Game Info
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (15-1, 4-0)
Bad Guys: Iowa State Cyclones (12-4, 2-2)
When to Watch: Wednesday, January 16th @ 8:00 p.m.
Where to Watch: United Supermarkets Arena | Lubbock, Texas
How to Watch: ESPNU | WatchESPN
How to Listen: 97.3 FM | Affiliates | TuneIn App
The Line: Texas Tech -6 (OddsShark)
Advanced Stats
| Texas Tech | Iowa State | |
|---|---|---|
| KenPom | 8 | 17 |
| KP AdjO | 94 | 23 |
| KP AdjD | 1 | 27 |
| T-Rank | 9 | 17 |
| T-Rank O | 115 | 23 |
| T-Rank D | 1 | 39 |
| Haslemetric | 10 | 13 |
Lineups
| THE STARTERS | Pts / Reb | |
|---|---|---|
| POINT GUARD | Davide Moretti (6-3/175) | 9.8 / 2.3* |
| SHOOTING GUARD | Matt Mooney (6-3/200) | 11.4 / 2.9* |
| SMALL FORWARD | Jarrett Culver (6-5/195) | 18.7 / 4.1* |
| POWER FORWARD | Tariq Owens (6-10/205) | 8.1 / 5.1 |
| CENTER | Norense Odiase (6-9/245) | 4.3 / 4.9 |
| THE BENCH | Pts / Reb | |
| SIXTH MAN | Kyler Edwards (6-3/200) | 6.3 / 2.6 |
| SEVENTH MAN | Brandone Francis (6-5/215) | 5.3 / 2.5 |
| EIGHTH MAN | Deshawn Corprew (6-5/210) | 6.1 / 4.1 |
| NINTH MAN | Malik Ondigo (6-10/215) | 1.9 / 1.8 |
| TENTH MAN | Josh Mballa (6-7/215) | 0.8 / 0.4 |
| ELEVENTH MAN | Khavon Moore (6-7/215) | – |
| THE STARTERS | Pts / Reb | |
| POINT GUARD | Tyrese Haliburton (6-5/160) | 8.4 / 4.1* |
| SHOOTING GUARD | Nick Weiler-Babb (6-5/205) | 9.6 / 4.3* |
| SMALL FORWARD | Talen Horton-Tucker (6-4/238) | 12.3 / 5.3* |
| POWER FORWARD | Marial Shayok (6-6/201) | 19.4 / 5.4 |
| CENTER | Michael Jacobson (6-9/231) | 13.6 / 6.1 |
| THE BENCH | Pts / Reb | |
| SIXTH MAN | Lindell Wiggington (6-2/188) | 11.7 / 4.5 |
| SEVENTH MAN | George Conditt IV (6-10/208) | 1.9 / 1.8 |
| EIGHTH MAN | Terrence Lewis (6-6/188) | 5.4 / 1.1 |
| NINTH MAN | Zoran Talley, Jr. (6-7/190) | 1.6 / 0.9 |
| TENTH MAN | Cameron Lard (6-9/225) | 3.8 / 1.6 |
* Assists.
Starting 5
1. Stats. Iowa State is a very balanced team and it’s difficult to figure out why they’ve already lost two conference games, to Baylor on the road and at home to Kansas State. The one thing that comes up with the Cyclones consistently is that if they don’t rebound the offensive glass well and shoot free throws at a high rate, then they’re likely to take that loss. They are capable of doing this, but with this sort of lineup that ISU rolls out, it’s not exactly conducive to really pounding the offensive glass without Lard in the middle, which he can do. So, it is probably safe to say that ISU is a perimeter shooting team that doesn’t hit the offensive glass or get to the line and if they continue that trend, then that’s probably good for Texas Tech.
2. Scouting. Iowa State has a bunch of really talented offensive players, ed by the freshman Haliburton who is very efficient, but doesn’t have the ball in his hands enough, or it could certainly be higher. Shayok is also very talented as is Jacobson. they’re very efficient scorers, so Texas Tech will have to lock them down. The biggest three-point threats are Haliburton and Weiler-Babb, both shoot very well, but that’s probably it. ISU is most an inside-the-arc team, but they’re very good inside the arc.
