RUSTON – Louisiana Tech looks to extend its home winning streak when the Bulldogs host Sam Houston on Saturday inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
 
It is the annual Throwback Game as LA Tech will wear its baby blue throwback uniforms while also recognizing the 1984-85 team that won 29 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 1 | 3 p.m. CT
Location: Thomas Assembly Center (Ruston, La.)
TV: ESPNU | ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
Tickets: LATechSports.com/FlashSale ($5 tickets -- online only)
Promotions: Throwback Game | Legends Day | Coaches vs. Cancer
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (15-6, 4-4 CUSA)
LA Tech won its seventh straight home game by defeating league-leader Middle Tennessee, 75-69. Down four with under five minutes to go, the Bulldogs finished the contest on a 16-6 run. The 'Dogs will look to sweep their three-game home stand when facing the Bearkats on Saturday.
 
LA Tech shot 78.6 percent from the foul line, marking the 15th time this season they have shot at least 70 percent from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs made 22 free throws against the Blue Raiders, marking the sixth time with 20+ in a game. They are averaging 30.7 free throw attempts over their last three games. Their currently percentage of 74.8 would be the best in program history (record is 74.2 set back in 1976-77).
 
Daniel Batcho recorded his fourth double-double of the season against Middle Tennessee. In doing so, he led LA Tech in scoring for a fourth straight game with 25 points while also tying his season high of 12 rebounds. He is currently the only player in the country averaging at least 19 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game.
 
The nation's leader in field goal percent­age at 73.2 percent went 9-of-13 from the field versus the Blue Raiders while also going 7-of-8 from the foul line. He ranks first in CUSA and top 20 in the country in both free throws attempted (152) and free throws made (114). The power forward is averag­ing 5.9 fouls drawn per game.
 
Sean Newman Jr. nearly had a double-double against MTSU with 13 points and eight assists. He continues to rank second in the country in both total assists (190) and assists per game (9.0). He has dished out at least eight assists in 14 of the 21 games this season.
 
Meanwhile, his scoring output came primarily from the free throw line where he went 9-of-9. He has now made 27 consecutive free throws, the most by a Bulldog since Jacobi Boykins made 33 straight in 2017. He ranks second in free throw percentage in CUSA at 84.4 percent (has made all 25 free throws during league play).
 
Kaden Cooper tallied his third double-double of the season with 16 points (14 in the second half) and a career-high 13 rebounds. He leads the team and ranks fourth in CUSA in boards per game (8.0), having led the Bulldogs in 13 of their 21 games. He also ranks first in CUSA and 38th in the country in defensive rebounds per game (6.24).
 
ABOUT SAM HOUSTON (8-13, 1-7 CUSA)
Sam Houston had the hardest non-conference schedule of any Conference USA team, going on the road to face Power 4 teams like Baylor, Indiana, and Pitt.
 
The Bearkats, who went 13-3 in CUSA last sea­son in route to the regular season title, have lost four straight and seven of their eight league contests. All seven losses, including a 75-66 defeat against WKU this past Saturday, have been by single digits (average confer­ence loss has been by 6.6 points).
 
Sam Houston is elite from beyond the arc, shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range which ranks first in CUSA and 12th in the country. The Bearkats have made double-digit three-pointers in 12 games this season, including four of their last five. They are currently averaging 8.9 threes per game, second in the league behind only Liberty.
 
Lamar Wilkerson is the top scoring threat for the Bearkats, averaging 19.5 points per game, which ranks second in CUSA and 26th in the country. A First Team All-CUSA selection last season, he has scored in double figures in all 21 games this season and has nine 20+ scoring per­formances (four of those coming in league play including back-to-back 29-point games against FIU and Kennesaw State).
 
Wilkerson is arguably the best shooter in CUSA, ranking top 20 in the country in both three-point field goal percentage (43.9) and total three-pointers made (72).
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech leads the all-time series versus Sam Houston, 5-4.  The two programs first played a home-and-home series during the 1946-47 season, followed by a matchup in 1967 at the Pan American Holiday Classic played in Edinburg, Texas.
 
Two more home-and-home series took place (1989-90 and 2018-19) before the Bulldogs and Bearkats became league foes last season when Sam Houston joined Conference USA.
 
LA Tech won five of the first six matchups, but Sam Houston has claimed the last three including a sweep of last season's meetings (81-77 and 72-66). The last four matchups between them have been decided by seven points or less.
 
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