time All-Southland Conference selection while playing at LA Tech alongside current NSU head coach Mike McConathy from 1973-77.  Wells, who was inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, passed away in 2017.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Friday, Nov. 19 | 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Prather Coliseum (Natchitoches, La.)
TV/Stream: HERE
Radio: 97.7 FM or LA Tech Athletics App
Stats: HERE
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (2-1)
LA Tech picked up its 10th straight home win with a 91-61 victory over Jarvis Christian this past Monday night.  The Bulldogs dominated the paint, outscoring the other Bulldogs, 38-22, down low.  They also recorded 56 rebounds (most since 2019) and had a +25 rebounding margin (most since 2014).
 
The 'Dogs also had success from the outside, making a season-high 11 three-pointers.  Five of those came from Keaston Willis who finished with a team-high 19 points.  He is 8-of-19 from beyond the arc this season for 42 percent shooting, averaging 12.0 points per game.
 
Kenneth Lofton, Jr. recorded his first double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.  He is currently leading the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game and rebounding at 9.3 boards per contest.  The power forward also recorded a career-high four blocks against Jarvis Christian.
 
LA Tech tallied a season-high 12 steals as well in the game.  They also had 10 steals in the previous contest against Jackson State, marking just the third time since 2017 they have had back-to-back games with double-digit steals.  They are averaging 8.3 through the first three games.
 
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN STATE (1-3)
NSU has won its lone home game of the season, defeating Champion Christian by a final score of 91-62.  The Demons have lost all three road games to Oklahoma, Tulsa and SMU.  Against the Golden Hurricane, they led with four minutes to go before falling, 82-75.
 
Freshman Kendal Coleman anchors the Demons, picked to finish fourth in this year's Southland Conference preseason poll.  He has led the team in scoring in all four games this season, netting 19+ points in all of them.  He is the only NSU player averaging double-figures at 20.0 points per contest while shooting 66 percent from the field.  He also leads the team in rebounding at 7.5 boards per contest.
 
NSU went 11-18 last season, but got hot late by winning nine of its last 13 games to finish fifth in the Southland.
 
THE SERIES
This will be the 146th meeting between the two programs.  The Bulldogs defeated the Demons, 91-77, last season in Ruston in the Louisiana Tech Classic.  LA Tech has won three straight in the series and 34 of the last 39.  Friday will be the first time the 'Dogs play in Prather Coliseum since 2014. 
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Basketball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechHoops), Instagram (@LATechHoops) and Facebook (LATechMBB).