RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball team is back on the road Saturday as they face Jacksonville State inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 20 | 4 p.m. CT
Location: Pete Mathews Coliseum (Jacksonville, Ala.)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (12-6, 2-1 CUSA)
After trailing for much of the game, Louisiana Tech ended up forcing overtime and then gutted out an 80-76 victory over Liberty this past Sunday to improve to 9-0 at home this season. After the Flames shot 51.7 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep through the first 20 minutes, the Bulldogs held the visitors to just 35.5 percent shooting and only three triples in the last 25 minutes.
 
The Bulldogs registered a season-tying 11 blocks against the Flames. LA Tech leads CUSA and ranks 30th in the country in blocks per game (5.0). Isaiah Crawford had seven of them, which was a career high and tied for the seventh most in a single game in program history. Daniel Batcho had three blocks, the eighth time this season with at least three in a game.
 
The Bulldogs have been in a ton of close games as of late. Their last six games against Division I opponents have all been decided by single digits while four of the contests have been decided by one possession or went into overtime.
 
Daniel Batcho was voted CUSA Player of the Week after leading LA Tech to wins over Middle Tennessee and Liberty. The forward averaged 18.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the field. Batcho currently ranks top 20 in the country in rebounds per game (10.2) and blocks per game (2.25). He is one of only seven players in the country averaging at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game.
 
Tahlik Chavez remained hot, scoring 19 points versus Liberty. He leads the Bulldogs in scoring during league play at 18.0 points per game, shooting 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three (10-of-20). He ranks second in CUSA in three-point field goal percentage (41.0), having made 48 triples. He has made at least three in each of the last five games.
 
Isaiah Crawford and Batcho combined for 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 blocks against Liberty. They both rank in the top six in the league in points per game, rebounds per game, field goal percentage, and blocks per game, combining for 30.1 points and 16.2 boards per contest as well as 66 total blocks.
 
ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE (10-8, 2-1 CUSA)
Jacksonville State had its six-game winning streak come to an end this past Saturday, falling 80-69 at WKU. The setback was the first for the Gamecocks in league play after opening up CUSA with victories against FIU and Liberty.
 
The 80 points was the most allowed by Jax State in regulation this season. They currently rank first in CUSA and 12th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 62.8 points per game. They have allowed 65 points or less in 12 of their 18 games played, partly because of their slow offensive tempo.
 
The Gamecocks primary scorer is KyKy Tandy who was recently named to the Lou Henson Award midseason Watch List. He is averaging a league-best 19.4 points per game. He has scored 20+ points eight times this season, including in six of his last seven contests. He had a team-high 25 in their recent loss to the Hilltoppers.
 
Almost halve of Tandy's shots come from beyond the arc, having taken 139 three-point attempts. He ranks first in CUSA and top 20 in the country in total threes made (56) and three-pointers made per game (3.11) while shooting 40.3 percent from deep. He has made seven three-pointers in a game three times this season.
 
Jacksonville State enters its first season as a member of Conference USA. The Gamecocks spent the last two seasons in the Atlantic Sun and was a member of the Ohio Valley Conference for 18 seasons (2003-21) prior to that.
 
THE SERIES
This will mark the first ever meeting between LA Tech and Jax State on the hardwood. The Gamecocks are the fifth opponent this season that the Bulldogs have faced for the very first time.
 
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