RUSTON – Louisiana Tech aims to snap a three-game losing streak on Saturday as the Bulldogs host CUSA newcomer Delaware inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 10 | 2 p.m. CT
Location: Thomas Assembly Center
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics app
Tickets: LATechSports.com/Tickets
Promotions: Upward Game | Mini Basketball Giveaway
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (8-7, 1-3 CUSA)
LA Tech had its nine-game home winning streak end Thursday, falling 72-56 to Liberty. Facing one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, the Bulldogs matched the Flames as both squads went exactly 9-of-24 from beyond the arc. The difference in the game ended up being the paint where LU had a 28-18 scoring advantage and outrebounded LA Tech, 41-33.
 
Defensively, the Bulldogs were able to hold the Flames under their shooting percentages. LU came into the contest shooting 52.3 percent from the field (shot 46.3 percent) and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc (shot 37.5 percent). LA Tech continues to boast the No. 2 in the country in scoring defense (59.9) as well as third in the nation in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 37.0 percent from the field.
 
DJ Dudley scored a game-high 17 points against Liberty. He currently anchors the team with an average of 12.1 points per contest. The junior also leads the Bulldogs in most games as the top scorer (six) and most double-digit scoring efforts (nine). He went 3-of-5 from deep versus the Flames, extending his streak with at least one triple to 10 games (has multiple threes in seven). After missing his first eight three-point attempts through the first five games, he has gone 24-of-50 (48.0 percent) over the last 10 contests.
 
AJ Bates tallied eight points to go along with three assists. The sophomore guard, who has started every game this season, has registered at least three dimes in 14 of the 15 contests. He currently ranks top 40 in the country in both total assists (85) and assists per game (5.7), both of which rank third in CUSA.
 
Avery Thomas II pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds against Liberty, marking his second contest this season with double-digit rebounds (season high is 16 versus Dallas Christian). LA Tech has had at least one Bulldog record 10+ boards in six games this season.
 
ABOUT DELAWARE (5-10, 1-3 CUSA)
Delaware is playing its inaugural season in Conference USA, joining the league as a full member. The Blue Hens spent the last 24 sea­sons competing in the Colonial Athletic Asso­ciation.
UD had a strong finish to non-conference play, winning three straight over George Washing­ton, Cal State-Northridge, and Rider. Then Blue Hens then opened CUSA play with three straight home games, dropping contests to Missouri State and Jacksonville State before claiming its first CUSA win which was a 67-52 victory over Kennesaw State. Most recently, UD suffered a 72-60 road loss to Sam Houston as the Bearkats led wire-to-wire.
 
Delaware is one of the better shooting teams in the league. The Blue Hens are shooting 35.0 percent from beyond the arc with an average of 8.5 made triples per game. They have made at least nine three-pointers in nine of their 15 games, including 10 in their matchup with Sam Houston on Thursday.
 
Christian Bliss has been a welcome addition for Delaware. The junior guard, who spent the last two seasons at Virginia, has been stuffing the stat sheet so far this season. He is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game, having made a team-high 36 three-pointers (has scored in double figures in 13 of the 15 games played). He also is a strong converter from the free throw line, having made 45 of his 53 attempts for an 84.9 percent shooting clip. On top of that, he ranks second in CUSA and 20th in the country with an aver­age of 6.3 assists per contest. Defensively, he owns a team-high 29 steals.
 
Bliss rarely leaves the floor, as evident by him leading the entire country in minutes per game (38:47). He has played every minute in eight games this season, including the over­time loss to Delaware State.
 
Delaware has been riddled with injuries this season, none more so than Cavan Reilly. The CUSA All-Preseason selection, who has been a primary starter for the Blue Hens the last two seasons, has seen action in only one game this season, which was the season opener versus Bucknell.
 
THE SERIES
This will be just the second meeting between LA Tech and Delaware on the hardwood. The inaugural matchup came in 2018 when the Bulldogs made the long trek to Newark, Delaware to take part in the Delaware Invitational.
 
LA Tech would go 0-2 in the multi-team event, falling 80-73 to UNC Greensboro and 75-71 to host Delaware. At the time, LA Tech had two players – DaQuan Bracey and Anthony Duruji – from Maryland, which was the primary reason the Bulldogs participated in the non-conference MTE.
 
SUPPORT LA TECH ATHLETICS
Championships require championship resources.  Fans can make a direct impact on the success of LA Tech Athletics through LTAC, Aillet Society, T-Club, and Young Alumni program as well as the CHAMP fund, a revenue-sharing initiative designed to directly support LA Tech Athletics through NIL and marketing opportunities for Bulldog and Lady Techster student-athletes.  Visit BuildTheLegacy.com today.   
 
BARK LOUDER
Our mission is to engage, develop, and advance the Louisiana Tech Athletics brand.  You can do that by spending time consuming our content and by investing your talents.  By barking louder with your time and talent, you can affect progress and brand advancement in a meaningful way.  Visit LATechSports.com/BarkLouder today.  You bark.  We bark.  Louder together.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Basketball, follow us on X (@LATechHoops), Instagram (@LATechHoops), and Facebook (LATechMBB).