Game Info

Date: Wednesday, February 7th
Time: 8:00 pm
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (19-4, 7-3)
Bad Guys: Iowa State Cyclones (12-10, 3-7)
Location: United Supermarkets Arena | Lubbock, Texas
TV/Stream: ESPNU
Radio/Stream: 97.3 FM/104.3 FM/950 AM

Lineups

* Assists.

Starting 5

1. KenPom. KenPom has the Cyclones as being the 97th best team in the nation, 71st in AdjO and 153rd in AdjD. Texas Tech made it back to the top 10, 56th in AdjO and 3rd in AdjD

2. Stats. Via RealGM, Texas Tech is a better shooting team, with a eFG% of 53%, while Iowa State is at 50%. I’d like to know what those splits are at home and away. The Red Raiders also hold an offensive rebounding advantage, gaining 33% of offensive boards while Iowa State is at 30%. The Red Raiders shoot free throws at a much higher rate, 29% to Iowa State’s 21% and Texas Tech turns the ball over slightly mover, 16% to 14% for ISU.

3. Scouting. This will be an interesting game because Iowa State will be without arguably their best player in Nick Weiler-Babb and they’ll also be without Hans Brase (a back-up forward). Weiler-Babb is the guy that does it all for ISU, scores, rebounds, and was leading the team in assists. Wiggington and Jackson are obviously the leading scorers for the team, but Wiggington shot terribly on the road against Baylor and I think both of these guys will need to be on-point to beat Texas Tech. The nice thing for Texas Tech is that they have gotten used to playing without Zach Smith and the Red Raiders are still really playing 8 or 9 deep and they are playing regularly.

4. Reading Material.

• A-J Media’s Carlos Silva, Jr. – No. 7 Texas Tech looking to earn season split when it hosts Iowa State:
  

  The first time Texas Tech (19-4 overall, 7-3 in the Big 12) faced off against Iowa State (12-10, 3-7) was a bit different inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Red Raiders struggled to score, yet found a way to take a one-point (35-34) lead in the second half, before the Cyclones closed on a 36-17 run in the final 16 minutes to earn the win.

  “We got blown out, we didn’t bring a lot of energy, we weren’t aggressive, we didn’t play defense,” Odiase said of the first meeting against the Cyclones. “Our offense, we weren’t moving the ball enough. Things like that in film, we still watch that film to this day. It really gives us a reminder of how we don’t need to play. … We’ll fix that.”

• DeMoines Register’s Randy Peterson – Iowa State’s Wigginton is getting the hang of this point guard thing he’s undertaken:
  

  It’s all part of Wigginton’s learning process — of an off-the-ball guy who was the best player on the floor while scoring 27 points at Kansas, to a freshman who hasn’t even played a handful of college games at the point.

  It’s part of the deal — from being a scorer, to becoming a combo scorer and facilitator.

  “You have to make your teammates happy,” Wigginton said when asked about the mindset of the two positions he’s been asked to play during the first 22 games of his college career.

  “You have to put them in position to score the ball. I also have to get going and try to score the ball, too, because I need to score, also, to help the team win.”

• The Globe Gazette’s Ben Visser – Wigginton key for Iowa State vs. No. 7 Texas Tech:
  

  First it was the relentless pressure of West Virginia. Wigginton handled it well and had 22 points, 5 assists and just two turnovers. The second game was against Baylor’s extended 1-3-1 zone, which gave Wigginton problems in the second half. He finished with 14 points and 8 assists, but 7 of those assists came in the first half when Baylor was playing more man-to-man defense.

  On Wednesday, in Lobbock, Texas, at 8 p.m. Wigginton will face a more traditional defense as Iowa State (12-10, 3-7 Big 12) travels to seventh-ranked Texas Tech (19-4, 7-3 Big 12).

  The Red Raiders’ defense is physical, but Wigginton has seen it before. Against Baylor, coach Steve Prohm said Wigginton got sped up at times and tried to force the action. Wigginton knows he needs to slow it down and work the ball around.

  “I’m just trying to lead the team while Nick [Weiler-Babb’s] out and get my teammates involved,” Wigginton said. “I know what I can do on the offensive end so I’m just really trying to get my teammates involved.”

5. Official Site. The official site’s official preview and head coach Chris Beard discusses how Texas Tech must be better against Iowa State than they were in Ames:

“We have got to be a lot more competitive,” Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. “We got kicked down there in Ames. They beat us up and down the floor for 40 minutes. They were more aggressive, tougher and the better-coached team that night. I know as a competitor, we’ve been looking forward to this one for a lot of reasons. One is to see if we can respond. It was some of the most challenging basketball we have had this year, and I give Iowa State all the credit. I think the first thing that’s got to change is we’ve got to have a different approach. Iowa State’s great offensive identity with the way they run – they play fast, and they have multiple shooters. I think Lard is one of the best freshman in the country. His numbers in the Big 12 as a freshman speak for itself. They’ve got great balance from offense and defense and inside and out. They’ve got a great coach, and they really kicked us in game one.”