Bulldogs improve to 4-0 behind Batcho’s 38 points, 8 boards
Louisiana Tech forward Daniel Batcho (13) scored a career-high 38 points in a 105-67 win over Mississippi College on Monday. Photo by Darrell James
Daniel Batcho was unstoppable Monday night as the power forward scored a careerhigh 38 points to help Louisiana Tech remain unbeaten by defeating Mississippi College, 105-67, inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
He was nearly perfect, making 13 of his 14 field goal attempts and 11 of his 12 free throw attempts. The redshirt senior was so hot that he even sank his first ever three-pointer as a Bulldog.
“We have always known he has unbelievable hands. Now, he is finishing in a variety of ways. He has put the work in. He has lived in the gym,” Tech head coach Talvin Hester said. “I tell him all the time to not change until somebody stops you from being you. I am proud of him. We challenge him every day and I think there is still more in him.”
And of course, his running mate Sean Newman Jr. was the facilitator of many of those made baskets. After having back-toback games with 11 and 12 assists, the redshirt junior outdid himself again with a new career high of 14 dimes (one shy of tying the program record).
Tech is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Bulldogs have also won all four games by double digits for the first time since 1971.
The duo was in rhythm early as Tech (4-0) opened the game on a 17-0 run in the first five minutes. It would not be a runaway yet though as Mississippi College (3-1) outscored the Bulldogs, 36-29, the remainder of the first half to only be down 10 at the midway point.
The Choctaws, having their best offensive performance of the season, got to within six after JJ Harris sank a contested jumper with 18:30 still to go in the contest. The first threepointer of the game by the ‘Dogs, coming from Amaree Abram, then dropped to spark a quick 10-0 run by the home team which was capped off by another triple, this one from Devin Ree.
With Tech holding a 78-65 advantage with 6:20 to play, the Bulldogs blitzed the Choctaws again to the tune of a 23-0 run to close out the game with nine of those points coming from the Batcho Man. Tech shot a blistering 67.8% from the field (40-of-59) with Kaden Cooper and Abram joining Batcho in double figures with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Mississippi College matched Tech’s offense as best as it could, shooting 50% from the field (25-of-50) while also going 9-of-23 from deep. Harris had 16 points while Odis Carter recorded a team-high 17.
“I felt like we came out locked in and focused,” Hester said. “We dropped in intensity and gave them some confidence. Sometimes when you left people get going it is hard to stop them. We did not value stops. We had some guys trying to score the ball. We cannot be that team. Even with about five minutes to go we were way off our goal coming in, but we went on that 27-2 run. The game is not over until it is over, and we have to value each possession.”
Tech heads to Estero, Florida, to take part in the Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena. The Bulldogs will play three neutral site games, starting on Nov. 25 versus Southern Illinois. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on FloCollege.
