Preview & Game Day Thread: Texas Tech vs. Iowa State

Game Info

Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-3, 2-2)
Bad Guys: Iowa State Cyclones (2-6, 0-4)
When to Watch: Saturday, January 9th @ 3:00 p.m.
Where to Watch: Hilton Coliseum | Ames, Iowa
How to Watch: ESPN2 | WatchESPN
How to Listen: 97.3 FM | Affiliates | TuneIn App
The Line: Texas Tech -7.5

Advanced Stats

TEXAS TECH IOWA STATE
KenPom 14 88
KP AdjO 58 86
KP AdjD 4 95
T-Rank 13 106
T-Rank O 69 112
T-Rank D 3 105
Haslemetric 15 85

Lineups

TEXAS TECH
THE STARTERS Pts / Reb
POINT GUARD Mac McClung (6-2/185) 15.1 / 2.7*
SHOOTING GUARD Kyler Edwards (6-4/195) 9.9 / 3.0*
SMALL FORWARD Micah Peavy (6-7/215) 6.0 / 3.1
POWER FORWARD Kevin McCullar (6-6/195) 8.7 / 4.7
CENTER Marcus Santos-Silva (6-7/245) 8.9 / 6.3
THE BENCH Pts / Reb
SIXTH MAN Terrence Shannon, Jr. (6-6/210) 13.8 / 4.8
SEVENTH MAN Jamarius Burton (6-4/205) 4.4 / 2.3
EIGHTH MAN Tyreek Smith (6-7/220) 3.2 / 2.3
NINTH MAN Chibuzo Agbo (6-7/215) 1.9 / 1.0
TENTH MAN Clarence Nadolny (6-3/190) 1.9 / 0.8
ELEVENTH MAN Vladislov Goldin (7-0/240) 3.4 / 1.8
TWELTH MAN Avery Benson (6-4/195) 2.0 / 1.3
IOWA STATE
THE STARTERS Pts / Reb
POINT GUARD Rasir Bolton (6-3/185) 14.8 / 5.3*
SHOOTING GUARD Trey Jackson (6-1/186) 4.5 / 1.5
SMALL FORWARD Jalen Coleman-Lands (6-4/187) 12.9 / 4.8
POWER FORWARD Javan Johnson (6-6/205) 12.0 / 3.6
CENTER Solomon Young (6-8/255) 11.6 / 5.5
THE BENCH Pts / Reb
SIXTH MAN Tyler Harris (5-9/150) 6.6 / 1.5
SEVENTH MAN Jaden Walker (6-5/196) 1.8 / 1.2
EIGHTH MAN George Conditt IV (6-10/245) 1.1 / 2.1
NINTH MAN Xavier Foster (7-0/228) 4.0 / 1.7
TENTH MAN Darlinstone Dubar (6-6/207) 3.0 / 3.1

* Assists.

Starting 5

1. Stats. I did not know that Iowa State had not won a conference game. This is one of those cases where the record does not reflect the team for sure. Iowa State is a decent team, 111th in offensive efficiency and they are 63rd in eFG%. Where ISU struggles offensively is turnover rate, 22.6% good for 292nd in the country, free throw rate, 340th in the nation, and offensive rebounding, 266th in the nation. On the defensive end of things, it is not that dire. ISU is 95th in eFG%, but where they don’t do well is offensive rebounding, 309th, and free throw rate, 287th. That means they allow a ton of offensive boards and teams to shoot free throws.

2. Scouting. Bolton is the best player, followed by Young for sure. Bolton is a really good mid-range player has a terrific assist rate, a high steal rate, is terrific shooting inside the arc, 58%, but hasn’t been good outside the arc, 25%. Young is a very good shooter, almost everything around the basket. And Young is pretty darn good at blocking shots. If there’s a shooter to watch, it is Coleman-Lands, he’s making 40% of his three-point shots and is a terrific shooter overall. As mentioned though, Bolton, Johnson, and Harris all shoot the ball, but not particularly well.

3. How They Match Up. Texas Tech’s advantages are on the defensive side of things (obviously) and the Red Raiders are even (statistically) better offensively. If Texas Tech sticks to their game, they should be fine because they just don’t turn the ball over much, get a ton of offensive boards and don’t allow opponents to shoot very well very much at all.

The elephant in the room here is the situation with Nimari Burnett, who decided to enter the transfer portal earlier in the week. Burnett was not shooting the ball well and saw his minutes diminish against Kansas State. That’s on Burnett though, Beard has proven that if you play well, he will reward you.

4. Tweet of the Day.

5. Official Site. The official site has their preview right here:

Texas Tech will begin a two-game road trip by taking on Iowa State at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Ames, Iowa at the Hilton Coliseum for the fifth round of its Big 12 fight.

The No. 18 Red Raiders (9-3, 2-2 Big 12) are coming off an 82-71 win over Kansas State on Tuesday at home and will follow the game at ISU by playing at No. 4 Texas next Wednesday. The Cyclones (2-6, 0-4 Big 12) took a 78-72 loss at No. 4 Texas on Tuesday in Austin following a 76-65 defeat to No. 2 Baylor last Saturday in Ames. Tech, which has held eight of 12 opponents under 60, comes into the game against ISU fifth nationally with a 7.3 turnover margin advantage, sixth by limiting opponents to only 57.5 points per game and is holding teams to only 38.5 percent shooting (26th). The Red Raiders are second in the nation with 223 free throws made after going 30-for-36 in the win over KSU.

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