Friday, November 20th, 8:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: The Pit (18,018) Albuquerque, New Mexico. Television: None. Home Record: Miami 0-0, Louisiana Tech 0-0. Away Record: Louisiana Tech 1-0. Miami-Ohio 0-2. Neutral Record: Louisiana Tech 0-0, Miami- Ohio 0-0. Conference Record: Louisiana Tech 0-0, Miami-Ohio 0-0. Series Record: Louisiana Tech leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: One of the most frenzied environments in college basketball will be the setting for a non-conference meeting between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the RedHawks of Miami-Ohio. The two teams will square off in The Pit in Albuquerque in the opening game of the Basketball Travelers World Vision Classic. The round-robin tournament runs through Sunday and also includes Nicholls State and host New Mexico.

Miami-Ohio is playing its first five games on the road. The RedHawks won't play a home game until November 28th. They're coming off a heartbreaking 72-70 loss to Kentucky on Monday in their last start.

Like Miami, Louisiana Tech is spending the early part of the season on the road. The Bulldogs won't see their home court until November 25 and will play only two home games prior to December 15. The Bulldogs are trying to improve on last year's 15-18 mark after winning just six games in 2008 and haven't been to a postseason tournament since the 2006 NIT. Louisiana Tech will be playing its first game since opening with an 80-62 win at Texas-Pan American last Saturday. It was the second straight season-opening win for the Bulldogs.

The RedHawks led by 18 points at one stage of the first half and tied the game at 70 on Kenny Hayes's three-pointer from the top of the key in the closing seconds before John Wall hit a game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds left in regulation to win the game for Kentucky. Nick Winbush paced Miami with a career-high 26 points, including eight-for-10 shooting from long range. Hayes finished with 16 points, five assists and four rebounds. The RedHawks hit a school-record 15 three-pointers against the Wildcats, which tied a record for the most ever against a Kentucky team. Miami was 15-for-26 from outside the arc (57.7 percent). Winbush, a junior forward, is leading the RedHawks in scoring at 18.5 ppg and in rebounding at 5.5 rpg. Hayes is next at 16.5 ppg and also leads the team in assists at 5.5 apg. The RedHawks are a hot-shooting team. They're hitting at 48 percent from the floor and an even 50 percent from long range.

Sophomore guard Olu Ashaolu recorded the second double-double of his career with 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Bulldogs season-opening win. He also dealt out three assists and recorded three steals. Ashaolu was one of four Bulldogs to score in double figures. Senior guard Kyle Gibson, the top returning scorer from last year's team, tallied 16 points, while guard DeAndre Brown added 13 and senior center Magnum Rollie provided 12. Senior David Jackson came off the bench to provide seven rebounds. The Bulldogs were saddled with some early foul problems, but shot a sparkling 61.2 percent from the floor overall.

The fact that the RedHawks have an extra game under their belts, and against a nationally-ranked opponent at that, will give them an edge in this encounter.

Predicted Outcome

Miami-Ohio 79, Louisiana Tech 72