RUSTON – Louisiana Tech ended up having to play the entire game without Daniel Batcho and the entire second half without Sean Newman Jr.
 
Even so minus those two key starters, the Bulldogs were able to grind out a 63-58 victory over Jacksonville State on Thursday night inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
 
One of the reasons was the performance by Terri Miller Jr.  Getting his first career start as a Bulldog, the forward scored a season-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting while also contributing four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
 
The other big reason was LA Tech's (17-8, 7-3 CUSA) defense, which forced 19 turnovers while limiting Jax State (12-14, 4-7 CUSA) to just 39.6 percent shooting from the field.  There was also the defense on CUSA-leading scorer KyKy Tandy who was limited to just seven points.
 
The Bulldogs held the lead for 37 minutes and 36 seconds, but the lead was never comfortable as the Gamecocks stayed within striking distance the entire game.
 
After LA Tech build a 22-12 lead on a three-point play by Isaiah Crawford, Jax State reeled off three straight three-pointers to make it a one-point game.  The Bulldogs responded with a 7-0 run and ultimately took a 7-point lead into halftime, 35-28.
 
The Gamecocks would whittle their deficit down to a one-possession game at 40-37, but Tahlik Chavez countered with five straight points followed by an old-fashioned three-point play from Miller Jr. to give the 'Dogs their largest lead of the game at 48-37 with 12:15 to go.
 
Jax State would not go away, punching back with a 7-0 run to force a timeout by LA Tech with 8:53 still to play and the home team only up four.  Crawford would hit a three-pointer and get an offensive putback to keep the Gamecocks at bay. 
 
It was short-lived though as the visitors got it back to within three points on two occasions, the last one being at 59-56 with 4:32 still to play.  Despite the Bulldogs making only one field goal the remainder of the contest, they got enough defensive stops (and four straight free throws in the final 17 seconds by Tahlik Chavez) to pull off the win.
 
Crawford and Chavez each tallied 13 points as LA Tech shot 40.4 percent from the field.  Juwan Perdue and Ivan Reynolds were the lone double-digit scorers for the Gamecocks with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
 
On the win …
"We have a scrappy group.  There are so many things on the stat sheet you would look at and say no way [we won].  Jordan Crawford and Tahlik Chavez were our leading rebounders.  Isaiah goes 5-for-17.  We just found a way to win.  I think good teams do that.  I am proud of them.  We had one offensive rebound in the first half but had 10 in the second half.  I think we just found a way when we had some adversity.  On the road to trying to win a championship, you have to learn to win through adversity."
 
On forcing 19 turnovers …
"It was just our positioning on defense.  We were in the right places a lot of the night.  Guys made plays.  We were scrappy.  Different guys made different plays.  I am proud of every guy who played a minute tonight."
 
On the defense on KyKy Tandy …
"We mixed up match ups on him.  We kept throwing new bodies, fresh bodies at him.  We did not want anybody getting too tired.  Good scorers find out how their opponents are guarding them.  We did not want him to get into a rhythm."
 
On Terri Miller Jr. …
"The way he started this year with a foot injury, battling himself to get back in shape.  Playing behind Daniel Batcho, not getting a bunch of minutes.  Not being able to play through mistakes because of who he plays behind.  He finds out a few hours before the game he is going to started and he puts in a performance like he did.  I think it is a testament to how hard he has been putting in the work and to our staff for pushing him.  I am so proud of him."
 
NOTABLES

• With the 63-58 win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series versus Jacksonville State, 2-0.  The Bulldogs sweep the season series against the Gamecocks.
• LA Tech held Jax State to 39.6 percent shooting, the 15th time this season holding an opponent to under 40.
• LA Tech held Jax State to 58 points, marking the sixth time in league play the Bulldogs have held their opponent to under 60.
• The Bulldogs pulled down double-digit offensive rebounds for the 19th time this season (10 of those came in the second half).
• LA Tech registered six blocks, the 13th time this season with at least five rejections in a single game.
• Getting his first start of the season, Terri Miller Jr. scored a career-high 17 points while also playing a career-high 28 minutes.  He is the 11th different Bulldog to lead the team in scoring in a single game this season.
• Isaiah Crawford tallied 13 points, reaching double-digit points for the 14th time in the last 15 games.
• Tahlik Chavez recorded 13 points, making one three-pointer which was the 350th made three of his collegiate career.  He now has 64 made triples this season.
• Jordan Crawford led the Bulldogs in rebounding for the first time in his career, pulling down six boards.
• With three steals, Isaiah Crawford now has 57 steals this season (tied for the 10th most in a single season in program history).  It marked the 11th time this season with at least three steals in a single game.  He now has 176 steals for his career, the fifth most in school history.
• Isaiah Crawford had a game-high three blocks, marking the sixth time this season with at least three rejections.     

UP NEXT
LA Tech is back in the TAC on Saturday, Feb. 17 to face FIU.  Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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