The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs stunned the Missouri State Bears 79-78 in a thrilling matchup at the Great Southern Bank Arena, pulling off a significant upset as 64-point underdogs in terms of NET ranking difference, with Missouri State ranked 189 and Louisiana Tech ranked 253. Louisiana Tech's Avery Thomas II led the charge with 19 points and 9 rebounds, while Missouri State's Kobi Williams scored 24 points in a losing effort. The Bulldogs' win marked a 1-point margin, a far cry from the predicted 7.1-point margin in favor of the Bears.
Louisiana Tech's Kaden Cooper Grabs 13 Rebounds in Upset Win
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Louisiana Tech taking a 36-32 lead into halftime. Missouri State fought back in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 36-32 to tie the game at 68-68. The Bears' Michael Osei-Bonsu had a strong game, scoring 22 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Bulldogs' balanced attack. Louisiana Tech's Kaden Cooper added 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Scooter Williams chipped in with 15 points and 6 rebounds. The Bulldogs' 79 points marked a season high in points scored on the road, and their 45.5% field goal percentage was a key factor in their victory.
Avery Thomas II and Kobi Williams were the top performers for their respective teams, with Thomas II scoring 19 points and grabbing 9 rebounds, and Williams scoring 24 points. Missouri State's Michael Osei-Bonsu had a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Louisiana Tech's Kaden Cooper added 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Bears' Keith Palek III scored 18 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Bulldogs' strong team effort. The Bulldogs' bench outscored the Bears' bench 22-15, with 12 of those points coming from Thomas II.
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The Bulldogs outrebounded the Bears 43-38, with Kaden Cooper and Avery Thomas II combining for 22 rebounds. Louisiana Tech also shot 45.5% from the field, compared to Missouri State's 42.9%. The Bears turned the ball over 14 times, while the Bulldogs had 12 turnovers. The Bulldogs' 79 points marked a season high in points scored on the road, and their 45.5% field goal percentage was a key factor in their victory. The Bears' 78 points marked their highest scoring total in a loss this season.
The CHD Scout predicted a 73-66 win for Missouri State, with a predicted margin of 7.1 points. However, the actual result was a 1-point win for Louisiana Tech, marking a significant upset. The model was wrong in predicting the winner and the margin, highlighting the unpredictability of college basketball. The Bulldogs' win marked a significant departure from the predicted outcome, and it will be interesting to see how the model adjusts to this result. The model's predicted score of 73-66 was off by a total of 18 points, with the actual score being 79-78.
The win marked a significant boost to Louisiana Tech's resume, as it was a Quadrant 3 win for the Bulldogs. The loss was a Quadrant 4 loss for Missouri State, which could hurt their tournament chances. The Bulldogs' NET ranking of 253 will likely improve with this win, while the Bears' ranking of 189 may take a hit. The win marked Louisiana Tech's 14th win of the season, and their 10th win away from home. The Bulldogs' 14-10 record marks a significant improvement over their 10-14 record at this point last season.
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs want to build on this momentum as they face off against the North Texas Mean Green on February 19. The Missouri State Bears will try to bounce back from this tough loss as they face off against the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers on February 15. The Bulldogs' next game will be a crucial test of their mettle, as they look to improve their conference record and make a push for the tournament. The Bears' next game will be a must-win, as they look to avoid a losing streak and stay in contention for a tournament bid.