Batcho, Chavez lead Bulldogs over UTEP

Louisiana Tech led by just two points over UTEP with 8:35 left to play - teetering on the verge of falling at home for the first time this season.

Timeout on the floor. The Bulldogs huddled up. Tahlik Chavez didn’t mince words with his teammates.

Tech went over three minutes without scoring and allowed the Miners to dig their way out of a hole on a 7-0 run. Chavez, a graduate transfer in his final stop on his collegiate journey, knew the Bulldogs had to dig deep to put UTEP away and close out a fourth league victory.

The message was received as Tech (14-6, 4-1 CUSA) outscored UTEP ( 11- 9, 2-3 CUSA) 20-8 over the final eight minutes, with the rebounding and shot blocking of Daniel Batcho and late threes from Chavez icing Tech’s 68-54 win on Thursday.

“I think our guys put their foot down,” Tech head coach Talvin Hester said postgame. “Tahlik Chavez came in the huddle and said, ‘they want it more than us.’ I asked him to say it again and he said, ‘they want it more than us.’ And I said, ‘when you guys do something about it, then we’ll play like we can play.’ From that moment on, they made some really good plays.

“I think the play that was a big play was the bounce pass to Batcho and he scores and gets fouled and then Tahlik hits a three and then hits another two and we kind of starting rolling. But it’s all predicated on us getting stops. When you hold a team to 54 points on your home court, you give yourself a chance to win, and we did that,” Hester continued.

Tech improved to 10-0 at home with the win and sits tied for first place in the league standings with Sam Houston (11-9, 4-1 CUSA).

Batcho Blocks

No one else in Conference USA has a player like Batcho. The 6-foot-11, 235-pound forward came to Tech with limited playing experience at his two previous schools (Arizona, Texas Tech) but has taken his expanded role and run with it, including quite possibly his best performance as a Bulldog yet on Tuesday.

Nineteen points. Twelve rebounds. Seven blocks — a career high.

Batcho was everywhere against UTEP, chasing down drivers for swats on the glass that helped lead the defensive charge that held the Miners to finish 9-of-28 on layups and shoot 30% (18-of-61) from the field.

“I told people last year when you have a big guy in the middle that can protect the rim, it helps your basketball team,” Hester said. “I don’t care if you’re Kentucky, I don’t care if you’re Texas, I don’t care if you’re Prairie View A&M, when you got somebody in there that can help you protect the paint it lets your guys press up into the ball a lot more, be a little more physical on the ball and not have to help so much on drives. Seven blocks is unbelievable. Three blocks away from a triple-double.”

Hester has coached plenty of college basketball in his life, with previous stints at Texas Tech, Oral Roberts, Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Tech of course.

But he’s never seen anyone as good as Batcho around the basket.

Across his 18 games played, Batcho has nine outings with at least 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Michale Kyser, Tech’s all-time blocks leader, had 19 such performances across his 139 career games for the Bulldogs.

And while Hester wasn’t at Tech when Kyser played, he coached Anthony Duruji, another prolific shot-blocker for Tech in 2018-19 when he had 40 blocks in 33 games. Batcho has 44 through 18 games.

Hester didn’t hesitate when asked if the big man from France is the best rim protector he’s ever coached.

“Definitely. He’s the best rim protector,” Hester said. “His timing. His ability to chase balls down, his recovery. He chases them from half-court. Guys are running and he’s running from half-court and pins it against the glass. His athleticism is really what people don’t talk about. The guy can move like he’s 6-2, but he’s 6-11. It’s a luxury to have. It’s a joy to have him. He wasn’t bad offensively either. He was five of seven from the field and nine for 11 from the free-throw line for a guy that is 6-11. He’s a special kid and we’re glad we have him.”

Batcho sounded like his head coach after the win, emphasizing the importance of practice habits and working toward the next game.

He didn’t realize how many blocks he had in the moment but was happy to fulfill his main duty on the floor: deny anything around the basket.

“I’m just trying to block everything,” Batcho said. “ Not only tonight, tonight was a night I had more than usual, but I got the same mindset every night.”

Batcho played in 23 total games through two seasons at Texas Tech, waiting his turn to make an impact in a crowded roster.

He knows this is where he was meant to be and believes if the Bulldogs stick to their identity, he could be a part of making history.

“That’s the reason I came here. The main reason was Coach (Darshawn McClellan) but the other reason was I knew I was going to have more playing time than I ever had. That’s what I wanted to do was work on my game and keep improving,” Batcho said. “I think we can make history. It’s been over 30 years since we played in March. That’s what we’re trying to do. That’s how special I think we are.”

Tahlik three pointers

When Batcho wasn’t bullying his way in the post, Chavez was knocking down shots at a high rate. But that’s become commonplace.

Chavez scored 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three, in the Bulldogs’ win, improving to a 41.6% clip from three this season. With his 18-point effort, Chavez eclipsed 1,000 career points for his Division I career as well.

He’s been even better since league play started, averaging 15.4 points on 50% shooting from three, and made at least three triples in six of his last seven games.

“I believe all of them are going to be really honest,” Hester said of Chavez. “What was so big about this game for him, not only did he score 1,000 points, but what was so big was that it wasn’t his number. It was for somebody else.

“Devin Ree came in and played well and Dravon came in and played well and he still had a great week of practice and he comes in and he’s ready for the moment tonight. Isaiah doesn’t have his best game and Tahlik steps up and he’s an assassin out there,” he added.