Louisiana Tech Athletic Communications
PHOENIX — For the third straight game, Louisiana Tech found itself in a dogfight against a quality opponent on the road.
And for the third straight time, the Bulldogs narrowly came out on the losing end, falling by a final score of 73-70 to Grand Canyon on Saturday night in front of 7,436 fans inside Global Credit Union Arena.
LA Tech (9-5) managed to withstand the hot shooting of GCU (12-1). The Antelopes came into the contest ranked 234th in the country in three-point field goal percentage but managed to go 11-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Seven of those made three-pointers came in the first nine minutes of the game, including five straight, to build as much as a 10-point lead. On the other end, the Bulldogs pounded the paint. Again and again, outscoring the Lopes, 42-16, in the paint.
It was a made layup on a second chance by Tahlik Chavez that tied it up, 38-38, going into the locker room at halftime.
The lead seesawed back and forth throughout much of the second half (total of 16 lead changes and seven ties in the contest). A driving layup down the middle of the paint by Jordan Crawford made it 55-53 in favor of LA Tech with 11:05 to go, forcing a timeout by GCU.
The Lopes took back the lead, but back-to-back three-pointers by Chavez gave LA Tech its largest lead of the game at 63-58 with 7:23 remaining. Up four at 68-64 after three made free throws by Daniel Batcho, GCU got five quick points on a three from Tyon Grant-Foster and a layup by Ray Harrison.
After a timeout called by head coach Talvin Hester, Batcho seemed to beat the shot clock on a baby hook in the paint. However, in a questionable call the officials overturned it to a shot clock violation after review. What would have been a one-point lead for the ‘Dogs with 1:23 on the clock kept it as a one-point lead for the home team.
The Lopes added two free throws on their next possession, but Isaiah Crawford was able to stop an almost 6-minute stretch of no field goals for the Bulldogs with a layup at the 58 second mark, putting LA Tech down by one again at 71-70.
The ‘Dogs were able to get a defensive stop on the following possession but ended up committing a turnover that ultimately resulted in two more free throws for GCU. LA Tech had a chance to send the game into overtime, but a three-point attempt by Chavez was off the mark.
LA Tech shot a season-best 56.0 percent from the field, getting double-digit points from Batcho (16), Chavez (16), and Crawford (13). Newman Jr. added nine points and a season-high nine assists.
GCU shot 44.4 percent from the field and was anchored by Harrison who had a game-high 22 points, including four made threes (came into the game shooting 22 percent from three).
QUOTABLES
Head coach Talvin Hester
Thoughts on the game …
“I saw a lot of fight and competitive spirit from this group. In these types of games, you have to control the things you can control. We missed some free throws we should have made. I am disappointed in the loss though.”
On the final plays …
“I was trying to get the ball to Isaiah and get the ball down hill to the basket. I thought he got fouled the whole way there. We tried to go back into him, but had a lost possession. Had a chance to go for the three, drawing something different than Grand Canyon had seen. I thought Tahlik came off clean, but did not get a clean look to tie it.”
On Grand Canyon’s shooting …
“We were over-helping sometimes. We got that corrected late in the first half, but at the end of the day we have to keep trying to put two halves together. I thought we played two good halves of basketball. We have to start conference on the road. I think we are prepared for that. We have had some hard-fought road games.”