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2014–15 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men's basketball
Conference USA regular season champions
NIT, Quarterfinals
Conference Conference USA
Record27–9 (15–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arena Thomas Assembly Center
Seasons
←  2013–14
2015–16 →
2014–15 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Louisiana Tech 15 3   .833 27 9   .750
Old Dominion 13 5   .722 27 8   .771
UTEP 13 5   .722 22 11   .667
WKU 12 6   .667 20 12   .625
UAB 12 6   .667 20 16   .556
Middle Tennessee 9 9   .500 19 17   .528
FIU 8 10   .444 16 17   .485
UTSA 8 10   .444 14 16   .467
North Texas 8 10   .444 14 17   .452
Rice 8 10   .444 12 20   .375
Charlotte 7 11   .389 14 18   .438
Marshall 7 11   .389 11 21   .344
Southern Miss* 4 14   .222 9 20   .310
Florida Atlantic 2 16   .111 9 20   .310
*Ineligible for postseason play due to self-imposed postseason ban
2015 C-USA Tournament winner

The 2014–15 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulldogs, led by fourth year head coach Michael White, played their home games at the Thomas Assembly Center and were members of Conference USA. They finished the season 27–9, 15–3 in C-USA play to finish as regular season C-USA champions. They advanced to the semifinals of the C-USA tournament where they lost to UAB. As a regular season conference champion who failed to win their conference tournament, they received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they defeated Central Michigan in the first round and Texas A&M in the second round before losing in the quarterfinals to Temple.

Previous season

The Bulldogs finished the season 29–8, 13–3 in C-USA play to finish in a four way tie for the C-USA regular season championship. They advanced to the championship game of the C-USA tournament where they lost to Tulsa. After tiebreakers, they were the #1 seed in the C-USA Tournament, and as a regular season conference champion and overall #1 seed in their conference tournament who failed to win their conference tournament, they received at automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they defeated Iona and Georgia to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to Florida State.

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Chris Anderson 5 F 6'6" 220 Senior Muskegon, MI Graduated
Isaiah Massey 10 F 6'8" 225 RS Junior McDonough, GA Transferred to Dalton State College
Stojan Gjuroski 11 F 6'8" 205 RS Junior Gostivar, Macedonia Play professionally overseas [1]
Cordarius Johnson 15 G 6'6" 220 Senior Coushatta, LA Graduated
Kenyon McNeail 21 G 6'1" 190 Senior Conway, AR Graduated
Josh Butler 22 F 6'6" 225 Freshman Los Angeles, CA Walk-on didn't return
Jaron Johnson 23 G 6'6" 205 Senior Tyler, TX Graduated
Gilbert Talbot 40 F/C 6'10" 290 Sophomore Houma, LA Transferred to New Orleans

Incoming Transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Merrill Holden 21 F 6'8" 215 Sophomore Lincoln, NE Junior college transfer from Pratt Community College
Qiydar Davis 25 F 6'6" 200 Junior Atlanta, GA Junior college transfer from Indian Hills Community College

Recruiting class of 2014

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Joniah White
C
Grenada, MS Grenada High School 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Oct 29, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3/5 stars    Rivals: 3/5 stars    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 71
Dayon Griffin
SF
Saint Petersburg, FL Saint Petersburg High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Oct 18, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A    RivalsN/A    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Jacobi Boykins
SG
Lakeland, FL Lakeland High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Sep 9, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A    Rivals: 3/5 stars    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Xavian Stapleton
SF
Madison, MS Madison Central High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Aug 29, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A    Rivals: 3/5 stars    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Branden Sheppard
PF
Shreveport, LA Huntington High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Feb 3, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A    Rivals: 2/5 stars    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2014 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 9, 2014.

Recruiting class of 2015

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Dominic Jackson
SG
Arnaudville, LA Olney Central College 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jun 29, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: 3/5 stars    RivalsN/A    247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: JC
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

2014–15 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
G 0 Alex Hamilton 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Jr Chipley, FL
F 1 Michale Kyser 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Sr Lancaster, TX
F 2 Erik McCree 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS So Orlando, FL
G 3 Raheem Appleby 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Sr Jacksonville, AR
G 4 Speedy Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Sr St. Petersburg, FL
C 5 Joniah White 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr Duck Hill, MS
G 10 Dayon Griffin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 188 lb (85 kg) Fr St. Petersburg, FL
G 11 Xavian Stapleton 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Flora, MS
G 13 Jacobi Boykins 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Fr St. Petersburg, FL
F 15 Branden Sheppard 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Fr Shreveport, LA
F 21 Merrill Holden 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Lincoln, NE
G 25 Qiydar Davis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Atlanta, GA
F 33 Leo Edwards 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) RS Fr Detroit, MI
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

