Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech is set to host a multi-team event inside the Thomas Assembly Center this week, starting tonight with a rematch against Indiana State. Alcorn State will be the third team involved in the round robin.
Tonight’s contest against the Sycamores will tip at 6:30 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN+ with Malcolm Butler and Teddy Allen providing the call of the game.
The MTE also includes Indiana State vs. Alcorn State (Friday at 1 p.m. at TAC) and Alcorn State against Tech (Saturday at 12 p.m.).
This will be the second meeting in the last week between LA Tech and Indiana State as the Bulldogs fell 60-51 a week again in Indiana. The Bulldogs did enough defensively, holding the Sycamores to just 33.3 percent shooting and limiting them to a season low in points. However, LA Tech could not capitalize on the offensive end, shooting 28.8 percent from the floor with only two made threes while missing nine of its 20 free throw attempts.
LA Tech has now held three straight opponents to under 35 percent shooting, limiting all three to 60 or fewer points. As a result, the Bulldogs are only allowing 55.8 points per contest, giving them the No. 1 scoring defense in the country currently.
Following a season-opening loss at Charlotte, Indiana State (4-2) has won four of its last five games including a 70-52 victory over in-state rival Ball State. The win improved the Sycamores to 3-0 at home.
Indiana State have not seen too many three-pointers they did not like. The Sycamores average 28.7 three-point attempts per game, which ranks 58th in the nation. They have taken 25+ three-point shots in five of their six games, including a season-high 38 which came against the Bulldogs.
Indiana State took the series lead with the win last week, going up 2-1. The two previous meetings also occurred in the same season (1974-75).
LA Tech has hosted a multi-team event three times since 2014 (also co-hosted one in 2021 with Northwestern State). The Bulldogs have won 12 straight MTE games over the last four seasons, including a 3-0 record last year at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida with wins over Southern Illinois, Richmond, and Eastern Kentucky.
Playing the same team twice during non-conference is not very common. The last time LA Tech did it was in 2012 when the Bulldogs played Little Rock a home-and-home that same season. The last time the Bulldogs played the same non-con opponent in back-to-back contests was 2006 versus Southern.