3. How They Match Up. I’ve always loved lineups like Iowa State’s, where there’s no difference between the 1 and the 4, it makes it a defensive nightmare for some teams and it is largely how Texas Tech played last year, everyone could play on everyone else and it was tough for opponents. Iowa State isn’t as good defensively as Texas Tech was, but they’re still very good, top 50 is impressive and with that combination of very good offense and defense and this is going to be a tough out for Texas Tech. Iowa State isn’t a deep team, but it would be nice to have Corprew back to give the team a bit more depth. I’ll be interested to see if Lard plays and I think his presence will be affected by Owens, as Texas Tech didn’t have a rim protector last year and he feasted. Owens changes that dynamic significantly.
4. Reading Material. A-J Media’s Carlos Silva, Jr. – Moretti seeing gains on offense, defense in second season with No. 8 Texas Tech:
“I decided to come here to work on the process coach (Chris) Beard talks about,” Moretti said Tuesday. “I knew I wasn’t a player yet — that I wasn’t ready to play at the next level. So I think that the process was one of the things that helped me make up my mind to choose Texas Tech over those other schools. And even now, I feel like this is the place I was supposed to be.”
Moretti has found his role by averaging 14 points in his last four games as the No. 8 Red Raiders (15-1, 4-0) get ready to take on Iowa State (12-4, 2-2) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at United Supermarkets Arena.
“I think the big thing with Moro is that he’s starting to find a little bit of consistency, and that’s really hard to do at this level. It’s easy to talk about,” Beard said. “Last year, he really contributed to our team as a young freshman. We wouldn’t have made the kind of run we made in the postseason without Moro.
Des Moins Register’s Randy Peterson – Steve Prohm so upbeat that it’s like Iowa State’s losses to Baylor, Kansas State were overruled:
Yet, Steve Prohm stepped up on his press conference podium platform like consecutive losses against Baylor and Kansas State had been overturned, similar to the way refs overrule stuff sometimes.
He was actually looking forward to this monster challenge, despite his team losing consecutive games since its 17-point victory against Kansas on Jan. 5 at Hilton Coliseum.
Does Prohm try to shake Lindell Wigginton from his funk by starting him? Is 6-foot-9 Cam Lard’s right ankle unsprained enough to be the rim intimidator he was last season? Will 6-10 freshman post George Conditt be the same guy who scored nine points while making all four of his field-goal attempts, and who grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots in 15 efficient minutes against Kansas State?
Sioux City Journal’s Ben Visser – Iowa State travels to No. 9 Texas Tech:
“You’re going to face some adversity,” Coach Steve Prohm said. “Things can turn quick for you in this league in a positive way and it can turn quick in a negative way. We know we have to get better, and where better to go than to play the best defensive team in the country and have to go win a game on the road with toughness and togetherness?”
Texas Tech has the No. 1 rated defense in the nation according to KenPom. The Red Raiders hold their opponents to an average of just 54 points per game, shooing 33 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range. Opponents also turn the ball over 17 times per game against Texas Tech.
5. Official Site. The official site has their preview right there:
The Red Raiders (15-1, 4-0 Big 12) are coming off a 68-62 win over Texas and 66-59 victory over Oklahoma last week and will now host ISU before traveling to Waco to play Baylor on Saturday. TTU is currently 10-0 at home this season coming into the game against the Cyclones (12-4, 2-2 Big 12), including home wins over Kansas State and Oklahoma in conference play. The Red Raiders are 43-4 on their home court under head coach Chris Beard who improved to 60-25 at TTU with the victory at Texas last Saturday that snapped a 22-game losing streak in Austin. The Red Raiders are 4-0 in Big 12 play for only the second time in program history (2003-04) and would become the first team in TTU history to open conference play with five straight wins with a victory over the Cyclones. The team is also 15-1 for only the second time in program history with the 1995-96 going 30-1 before finishing the season at 30-2 with a loss to Georgetown in the NCAA Sweet 16. ISU is looking to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to Baylor and Kansas State following a 77-60 win over Kansas back on Jan. 5.