https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut0rjLqHLoA
Is this the only top 10 team we've ever hosted in Ruston?
Have you considered those Dogs?
Two personal favorites, not that the games had any particular ramifications...
In 1980, I think it was, Tech vs. Western Kentucky at Memorial Gym. Joe Ivory, "The Spiderman," made an incredible play on both ends, in a matter of seconds. WKU's big power forward gets ahead of everyone off a Tech turnover and is home free for a monster dunk....or, so he thought. He goes up with both hands and is about to throw it down when flying from behind The Spiderman blocks the dunk attempt, Ivory and the WKU dude get tangled up and both hit the floor, sliding into the early version of the Hoop Troop, who used to be situated under one of the baskets. The crowd goes nuts on that incredible block. The ball hit the backboard and careened out toward mid-court where Tech gathers it up and is off on a 4 on 3 fast break. There's one pass and then a short, about 8 foot jumper on the elbow, the shot clunked the back of the rim and shot straight out toward the foul line, hands go up...but flying in from out of nowhere, The Spiderman arrives in the nick of time, catches the rebound and in one motion throws down one of the Top 5 most thunderous dunks in Tech hoops' history (so declared by me). In about 5 seconds, Joe Ivory produced two awesome plays!
For good measure, here's a football memory. About the same time period, early 80's. Tech trailed UTA 14-0 and looked dead in the water for a conference loss. With about 10 mins left in the game Tech scores. Then moments later, we're back and this time we settle for a FG, and now trail 14-10, maybe 5 mins left. UTA had this big back, who was tough. I think he had 200 yards rushing that day. We finally stop them and force a punt. But it looks desperate. Less than a minute to go, we're on our own 15, no time outs left. Matt Dunigan drops back, and WR Mike Sherman takes off on a fly pattern. We have maximum protection and Dunigan has time. Sherman drew double coverage, and after running way down field they were like, "No way!" So, they both stopped. Dunigan had dropped back, and looking like an Olympic javelin thrower, he steps toward the LOS releasing the ball at his 10 yard line. Sherman knew what his QB could do and had never broke stride. Sherman caught the ball at the UTA 18 yard line....the ball had traveled 72 yards in the air. Tech wins 17-14.
That Bradshaw to Liberto game winning TD at the 68' state fair game was the very moment I became a La Tech fan. My father was listening to the game on the radio at home and I was sort of paying attention to it with him. I was all of 9 years old at the time but since that play, I've been all in for Tech sports.
Actually, Michigan State was 8-4 in the regular season that year. After losing to Tech the Spartans beat Notre Dame the following week and went on the win 5 in a row. The Bulldogs went into the game without 2 starting receivers and overcame 5 turnovers. It was a big win.
You are right, for some reason I had it in my head that they were like a 5-6 win team that year.
Ditto on that. The one play I remember from back then was against Arky State. They had a very large and powerful back that would just not go down. We exchanged scores throughout the game. Arky State had the ball with little time left and was driving in the red zone. Joe McNeely lined up and drove his helmet into the big back's arms causing a fumble which, I think, Joe recovered. We won that game and I believe took the national championship that year. A few days later I saw Joe coming out of the cafeteria. His head was about twice the normal size and it was all black and blue. I asked Joe if he was OK. He told me that they had to cut his helmet off of his head after the game. Joe was not going to let Arky State win that game.
Any game with Mike Green in it. The guy dominated like nobody else in his sport. He was poetry in motion on the court.
WWDog
La Tech
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this will be hard to believe but some of my favorite plays centered around Mike Green. He sank a buzzer shot to beat Southwestern La ( now uh la la) from what would now be a 3 point shot) at our old stadium-- I was in balcony and jumped up and my fist went thru ceiling -- Green was incredible player ...
It's not one play and I hated the way it ended, but it's a classic.