RUSTON – Louisiana Tech opens up the 2023 Conference USA Basketball Championship on Wednesday night versus FIU. This will mark the first time the Bulldogs and Panthers face off in the league tournament.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Wednesday, March 8 | 8 p.m. CT
Location: Ford Center at The Star
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Talent: Ron Thulin (pxp), Colin Boddicker (analyst)
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (14-17)
LA Tech closed out the regular season with a near upset of C-USA regular season champion Florida Atlantic, falling in the final seconds, 76-72, in Ruston. It was another near miss of upsetting the Owls as the Bulldogs fell in overtime against FAU in their first meeting in Boca Raton.
 
Isaiah Crawford scored a game-high 20 points in the loss, the sixth time this season he has registered a 20-point scoring performance. The forward was voted Third Team All-Conference USA for the second time in his collegiate career, both coming off season-ending knee injuries.  He is averaging a team-best 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
 
Keaston Willis, who was named All-Conference USA Honorable Mention, had 16 points versus the Owls.  It was the sixth time in the last seven games he has scored at least 14 points.  He tacked on one more three-pointer to bring his season total to 76, tied for the sixth most in program history.
 
Jordan Crawford was another Bulldog in double figures versus FAU with 14.  He was named C-USA Freshman of the Week for a third time and was one of five players voted to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.  He leads the 'Dogs in assists with 97 and has the second most steals on the team with 35.
 
ABOUT FIU (14-17)
FIU put an end to its five-game losing streak by winning on the road at Rice, 90-83, to end the regular season. The Panthers avenged an earlier loss to the Owls in a game that featured 14 lead changes and 12 ties.
 
FIU was led First Team All-Conference USA selection Denver Jones who finished with a career-high 30 points. The sophomore guard averages 20.0 points, which ranks second in C-USA this season. He has poured in at least 20 points in 16 games this season.
 
Defensively, the Panthers apply a ton of pressure. They rank top 20 in the country in both steals per game (9.0) and turnovers forced per game (16.48). They have forced at least 20 turnovers in four of their last eight games.
One of their havoc creators is Arturo Dean who was named C-USA Freshman of the Year as well as an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention selection. He averages 2.45 steals per game (has a total of 76). Both of those marks rank top 10 in the nation.
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech leads the all-time series with FIU, 10-8.  The two teams split the series this season with the Panthers winning, 66-62, in Miami about a month ago and the Bulldogs taking it, 77-76, in overtime this past Thursday in Ruston.
 
LA Tech overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half to defeat FIU a week ago. Five Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by Keaston Willis who had 18. The 'Dogs had a +14 rebounding margin and managed to overcome their 21 turnovers.
 
Seven points or less has decided the last eight meetings between the Bulldogs and Panthers (and four points or less has decided the last five meetings).
 
In the two games LA Tech and FIU faced one another this season, a lot of statistics stand­out. The Bulldogs have owned the glass with a +13.5 rebounding margin. However, the Pan­thers have forced the Bulldogs into an average of 22.0 turnovers per game and gotten to the free throw line 19 more times (averaging 19.0 made free throws to the Bulldogs 11.5).
 
Isaiah Crawford and Kenny Hunter have been the two best Bulldogs against FIU. Crawford is averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while Hunter is averaging 10.5 points and 8.5 re­bounds.
 
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