Conference USA foes will collide when the Texas San Antonio Roadrunners (4-22) face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (19-6) at UTSA Convocation Center. Action starts at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18.
The Roadrunners are hoping for a better outcome after their 79-65 loss to FIU in their last game. Ryan Bowie was the team’s leading scorer, finishing with 20 points. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are coming off an 85-76 win over UAB in their last game. Erik McCree led the game in scoring with 33 points on 11-for-20 shooting.
Over the last five games, Bowie and Christian Wilson have been better than usual for the Roadrunners. During that stretch, Bowie has averaged 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 3.4 three-pointers. Not to be outdone, Wilson has put up 23.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.6 steals.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Bulldogs won the first game 85-75. Bowie had a double-double in the loss with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
The Roadrunners are trying to improve upon their records of 4-22 Straight Up (SU) and 7-13 Against The Spread (ATS). The Texas San Antonio defense has been on fire lately, allowing an average of 74.2 points per game, well under their season average of 84.7.
Across the court, the Bulldogs have 19-6 SU and 8-9 ATS records. Offensively, they average 79.0 points per game, which is good for 42nd in the country. The Bulldogs average 70.1 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 82.5 points per game during that span. Teams seem to consistently miss three-point shots against the Bulldogs, who are the 17th-best team in the country in terms of three-point field goal percentage allowed at .304. The Bulldogs are a terror in the passing lanes, averaging an impressive 7.5 steals per game. The Bulldogs are in for a physical game against Texas San Antonio. The Roadrunners are not afraid to send opponents to the free throw line, averaging 22.1 fouls per game.
Louisiana Tech won the last meeting this season between these two teams, bringing its SU record in their most recent games to 7-2. However, Texas San Antonio leads the matchup ATS with a record of 4-3. Neither team held the edge in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers in a single game during this span.
Predictions: SU Winner – LaTech, ATS Winner – LaTech
Notes
Louisiana Tech averages 79.0 points per game (ranked 42nd). Texas San Antonio, on the other hand, allows 84.7 points per game (ranked 253rd).
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have a defensive rating of 96.4 (ranked 39th), while the Texas San Antonio Roadrunners have an offensive rating of 98.6 (ranked 296th).
The Texas San Antonio Roadrunners average a field goal percentage of 41.4% this season. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have a solid 9-5 record in games where opponents have a FG% of 41.4% or greater.
The Texas San Antonio Roadrunners and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Texas San Antonio is 301st and 292nd in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Louisiana Tech ranks 131st and 109th in these categories.
Louisiana Tech, the 57th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 4.6 per game. Texas San Antonio does worse, ranked 290th with 2.5.
Texas San Antonio ranks 230th in offensive rebounds, while Louisiana Tech ranks 54th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Texas San Antonio forces a turnover rate of 17.1%. When Louisiana Tech turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a stellar 9-3 record.
