Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: Mac Mcclung gets back on track just in the nick of time, or at least in time for Sunday. McClung was incredibly efficient, scoring 20 on 7 of 12 with just 1 turnover, 2 dimes, and 2 steals. More of that.
The Motion:
- Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately for you, this is going to be a bit abbreviated. I didn’t get to watch most of the first half, so any of the frustrations that you are feeling about how that first half went, I have no frame of reference. Youssouf has football practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I’m helping coach with that. Back to this game, I pretty much saw the entire second half and well, maybe I’m just good luck.
- There were 5 players in double-figures and if the offense wasn’t clicking before, it is now. Against TCU, there was only one player in double-figures, Kyler Edwards who scored 20, and now, we’re looking at something completely different with 5 players scoring most of those points.
- Curiously, Kevin McCullar didn’t attempt a shot, but did a ton of dirty work, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing 2 assists, and a block and a steal to fill up the box score. Imagine a starter playing 25 minutes and not taking a shot. That’s sort of what McCullar is about though.
- The players that did score in double figures were ridiculously efficient. Micah Peavy maybe had his best game in a month, scoring 12 on 6 of 8 from the floor with 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers 🙁 and a steal. Kyler Edwards continues to be an incredibly efficient player, scoring 11 on 4 of 5 with 3 boards, an assist and 3 turnovers 🙁 Marcus Santos-Silva scored 14 on 6 of 8 with 7 boards and was really effective in the second half. And finally, Terrence Shannon scored 12 on 4 of 7 (missing both of his 3-point shots) and also had 3 turnovers 🙁
- The obvious issue here is that this was really a high turnover game for Texas Tech, 14 overall and had just 13 assists. That’s really a different game and an indication that guys were just making buckets.
- The play of the game was a charge. Head student manager Ty Larson played at Eastern Wyoming College, gained eligibility on Thursday morning, got into the game with 54 seconds remaining, took a charge and fist-pumped his way to infamy. If there was anything that ever defined Texas Tech basketball, it is an entire team cheering for a student manager after earning a charge. Earning is the word here. Everyone cheering for a charge.
Street Dogs… every one of us.
😤 @TyLarson0 pic.twitter.com/n4pZZJX4tT
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 5, 2021
- Some stats. Iowa State shot 31% from the field and Texas Tech was at 62%. That’s pretty much the game right there. Amazingly, Iowa State was 100% from the line, 10 of 10. Texas Tech allowed Iowa State to grab 10 offensive boards to just 4 for Texas Tech. That’s probably what happens when a team makes 62% and another team makes 30%. Texas Tech’s bench out-scored ISU 22-4. The points in the paint was equally lopsided, 36-14.
- Head Coach Chris Beard:
“We knew they were going to have a few runs and they did, but fortunate for us, we had the last few runs which let us be successful tonight,” said Texas Tech coach Chris Beard who is now 74-13 at home leading the program after going 11-4 this season at the USA.
- Up next? Baylor in Waco on Sunday (yes Sunday) at 3:00 p.m. with the broadcast set for ESPN.
Highlights