Can Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Maintain Momentum at UTEP Miners' Don Haskins Center?
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs emerged victorious in a closely contested conference game against the Panthers, with a final score of 75-68. The Bulldogs now hold an impressive record, while the Panthers' standing has been affected by this loss.
In front of a home crowd at the Thomas Assembly Center, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs showcased their resilience and tactical acumen. The first half saw them take command with 43 points to the Panthers' 26. However, it was not just offense that shone for the Bulldogs; their defense was equally formidable, registering six blocks and seven steals throughout the game.
The second half proved more challenging as Florida International University made a strong push back, outscoring the home team by ten points. Despite this surge from FIU, who managed to put up 42 points in this period alone compared to their first-half tally of 26 points, it wasn't enough to overcome their deficit from earlier in the game.
A key factor contributing to Louisiana Tech's success was their sharpshooting from beyond the arc. They hit an impressive six three-pointers on ten attempts – translating into an outstanding sixty percent success rate from downtown. This performance contrasted starkly with FIU's thirty-five percent three-point shooting accuracy.
Louisiana Tech also excelled at drawing fouls and capitalizing on them by making twenty-three free throws out of twenty-nine attempts for a seventy-nine percent completion rate – another critical aspect of their victory over FIU who had seventy-one percent accuracy from the line.
Moreover, rebounding played a significant role in securing possession and second-chance opportunities for Louisiana Tech. They dominated with thirty-nine total rebounds compared to FIU's twenty-nine. Of these rebounds for Louisiana Tech, eleven were offensive grabs which contributed significantly to their thirteen second-chance points.
Despite committing seventeen turnovers themselves – one more than Florida International University's sixteen – both teams managed sixteen points off turnovers each; however, it was ultimately insufficient for FIU to bridge the gap created by Louisiana Tech’s robust performance across other areas of play.
Looking ahead after this hard-fought win at home against Florida International University Panthers (FIU), fans can catch The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs as they face off against UTEP Miners on February 22nd at Don Haskins Center in El Paso. This upcoming match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ starting at 8:00 PM Central Time.