[2]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
11/14/2014*
8:00 pm
at  Southern W 85–76  1–0
F. G. Clark Center (1,104)
Baton Rouge, LA
11/17/2014*
7:00 pm,  ESPN3
at  Temple
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
L 75–82  1–1
Liacouras Center (4,237)
Philadelphia, PA
11/21/2014*
7:00 pm,  ASN
Morehead State
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
W 73–64  2–1
Thomas Assembly Center (2,937)
Ruston, LA
11/22/2014*
6:00 pm
American
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
W 63–44  3–1
Thomas Assembly Center (2,868)
Ruston, LA
11/23/2014*
4:00 pm, ASN
Presbyterian
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
W 78–46  4–1
Thomas Assembly Center (2,854)
Ruston, LA
11/28/2014*
7:00 pm, ASN
Samford W 77–64  5–1
Thomas Assembly Center (4,214)
Ruston, LA
12/02/2014*
6:30 pm
at  Northwestern State W 99–88  6–1
Prather Coliseum (2,812)
Natchitoches, LA
12/06/2014*
6:00 pm
Jackson State W 65–52  7–1
Thomas Assembly Center (4,038)
Ruston, LA
12/10/2014*
7:00 pm
at  Louisiana–Lafayette L 86–94  7–2
Cajundome (3,786)
Lafayette, IN
12/14/2014*
3:00 pm,  ESPNU
at  Syracuse L 69–71  7–3
Carrier Dome (19,156)
Syracuse, NY
12/18/2014*
6:30 pm
Nicholls State W 79–54  8–3
Thomas Assembly Center (3,918)
Ruston, LA
12/23/2014*
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at  NC State L 65–73  8–4
PNC Arena (15,739)
Raleigh, NC
12/29/2014*
6:30 pm
Southern Arkansas W 74–52  9–4
Thomas Assembly Center (2,629)
Ruston, LA
Conference USA regular season
01/03/2015
7:00 pm
at  Southern Miss W 83–70  10–4 (1–0)
Reed Green Coliseum (3,187)
Hattiesburg, MS
01/08/2015
8:00 pm
at  UTEP W 58–45  11–4 (2–0)
Don Haskins Center (8,653)
El Paso, TX
01/10/2015
2:00 pm
at  UTSA W 84–72  12–4 (3–0)
Convocation Center (1,084)
San Antonio, TX
01/15/2015
7:00 pm, ASN
UAB W 74–71  13–4 (4–0)
Thomas Assembly Center (3,815)
Ruston, LA
01/17/2015
3:00 pm,  FSN
Middle Tennessee W 75–68  14–4 (5–0)
Thomas Assembly Center (6,214)
Ruston, LA
01/22/2015
7:00 pm
at  North Texas L 66–73  14–5 (5–1)
The Super Pit (3,293)
Denton, TX
01/24/2015
7:00 pm
at  Rice W 58–45  15–5 (6–1)
Tudor Fieldhouse (2,613)
Houston, TX
01/29/2015
6:00 pm,  CBSSN
WKU W 69–56  16–5 (7–1)
Thomas Assembly Center (4,029)
Ruston, LA
01/31/2015
4:30 pm, ASN
Marshall W 81–57  17–5 (8–1)
Thomas Assembly Center (4,731)
Ruston, LA
02/05/2015
8:00 pm, CBSSN
UAB L 60–80  17–6 (8–2)
Bartow Arena (4,068)
Birmingham, AL
02/07/2015
7:00 pm, ASN
at Middle Tennessee W 73–62  18–6 (9–2)
Murphy Center (4,986)
Murfreesboro, TN
02/12/2015
6:30 pm
Florida Atlantic W 65–54  19–6 (10–2)
Thomas Assembly Center (3,412)
Ruston, LA
02/14/2015
6:00 pm
FIU W 75–42  20–6 (11–2)
Thomas Assembly Center (3,314)
Ruston, LA
02/19/2015
6:00 pm, CBSSN
at  Charlotte W 83–82 OT 21–6 (12–2)
Dale F. Halton Arena (4,078)
Charlotte, NC
02/21/2015
2:00 pm, ASN
at  Old Dominion L 53–72  21–7 (12–3)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (8,019)
Norfolk, VA
02/26/2015
7:00 pm,  FS1
UTEP W 77–60  22–7 (13–3)
Thomas Assembly Center (5,126)
Ruston, LA
02/28/2015
6:00 pm, FS1
UTSA W 76–66  23–7 (14–3)
Thomas Assembly Center (5,328)
Ruston, LA
03/05/2015
7:00 pm, CBSSN
Southern Miss W 72–61  24–7 (15–3)
Thomas Assembly Center (5,805)
Ruston, LA
Conference USA tournament
03/12/2015
8:30 pm, ASN
vs. Rice
Quarterfinals
W 70–64  25–7
Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex (6,922)
Birmingham, AL
03/13/2015
5:30 pm, CBSSN
vs. UAB
Semifinals
L 62–72 OT 25–8
Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex (6,429)
Birmingham, AL
National Invitation tournament
03/17/2015*
6:30 pm, ESPN3
No. (3) (6) Central Michigan
First round
W 89–79  26–8
Thomas Assembly Center (6,904)
Ruston, LA
03/23/2015*
6:00 pm,  ESPN
No. (3) at (2) Texas A&M
Second round
W 84–72  27–8
Reed Arena (3,859)
College Station, TX
03/25/2015*
9:00 pm,  ESPN2
No. (3) at (1) Temple
Quarterfinals
L 59–77  27–9
Liacouras Center (3,906)
Philadelphia, PA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time. (#) during NIT is seed within region.

References

  1. ^ "Three front court reserves to leave Louisiana Tech program". NBC College Basketball Talk. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  2. ^ "2014-2015 Schedule". LATechSports.com. Louisiana Tech University. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015.