By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Rare is the Saturday when all three of our area NCAA Division I basketball schools are playing at home, but here goes.
Grambling and Northwestern State have home doubleheaders Saturday afternoon as the Louisiana Tech men are at home, too.
The men’s teams from Grambling and Tech share the lead in their conference races, about a third of the way through the slate.
Quick glances at our local NCAA Division I college hoop squads:
MEN
Louisiana Tech: 14-6 overall, 4-1 in Conference USA
Daniel Batcho nearly notched a triple-double Thursday night in the Bulldogs’ 68-54 victory at the Thomas Assembly Center over UTEP. The 6-8 Texas Tech transfer had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. Riding a four-game win streak after an opening CUSA loss at Sam Houston, Tech shares the lead in the league standings with the Bearkats.
NEXT – Saturday, home vs. New Mexico State, 2:00; next Thursday at FIU, 7:00
Grambling: 7-11 overall, 4-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference
After flipping a 17-point deficit into a 17-point win at home last Saturday over Southern, the Tigers had Monday off. They carry a 3-game win streak into homecourt action beginning Saturday against winless (0-19) Mississippi Valley. Grambling shares the SWAC lead with Jackson State and Alabama State.
NEXT – Saturday, home vs. Mississippi Valley, 4:00; Monday, home vs. UAPB, 7:30
Northwestern State: 5-14 overall, 3-3 in Southland Conference
The Demons had a 3-game win streak snapped by a slew of turnovers Monday night at Southeastern Louisiana after making only 5 while routing UNO on the road last Saturday. NSU faces its toughest two-game stretch of the Southland season, hosting second-place A&M-Corpus Christi and visiting Southland darling McNeese (17-2, 7-0). The Cowboys got a last-second tip-in Monday night to win at Corpus, overcoming an 18-point deficit. The Islanders beat the Demons in last year’s Southland Tournament finals and made the NCAA Tournament.
NEXT – Saturday, home vs. A&M-Corpus Christi, 3:00; Monday, at McNeese, 7:00
WOMEN
Louisiana Tech: 8-12 overall, 2-3 in CUSA
The Lady Techsters faltered down the stretch Thursday night, falling 61-57 at UTEP. They couldn’t find the firepower that fueled a 16-0 run at the end of the first quarter last Saturday in a 67-53 homecourt victory over Jacksonville State.
NEXT – Saturday, at New Mexico State, 6:00; next Thursday, home vs. FIU, 6:00
Grambling: 10-6 overall, 4-1 in SWAC
After blowing out Southern for their third win in a row, the Lady Tigers stand second in the SWAC to Jackson State (5-0). They should cruise past Mississippi Valley (2-17, 1-4) before UAPB (3-2 in the SWAC) visits.
NEXT – Saturday, home vs. Mississippi Valley, 2:00; Monday, home vs. UAPB, 5:30
Northwestern State: 8-10 overall, 4-3 in SLC
The Lady Demons won their second straight on the road Thursday night, 60-44 at McNeese. Two of NSU’s four Southland wins are over the Cowgirls, who are 0-6 in league games. Saturday afternoon, it’s the other extreme as second-place A&M-Corpus Christi (14-5, 6-1) rolls into Prather Coliseum.
NEXT – Saturday, home vs. A&M-Corpus Christi, 1:00; next Thursday, at Nicholls, 6:30
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com