Facing the hottest team in the league right now, it couldn?t be more perfect that Louisiana Tech welcomes that team to the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs (13-7, 3-4) have played their best basketball this season at home, at an undefeated 10-0 clip. Their woes on the road, including four straight conference losses, have kept them from ascending near the top of the Conference USA standings, where they currently are relegated to ninth.
Thursday night, the reigning conference champs come calling. Marshall (12-7, 5-1) won its first five league contests before losing its first C-USA game at Western Kentucky, 68-59, on Saturday.
The Thundering Herd, who knocked off four-seed Wichita State as a 13-seed in the NCAA tournament last season, boast a quick-tempo, prolific offensive squad that averages 80.2 points per game fueled by two top 10 scorers in C-USA in the backcourt. Senior guard Jon Elmore puts up 20.1 points and fellow senior guard C.J. Burks scores 17.1 points.
?They?re very challenging,? Louisiana Tech men?s basketball coach Eric Konkol told media members Tuesday. ?When you feel like you?re taking something away, but that opens something else for them. They?re a very prolific scoring basketball team. They play at a high pace. They shoot a lot of 3?s from every spot on the floor.
?We got to do our best to keep them off rhythm, can?t give them the same dose of everything because they get into a great rhythm of scoring the basketball.?
Despite the struggles away from home, defense has been Tech?s saving grace since conference play has started and afforded them chances to win those close games on the road. Its margin of defeat is 8 points, with the largest loss coming Saturday at Charlotte, 55-40.
The Bulldogs have held opponents to a league-best 60.7 points per game since entering league play. In the two home C-USA games, Louisiana Tech held a then surging UAB team to 53 points and Middle Tennessee to 56, earning a pair of victories.
?When you look at our league play, the home teams are winning the majority of the games, playing well at home. I think there?s something to be said about not only the comfort of home, but the travel, the wear-and-tear of being on the road,? Konkol said. ?At the same time, we?re very close with coming away with some of those games. We?ve got to find one more stop, one more basket.?
Scoring leaders junior point guard DaQuan Bracey (13.4) and sophomore forward Anthony Duruji (12.4) have also been Tech?s most consistent defenders. Redshirt sophomore JaColby Pemberton has stepped up on both ends of the floor this season, especially considering the absence of senior Derric Jean and sophomore Evaxian Christon, who?ve missed a combined 24 games so far, and the versatile player will be counted on to help to slow down Marshall?s offense.
If they?re free: Marshall has led Conference USA free throw percentage since league play started, converting 77 percent. Smart defense will be key for Tech Thursday night. It can?t afford to send the Herd to the line as Tech manages to sink 67 percent of its free throws.
Mistakes will cost you: The Thundering Herd comes into the matchup with Louisiana Tech sporting a 5.2 turnover margin, forcing 18 while only committing 12.8 per game, good enough for second in the conference. The Bulldogs rank fourth in C-USA with a 1.6 turnover margin, averaging less giveaways (11.9) than Marshall, but only causes 13.5 turnovers on the defensive end.
The Bulldogs (13-7, 3-4) have played their best basketball this season at home, at an undefeated 10-0 clip. Their woes on the road, including four straight conference losses, have kept them from ascending near the top of the Conference USA standings, where they currently are relegated to ninth.
Thursday night, the reigning conference champs come calling. Marshall (12-7, 5-1) won its first five league contests before losing its first C-USA game at Western Kentucky, 68-59, on Saturday.
The Thundering Herd, who knocked off four-seed Wichita State as a 13-seed in the NCAA tournament last season, boast a quick-tempo, prolific offensive squad that averages 80.2 points per game fueled by two top 10 scorers in C-USA in the backcourt. Senior guard Jon Elmore puts up 20.1 points and fellow senior guard C.J. Burks scores 17.1 points.
?They?re very challenging,? Louisiana Tech men?s basketball coach Eric Konkol told media members Tuesday. ?When you feel like you?re taking something away, but that opens something else for them. They?re a very prolific scoring basketball team. They play at a high pace. They shoot a lot of 3?s from every spot on the floor.
?We got to do our best to keep them off rhythm, can?t give them the same dose of everything because they get into a great rhythm of scoring the basketball.?
Despite the struggles away from home, defense has been Tech?s saving grace since conference play has started and afforded them chances to win those close games on the road. Its margin of defeat is 8 points, with the largest loss coming Saturday at Charlotte, 55-40.
The Bulldogs have held opponents to a league-best 60.7 points per game since entering league play. In the two home C-USA games, Louisiana Tech held a then surging UAB team to 53 points and Middle Tennessee to 56, earning a pair of victories.
?When you look at our league play, the home teams are winning the majority of the games, playing well at home. I think there?s something to be said about not only the comfort of home, but the travel, the wear-and-tear of being on the road,? Konkol said. ?At the same time, we?re very close with coming away with some of those games. We?ve got to find one more stop, one more basket.?
Scoring leaders junior point guard DaQuan Bracey (13.4) and sophomore forward Anthony Duruji (12.4) have also been Tech?s most consistent defenders. Redshirt sophomore JaColby Pemberton has stepped up on both ends of the floor this season, especially considering the absence of senior Derric Jean and sophomore Evaxian Christon, who?ve missed a combined 24 games so far, and the versatile player will be counted on to help to slow down Marshall?s offense.
If they?re free: Marshall has led Conference USA free throw percentage since league play started, converting 77 percent. Smart defense will be key for Tech Thursday night. It can?t afford to send the Herd to the line as Tech manages to sink 67 percent of its free throws.
Mistakes will cost you: The Thundering Herd comes into the matchup with Louisiana Tech sporting a 5.2 turnover margin, forcing 18 while only committing 12.8 per game, good enough for second in the conference. The Bulldogs rank fourth in C-USA with a 1.6 turnover margin, averaging less giveaways (11.9) than Marshall, but only causes 13.5 turnovers on the defensive end.
