RUSTON – Louisiana Tech tips off its 13th season in Conference USA on Monday when the Bulldogs host the UTEP Miners inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court. LA Tech will open CUSA play at home for the first time since the 2021-22 season (first time in the Talvin Hester era).
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Monday, Dec. 29 | 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Thomas Assembly Center
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
Tickets: LATechSports.com/Tickets
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (7-4, 0-0 CUSA)
The Bulldogs closed out non-conference play dominating Dal­las Christian 90-37. LA Tech was slow out of the gate, holding just an 18-8 advantage midway through the first half. A three-pointer by Avery Thomas II got the offense rolling, outscoring the Crusad­ers 29-9 the rest of the stanza to take a commanding 47-17 lead into the locker room. The team continued to extend the margin in the second half, shooting 60.0 percent from the field after the break and pushing the lead to as many as 54 points.
 
The No. 1-ranked scoring defense in the country showed its grit again as LA Tech held Dallas Christian to 37 points on 23.6 percent shooting from the field and 16.7 percent shooting from three. The Bulldogs are allowing just 55.5 points per game, having held eight of their 11 opponents to less than 62 points. The team also ranks No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (34.9) and No. 2 in three-point percentage defense (24.3). They have held eight foes to under 40 percent shooting and every team to under 31 percent shooting from deep.
 
LA Tech won the rebounding battle for the ninth time this season, owning a 55-23 advantage over the Crusaders (largest rebounding margin since 2005). It marked the fourth time this season they have pulled down 50+ boards in a single game. The Bulldogs currently rank top 25 in the nation in rebounds per game (42.91) and rebounding margin (+12.0).
 
Kaden Cooper registered his third double-double of the season and the sixth of his Bulldog career, scoring a season-high 24 points to go along with 13 boards against Dallas Christian. He also recorded a career-high four assists. Since being reinserted into the starting lineup over the last four games, the junior guard is averaging 15.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. He currently paces the team in total rebounds, steals, and blocks.
 
Despite having his six-game double-digit scoring streak snapped against DCC with just eight points, DJ Dudley continues to be one of the Bulldogs top scorers, averaging 15.6 points over the last seven contests. He has also drained 15 three-pointers during this stretch, shooting 46.9 percent from deep.
 
AJ Bates is averaging a team-high 12.3 points and 5.9 assists per game, which ranks third in CUSA and 28th in the nation. He dished out six assists against the Crusaders, marking the seventh time this season with 5+ dimes.
 
ABOUT UTEP (4-7, 0-0 CUSA)
UTEP put an end to its five-game losing streak with a 76-66 home victory over North Dakota State in its annual Sun Bowl Invitational. The Miners were quite the travelers in non-confer­ence, playing road games in Utah, Washing­ton, and Hawaii as well a multi-team event in Florida. They are still looking for their first win away from El Paso, currently owning an 0-5 record.
 
UTEP will be playing in its final season in Conference USA as the Miners are set to join the Mountain West Conference following the 2025-26 season. They have been members of CUSA since 2005, the longest of any current institution.
 
One thing that has been consistent under head coach Joe Golding, now in his fifth year at UTEP, has been a suffocating defense. The Miners rank second in CUSA and top 40 in the country in both steals per game (9.4) and turn­overs forced per game (15.55).
 
Elijah Jones and Jamal West Jr. are the prima­ry scorers, averaging 14.5 and 13.5 points per game, respectively. Both players are shoot­ing over 57 percent from the field. Jones has scored in double figures in all 11 games, in­cluding a season-high 24 versus ND State.
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech leads the all-time series versus UTEP, 21-15. The Bulldogs own a 14-7 advantage since the two became CUSA foes, having won four of the last five including the last meeting which resulted in a 76-58 win for LA Tech in the final game of the regular season last year.
 
The Bulldogs are 13-2 all-time versus the Miners in Ruston (8-1 in CUSA contests).
 
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