RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball team heads to Nacogdoches, Texas to square off against Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday night.  It begins a stretch where the Bulldogs will play four of their next six games away from home.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: William R. Johnson Coliseum (Nacogdoches, Texas)
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (6-2)
Despite being without two starters, LA Tech got back into the win column by defeating Nicholls, 68-55, this past Saturday as the Bulldogs improved to 5-0 at home in the Thomas Assembly Center.  The 'Dogs dominated inside with a big advantage with a season-high 47 rebounds and 21 second-chance points.
 
Meanwhile defensively, LA Tech held Nicholls to its second fewest points of the season and just 34.0 percent shooting from the field.  The Bulldogs, who rank in the top 25 in the country in scoring defense, have held six of their last seven opponents to less than 38.0 percent shooting.
 
The Bulldogs had four players score in double figures against the Colonels, including Tahlik Chavez who had a season-high 20 points while knocking down five three-pointers.  He became the fourth Bulldog this season to record a 20+ scoring performance.
 
Daniel Batcho registered his third double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds versus Nicholls.  He has pulled down at least 12 boards in four of the last five games and currently ranks 11th in the nation in rebounds per game at 10.8.
 
Scoring wise, Isaiah Crawford continues to pace the Bulldogs at 15.0 points per game followed by Batcho (13.2), Chavez (9.8), Jaylin Henderson (9.5), and Devin Ree (9.1).
 
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (5-3)
Stephen F. Austin had its league slate start this past week, falling at home to Tarleton State, 68-66, while pulling off a 79-74 overtime victory at Abilene Christian.  Prior to that, the Lumberjacks took part in the Cayman Island Classic where they picked up wins against Loyola Marymount and Drake before losing to Utah State in the tournament finale.
 
It has been scoring by committee for SFA as Sadaidriene Hall, who was a Second Team All-WAC performer last season, is the lone 'Jack averaging double-digit points at 11.1 points per game.  A different Lumberjack has led the team in scoring in all eight games this season with the bench averaging 36.88 points per game, which ranks seventh in the country.
 
Offensively, SFA currently ranks in the top 50 in the country in field goal percentage (49.0) and three-point field goal percentage (37.8).  On defense, the pressing Lumberjacks are forcing an average of 17.62 turnovers per game, which ranks 10th in the nation.  They have forced 15+ turnovers in six of their eight games.
 
SFA was picked to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference preseason poll.  The Lumberjacks went 19-13 last season, tying for fourth in the WAC standings.
 
THE SERIES
SFA leads the all-time series against LA Tech, 8-7.  The two times recently played a home-and-home series in 2017-18 and are taking part in another home-and-home series currently. 
 
All three previous meetings have gone down to the wire, decided by three points or less, and each of the last two matchups have gone into overtime.  The road team has won each of the last three meetings with SFA coming out on top, 80-79, in overtime last season in Ruston.
 
SFA will be the second of four WAC opponents that LA Tech faces this season with the Bulldogs having already defeated Southern Utah.  The 'Dogs will also take on Seattle U and Grandon Canyon in non-conference, both on the road.
 
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