Louisiana Tech set to finish off regular season
RUSTON, La. – The month of March has arrived and with that comes Louisiana Tech’s last game of the regular season which takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. versus Southern Miss in a matchup that will be broadcast live on the American Sports Network inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
This is the final tune-up before the Conference USA Tournament.
Regardless of the result, LA Tech (21-9, 13-4 C-USA) has locked itself in as the No. 2 seed which gives them a bye in the first round. It will be the final home game for redshirt senior Erik McCree who has accumulated 1,426 career points (ranks 19th all-time) and 688 career rebounds in his three years as a Bulldog.
Two others who will be honored on Senior Day are Qiydar Davis and Da’Shawn Robinson who have both been sidelined due to season-ending injuries suffered in the non-conference.
The Bulldogs are looking to rebound from a seven-point loss at Rice this past Saturday, a loss which ended their seven-game winning streak.
The team shot extremely well, going 48 percent from the field and 52 percent from three-point range, but the different was turnovers and free throws. The Bulldogs committed 20 turnovers while the Owls only committed 12 and got to the free throw line 29 times, making 25 of them.
McCree was one of five LA Tech players in double figures, scoring 13. He continues to be Mr. Consistent this year, having scored in double-digits in 28 of 30 games.
He continues to lead the team in scoring with an average of 17.7 points per game while shooting career highs from the field (48 percent), from three-point range (38 percent) and from the free throw line (78 percent).
The Orlando, Florida native is scheduled to make his 96th career start as a Bulldog. He has not lost very much in the TAC either with a 47-3 home mark during his three years. Southern Miss (9-20, 6-11 C-USA) clinched its spot in the C-USA Tournament for the first time in three years after defeating North Texas, 76-53, this past Saturday (its first road win of the season). The Golden Eagles have not participated in the league tourney since 2013-14 as the team has been ineligible the last two years due to NCAA violations.
Senior Quinton Campbell was the star against the Mean Green, registering 24 points and 13 rebounds in route to being named the C-USA Player of the Week.
The forward currently leads USM in scoring with an average of 13.6 points per game.
This will mark the 79th time the two squads will meet on the hardwood. The Bulldogs have won six straight, including a 79-55 win on New Year’s Day in Hattiesburg. They have also won 11 straight over the Golden Eagles in Ruston with the last loss at home coming in 1968.