GAME NOTES: Attempting to bounce back from two consecutive losses, the Syracuse Orange will play host to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in a non- conference affair at the Carrier Dome on Sunday.

Louisiana Tech had won six straight games before a loss to Louisiana on Wednesday derailed the Bulldogs' streak. Still, Louisiana Tech comes into this clash sporting a 7-2 overall record on the season, with their only losses coming on the road.

Syracuse is 5-3 on the year, but the Orange have dropped back-to-back contests to Michigan (68-65) and St. John's (69-57). The team's last win came back on Nov. 28 - a 72-48 clobbering of Holy Cross.

These two programs have only met one other time on the court in their series history. That meeting was played back in the 1988-89 season, which resulted in a Syracuse victory.

A back-and-forth first half between intrastate rivals Louisiana Tech and Louisiana culminated in a 41-39 Bulldogs' advantage after the first half was through. But it was the Ragin' Cajuns who came alive in the second period to shoot 57.1 percent from the floor, with 55 second-half points that downed the Bulldogs on the road. Alex Hamilton led the charge for the losing squad, netting 27 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Erik McCree posted 25 points and six rebounds and Raheem Appleby netted 11. Kenneth Smith, the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, scored 10 points with four steals.

Despite the recent loss, Louisiana Tech has proven itself to be a well-oiled offensive machine through nine games, with Smith serving as the court general. Although he's only averaging 5.9 ppg, he's already registered 63 assists and 16 steals on the season. Appleby leads the scoring effort this season, netting 15.4 ppg with Hamilton (15.3 ppg) following close in tow. McCree rounds out the trio of double-digit scorers at 13.3 ppg for a Bulldogs squad netting 77.7 ppg on 45.5 percent shooting.

It wasn't a pretty offensive effort by any means for either Syracuse of St. John's, but the Red Storm were the ones who came away with the 12-point win after hitting 20 shots from the foul line compared to just 10 for the Orange. Syracuse shot a dismal 3-of-22 from 3-point range as well. Rakeem Christmas paced the Orange with 15 points and 15 rebounds with three blocked shots. Both Michael Gbinije and Chris McCullough added 13 points in the loss, while Gbinije dished out five assists and McCullough nabbed eight rebounds.

Offense has been the issue for the Orange in their past two games, netting 65 points and 57 points, respectively. Those are both lower than the team's season average of 67.9 ppg, which it achieves on 44.4 percent shooting from the field. Christmas leads the charge for Syracuse, netting 16.9 ppg, and is just shy of a double-double average with 9.8 rpg. McCullough is the only other double-digit scorer for the Orange, coming in at 14.4 ppg with 8.8 rpg.

The Syracuse defense will need to step it up against a formidable and lightning quick Louisiana Tech offense. It's hard to envision coach Jim Boeheim's squad losing three straight - including two at home - and the Bulldogs know they have a difficult road challenge ahead.