Tech searching for consistency in rematch with UNT
RUSTON — Around this time nine months ago, Eric Konkol was being introduced as Louisiana Tech's new basketball coach. As March approaches, it's hard to believe the season is almost over.
"It's gone by so fast," Konkol said Tuesday.
The journey is an interesting one, to say the least, after inheriting a program that has knocked on the NCAA Tournament door the past several years. Tech (20-7, 9-5 Conference USA) has experienced highs and lows and numerous injuries and lineups changes.
The Bulldogs have just two weeks left in the regular season starting with the final home swing of the season. Tech welcomes North Texas to Ruston on Thursday for an 8 p.m. tip on ASN and Rice on Saturday at 6 p.m. for Senior Day.
"With these four games left we've got opportunities to certainly move ahead and get better and position ourselves in the conference tournament," Konkol said. "We just need more consistency on both ends of the floor. We've won games different ways. We've lost games different ways."
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Regaining or establishing any sort of continuity is key with Tech amid a multi-team race to secure a top-four seed in next month's C-USA tournament. Tech can win out and do no worse than fourth place with the potential to reach third place, but just one loss could drop Tech as low as the sixth-seed.
Consistency is the one area eluding Tech's resume through 27 games. A prime example is the past two weeks when Tech upended UAB and Middle Tennessee, the two top teams in the league, then proceeded to get run out of the gym at UTEP as the Miners hoisted up 91 points.
Tech's normal recipe for success is to find a shooting rhythm. When the Bulldogs are hot, they are tough to beat. But a team can't rely simply on shooting, and for whatever reason, Tech's defense hasn't carried over to the road this year.
Tech is 14-1 at home but just 6-6 on the road with four losses coming in league play to Florida International, Florida Atlantic, North Texas and UTEP.
"We need to be more consistent defensively. You want defense to travel," Konkol said. "We've been an efficient defensive team in conference throughout the years. We have not been in certain games."
Against UTEP, the Miners couldn't miss from the 3-point line, which in turn helped create easy driving lanes to the past as UTEP's field goal percentage hovered around 60.
"We've been a very good 3-point percentage defense this year so we started clamping on that a little bit more and we started giving up two-point field goals," Konkol said. "We have to be able to take away both as best as we can."
Konkol is hopeful the return of a healthy Erik McCree can help on offense, defense and on the boards. McCree, who injured his knee against UAB and sat out last week's UTSA game, was at less than 100 percent for UTEP.
"I hope he's a whole lot better," Konkol said. "He really gave us a warrior's effort Saturday. He wasn't where he'd like to be."
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Thursday serves as a rematch for Tech against North Texas after blowing a 10-point lead in an eventual 80-69 loss.
North Texas, along with Rice, are playing well of late with young teams, especially Rice and freshman guard Marcus Evans, who has won eight Freshman of the Week honors this year.
"(North Texas has) really built some continuity. They've got a lot of balance inside and outside," Konkol said. "They're very big and they're guards have gotten into a rhythm with their output and scoring."