RUSTON – Louisiana Tech continues its home stand Monday as the Bulldogs play host to Grand Canyon as part of the CUSA/WAC Challenge.  This is one of two non-conference games remaining for LA Tech before its 18-game Conference USA slate begins.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Monday, Dec. 16 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics App  
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (9-2)
Trailing much of the game, LA Tech went on a 29-11 run over the last 12 minutes to come away with a 77-63 victory over Georgia Southern this past Friday. The Bulldogs shot a blistering 65.5 percent in the second half, including a stretch of making nine of 10 field goals.
 
The Bulldogs were highly efficient on offense again, shooting 53.9 percent from the field versus the Eagles. It marked their sixth game this season shooting over 50 percent and the fourth time in their last five contests (shooting 51.1 percent during this span). The team currently ranks 24th in the nation in effective field goal percentage at 57.3 percent.
 
Daniel Batcho was near perfect from the field, going 9-of-10 for 22 points versus Georgia Southern, his fourth game of 20+ points this season. He is currently averaging 19.5 points per game, which ranks 28th in the country while shooting 74.5 percent from the field, best in the nation. Batcho has shot at least 80 percent seven times in 11 games. The CUSA Preseason Player of the Year also extended his streak of consecutive games with a block to 15, bringing his season total to 31 (third most in the country). He needs two more blocks to become the eighth Bulldog in program history with 100 rejections.
 
Kaden Cooper had his best game as a Bulldog, posting a career-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals versus the Eagles. He scored 14 of LA Tech's last 18 points during their late run to defeat Georgia Southern. Meanwhile, his 26 steals rank 13th in the country and he also is averaging a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game, having led the team in boards seven times this season.
 
Sean Newman Jr. continues to be one of the top passers in college basketball. He had 11 against Georgia Southern, his fifth game this season with 10+ dimes (tied for third most in program history). He now has 99 total assists for an average of 9.0 assists per game, both ranking second in the nation.
 
With a short bench due to injuries, freshman AJ Bates has stepped up as a key contributor for the Bulldogs. After playing a total of 54 minutes in seven of LA Tech's first nine games, Bates has averaged 20.5 minutes off the bench in the last two contests versus UL-Lafayette and Georgia Southern, averaging 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in those games.
 
ABOUT GRAND CANYON (6-3)
Grand Canyon had a stellar 2023-24 season, going 30-5 while winning the Western Athlet­ic Conference regular season and tournament title and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after an upset win over Saint Mary's. GCU is the unanimous favor­ite to finish first in the WAC and began the sea­son receiving votes in the AP preseason poll.
 
The Lopes had won four straight games over Norfolk State, Stanford, Hawaii, and Life Pacific before falling 73-68 to Georgia in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta. GCU rallied from a 10-point deficit with three minutes to go to have a chance to tie the game with a pair of three-point attempts, but the shots did not fall and UGA put the game away at the foul line.
 
Reigning WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster, who averaged 21.0 points per game last season, elected to return to Grand Canyon for one more year of college basket­ball after testing the NBA Draft waters. After missing the first two games of the sea­son, he returned against Arizona State and has since averaged a team-best 15.3 points along with 6.0 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures five times, including a 23-point effort against Hawaii.
 
Offensively, GCU is one of the best teams in the country at getting to the foul line. The Lopes average 26.8 free throw attempts per game, which ranks 11th in the country. They have taken 25+ free throws in seven of their nine games this season. As a result, they aver­age 19.9 made FTs per contest.
 
Defensively, the Lopes apply heavy pressure and try to turn you over. They currently rank 17th in the country in turnovers forced per game at 16.44. Many of those are live ball turnovers as they also average 10.4 steals per game, ninth most in the nation.
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech and Grand Canyon matched up for the first time ever last season with the Lopes winning, 73-70, in Phoenix. 
 
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