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RUSTON – “He’s not underrated anymore.”
Louisiana Tech basketball coach Talvin Hester was talking about his point guard – Sean Newman Jr., who scored a career-high 25 points to go along with nine assists – but the postgame statement Monday night could apply to the entire Bulldogs team.
Newman’s performance sparked an impressive 74-66 victory over Grand Canyon inside the Thomas Assembly Center on Karl Malone Court, giving the Bulldogs their 10th win in 12 games.
Grand Canyon (6-4) had a stellar 2023-24 season, going 30-5 while winning the Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament title and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after an upset win over Saint Mary’s. GCU is the unanimous favorite to finish first in the WAC and began the season receiving votes in the AP preseason poll.
Undersized and overlooked much of his basketball career, Newman scored or assisted on 17 of Tech’s 28 made field goals.
With the ‘Dogs clinging to a one-point lead over GCU with three minutes to go, the point guard scored seven of the team’s last nine points (and assisted on the other basket) as the home team closed the game on a 9-2 run.
“He showed he is who we think he is,” sad Hester. “He can be that because we have good players around him. You can’t be good by yourself. It keeps everybody honest. He takes advantage of the opportunities. He usually makes the right decision. I am excited about the way he played. I am excited about the way [Daniel] Batcho played.”
Having spent a good chunk of the non-conference season battling back from early deficits, Tech was the first team to gain some separation. Following an opening bucket by the Lopes, the Bulldogs went on a 13-0 run that included two 3-pointers by Amaree Abram and one by Newman.
Batcho was dominating in the pain and Tech was in control with a 17-10 lead and 12:03 to go in the first half, before the team leader in scoring was whistled for his second personal foul.
It remained a one-possession game for a good chunk of the second half before a 12-0 Tech run that was energized by back-to-back alley oops from Newman to Batcho.
GCU proceeded to go small with its lineup and it worked. The Lopes found their rhythm offensively, making seven of eight field goals, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Lok Wur and a pair of layups by Styles Phipps, during a 4-plus minute stretch to trail 65-64 with 3:10 left.
Newman led the Bulldogs the rest of the way.
First up was an NBA-range trey from the wing to stretch the lead out to four. Then up against the shot clock, he drove the middle of the lane and got an off-balance layup to fall.
After another stop by Tech, Newman snaked past a double team and dished to Kaden Cooper Kaden Cooper running the baseline for a two-handed flush.
For the fourth straight game, Tech shot over 50 percent from the field (51.9). Despite foul trouble, Batcho finished at his average with 19 points plus seven rebounds and three blocks. Abram was the third Bulldog in double figures with 15.
Meanwhile, GCU’s star guard duo of Ray Harrison and Tyon Grant-Foster combined for just seven points while suffering 2-of-18 shooting. The Lopes, led by JaKobe Coles who had 19, shot 40.3 percent as a team.
Hester said strong defense and improved ball-handling were keys for Tech.
“We had nine turnovers in the first half but only four in the second. I thought that was huge. We stuck with the game plan of trying to take away the rim and not foul them. They go to the free throw line more than almost anyone in the country. We made them shoot threes and they were not shooting them well.”
Cooper led the Bulldogs in rebounding for the ninth time this season with a game-high nine boards.
Tech wraps up its non-conference slate Saturday at home against Rust College.