Conference USA Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2020-2021 season
By Sean Cole
7. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Things were going great for the 2019 Louisiana Tech basketball team. They had a record of 22-8 overall and a 13-5 conference record which tied them for second place, they had momentum going into tournament play, some were even predicting the Bulldogs would win the tournament and punch their ticket to the dance and then the pandemic struck and that dream went down the drain. In the 2020 – 2021 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Head Coach Eric Konkol was quoted as saying “It was a very good season and had potential to be a great season with the way it ended”.
Statistically in 2019, the Bulldogs were in the top half of just about all offensive and defensive categories. There were several that stood out, as they were fifth in scoring offense (74.5 ppg), second in scoring defense (63.7), which helped them lead the league in scoring margin at +10.8.
The Bulldogs were also first in field goal percentage (.483), first in field goal percentage (.398), and first in turnover margin (+2.4). 2020 is a new year and Coach Konkol must find a way to replace 4 starters including CUSA first-team point guard DaQuan Bracey.
The Bulldogs do return experienced players, as they return five seniors with playing experience. Returning are 6-3 senior Amorie Archibald (11.3 and 2.3 apg), who had 17 double-digit scoring games, 6-5 senior JaColby Pemberton (6.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg), 6-4 senior Kalob Ledoux (11.6 ppg and 3.1 rppg), who was last years CUSA Sixth Man of the Year, 6-10 senior Andrew Gordon (4.4 ppg and 3.3 rpg) and 6-5 senior Xaiver Armstead (2.6 ppg and 1.6 rpg).
Rounding out the 2020 returning players are 6-4 junior Exavian Christon (redshirt), 5-11 sophomore Cobe Williams (4.3 ppg and 2.2 rpg), 6-6 sophomore Isaiah Crawford and 6-8 junior Stacey Thomas.
Coach Konkol and his staff also bring in four incoming freshmen to Rushton, who all add some depth. The 2020 freshmen class are 6-10 freshmen Kenny Hunter (19.0 ppg and12.0 rpg, 4A first-team honors at Huntington High School in Louisiana), 6-7 freshman Kenneth Lofton Jr. (17.0 ppg at Port Arthur Memorial High School in Texas), 6-2 freshmen Thailand Elder (15.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg at North Crowley High School in Texas) and 6-3 freshmen Jace Bass (30.7 ppg at Long Beach City College in California).
In the 2020 – 2021 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Coach Konkol was quoted as saying “Guys, with the experience understand the importance of defense, number one. Second, they have experience behind than of how to execute the plan or scheme”. The plan for the upcoming 2020 season should be simple.
If the Bulldogs can stay true to who they are and play defense first, find ways to make up for the scoring that was lost, and if the chemistry with the mix of old and youth comes around, this team will no doubt be in the top tier in CUSA.