RUSTON – Louisiana Tech wraps up its road weekend with a battle against WKU on Sunday afternoon inside E.A. Diddle Arena.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 4 | 2 p.m. CT
Location: E.A. Diddle Arena (Bowling Green, Ky.)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (8-5, 1-1 CUSA)
LA Tech suffered its worst loss of the season on Friday, falling 88-51 to a scorching hot Middle Tennessee squad that hit 22 three-pointers (second most ever by a Bulldog opponent). The Blue Raiders used nine made threes in the first half to build a 39- 22 advantage. They proceeded to hit 13 more in the second half, ultimately shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. It was just the second time a LA Tech oppo­nent shot over 50 percent and the first time an opponent shot over 31 percent from three.
 
The Bulldogs continue to try to figure out the road woes, having lost all five away from home this season. LA Tech is averaging just 54.8 points per game on the road, having scored 60+ points only once, while shooting 36.5 percent from the field and averaging only 8.0 assists per game (averaging 15.8 at home).
 
Despite the loss, LA Tech still ranks No. 2 in the country in scoring defense (58.5) and is fifth in the nation in field goal per­centage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 36.7 percent from the field.
 
DJ Dudley was one of the lone bright spots offensively, scoring 11 points versus the Blue Raiders. He has now scored in double figures in eight of the last nine games. During this stretch, the junior guard is averaging 15.3 points while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range. He has made at least one three in eight straight games, including multi­ple threes in six of them. He has started six straight games
 
Playing just 90 minutes from his hometown of Clarksville, Scooter Williams came off the bench to register a team-high 12 points for the Bulldogs at Middle Tennessee. The graduate senior has scored in double figures in three straight games, averaging 11.7 points while shooting 52 percent during this stretch.
 
AJ Bates dished out a team-high four assists against the Blue Raiders, bringing his season total to 79, which ranks as the third most in CUSA and 31st most in the country. The sophomore guard is averaging 6.1 assists per contest, having registered at least four dimes in each of the last eight games (has two games with 10 assists -- versus Ecclesia College and UTEP).
 
ABOUT WKU (8-5, 1-1 CUSA)
WKU snapped a two-game losing streak with a 102-91 victory over Sam Houston on Thurs­day, its first conference win of the season fol­lowing a 78-67 loss at Jacksonville State to open CUSA play. Trailing by as much as 14 to the Bearkats, the Hilltoppers erupted for 60 second-half points to complete the come­back. The Hilltoppers are 6-1 at home this sea­son.
 
WKU lives at the free throw line. The Hilltoppers rank top 10 in the country in both free throw attempts per game (27.7) and free throws made per game (20.5). They have attempted at least 20 free throws in all 13 games. Most recently, WKU went 20-of-27 at the charity stripe versus Sam Houston.
 
The Hilltoppers are also one of the top re­bounding teams in the country, ranking top 15 in both rebounds per game (42.69) and of­fensive rebounds per game (14.85). WKU has pulled down double-digit offensive bounds in all 13 games and have totaled a whopping 26 offensive rebounds in their two CUSA games.
 
Teagan Moore is back with a vengeance for the Hilltoppers, averaging a team-high 18.2 points which ranks fourth in CUSA. He has five 20+ scoring performances this season, including a 28-point effort against Sam Houston.
 
THE SERIES
LA Tech and WKU have each won 23 meetings in the series, which dates back to 1928 when the two faced off in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) Tournament. The Bulldogs have won seven of the last 10 matchups, including two victories inside E.A. Diddle Arena.
 
The two programs spent 10 seasons as league foes in the Sun Belt Conference (1991-2001) and are now in their 12th season together as league foes in Conference USA. Since becom­ing league foes again, LA Tech owns a 10-8 edge (13 of the last 17 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less or in overtime -- three OT games).
 
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