Halftime Report
Their last head-to-head back in December of 2023 was close, and so far it looks like that's how Grand Canyon and La. Tech will finish this one. Grand Canyon has jumped out to a quick 33-32 lead against La. Tech.
If Grand Canyon keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 7-3 in no time. On the other hand, La. Tech will have to make due with a 9-3 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Grand Canyon Antelopes @ La. Tech Bulldogs
Current Records: Grand Canyon 6-3, La. Tech 9-2
How To Watch
- When: Monday, December 16, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Thomas Assembly Center -- Ruston, Louisiana
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $5.00
What to Know
La. Tech will be in front of their home fans on Monday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will be home for the holidays to greet the Grand Canyon Antelopes at 7:30 p.m. ET at Thomas Assembly Center. The Bulldogs are strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 78.6 points per game this season.
Last Friday, La. Tech was able to grind out a solid victory over Georgia Southern, taking the game 77-63. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Bulldogs.
Kaden Cooper and Daniel Batcho were among the main playmakers for La. Tech as the former went 10 for 15 en route to 25 points plus eight rebounds and three steals and the latter went 9 for 10 en route to 22 points plus eight rebounds and three blocks. Cooper continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of AJ Bates, who earned ten points.
Meanwhile, after a string of four wins, Grand Canyon's good fortune finally ran out on Saturday. They took a 73-68 hit to the loss column at the hands of Georgia.
Grand Canyon's defeat came about despite a quality game from Ray Harrison, who scored 16 points along with two steals. Tyon Grant-Foster, on the other hand, was considerably less helpful: he went 0-8 from beyond the arc.
La. Tech's win bumped their record up to 9-2. As for Grand Canyon, their loss dropped their record down to 6-3.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as both are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. La. Tech hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 78.6 points per game. However, it's not like Grand Canyon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 80.2. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
While only La. Tech took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. As for their next game, Grand Canyon is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a six-game streak of failing to cover when expected to win.
Odds
Grand Canyon is a slight 1.5-point favorite against La. Tech, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 1.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 146.5 points.
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Series History
Grand Canyon won the only game these two teams have played in the last year.
- Dec 30, 2023 - Grand Canyon 73 vs. La. Tech 70