La. Tech, LSU to Meet in Exhibition for Disaster Relief

As Louisiana Tech and the Ruston, La., community continue to recover from the tornado that ripped through the area on April 25, the school announced an exhibition basketball contest between the Bulldogs and in-state rival Louisiana State University to take place on Nov. 2.

According to a press release, all proceeds from the exhibition will go toward disaster relief.

“The response from our community, the state of Louisiana and across the nation has been inspiring,” Louisiana Tech AD Eric Konkol said in the release. “We are grateful to LSU for coming to Ruston to play in this exhibition game and aid in the rebuilding efforts. This game will benefit our team and excite our fans, but more importantly, it will provide a tremendous opportunity to raise resources for the Disaster Relief Fund. Let’s pack the TAC [Thomas Assembly Center] on November 2 and continue to be Ruston Strong!”

The Nov. 2 game is advantageous as both schools’ football teams have bye weeks scheduled that week. The exhibition will be the first time LSU has played on Louisiana Tech’s campus since 1945.

“This is what we do in Louisiana,” LSU head coach Will Wade said. “When someone needs help, we all pitch in. For us, it givers our guys the opportunity to travel and go play a good team away while we prepare for the season. It’s helpful for everybody and we’re glad to be a part of it.”

The public can purchase tickets to the event for $5, and the first 500 students will be granted free admission.