By DAVID MURIMI

Staff Writer

Beyond the basketball courts, the games and traveling across states, there is another side to Donell Allick.

Allick, a senior sociology major and the shooting guard for the Bulldogs, is originally from New Haven, Conn. He started his first college game at a D-1 school at Providence College in Rhode Island and then transferred to Tech in 2002.

"I came to Tech to further my basketball career as far as I can take it," Allick said.

This season, Allick had the second-highest three-point percentage on the team and second-highest free throw percentage on the team. He also started all but two games, was second on the team in average points per game with 12.3, had second most assists with 103 and also had second most steals with 38.

Coming from Connecticut, Allick mentioned some of the biggest differences when he moved to Louisiana.

"The biggest difference is damn near everything, especially how fast life is at home compared to here and the living arrangements," Allick said.

Allick said people hang out more back in his hometown than in Ruston; the clubs stay open till 6 a.m., not 2 a.m. and people are accustomed to 24 hour gyms.

Allick said people back home do not have open arms in hospitality like they do down in the South.

Overall, Allick is enjoying his time here and loves how his transition was made easier because the coaches at Tech were cool and down to earth on a daily basis as compared to his D-1 school.

"The thing I enjoy the most about Louisiana is the weather and the family, happy atmosphere," Allick said. "Plus the crawfish; they were hard to get used to but they're good to munch on."