Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: This game for JT Toppin is going to make NBA scouts salivate. For him to go off for 35 and 17 of 25 with 11 boards, 3 blocks, 3 assists, and 6 turnovers.
The Motion:
- Just to remind you all, I’m at a conference in Tucson and so it’s not as easy to break away and watch games. I didn’t really get to watch this game (one of my work pals pulled it up on his phone for a bit in the 1st half) so today’s post-game thoughts are based on the box score and trying to follow online.
- A tale of two halves, a somewhat timid start for Texas Tech, maybe they were unsure how to attack such a big team. The second half response was positive and a large part of it was Toppin. I thought the 1st half defense wasn’t great, just based on the highlight package below, Illinois was able to get to the rim way too much, that one bucket at the end of the half was inexcusable. It didn’t help that Texas Tech just isn’t that big without Luke Bamgboye of Josiah Moseley and when they get healthy that will be a different situation.
- Marial Akuentok was a guy that you sort of needed to show up and he played all of 6 minutes and I did see that McCasland was very frustrated at his play. He’s got a ways to go and with Toppin the only player of any size, Illinois just absolutely dominated. I was pleased to see LeJuan Watts figure some things out offensively, 8 of 10 from the floor and scoring 21. I think Texas Tech also needed something more than just 6 combined points from Donovan Atwell and Tyree Bryan. That’s not enough.
- Illinois scored 52 points in the paint and Texas Tech scored a bunch there as well, 42, but giving that much at the basket is a tough way to win.
- Christian Anderson had a tough time getting his shot again. He was 4 of 12 from the field including 0-6 from beyond the arc and he’s got to figure out a way to create his own shot. I’d also add that the entire team really didn’t shoot well from deep when they played so well the first two games. Texas Tech was 4 of 12 in the 1st half and 2 of 10 in the 2nd from deep.
- Illinois also did a good job of not fouling, despite those 42 points in the paint. Texas Tech shot 0 free throws in the 1st half and went 3 of 4 in the 2nd. That’s not on the refs I don’t think, from what I could tell, Illinois just wasn’t fouling anyone. Illinois meanwhile went 16 of 23 and that’s probably the difference in the game.
- Illinois capitalized on points off of turnovers, each team had 13 turnovers, but Illinois scored 29 to Texas Tech’s 16 on turnovers. Also, Illinois dominated with a deeper team, 26 bench points to just 7 for Texas Tech
- Head coach Grant McCasland: “Give the Illini credit, they were more physical than we were at getting to the basket and getting fouls. Especially early and in good spots. You could tell they had a composure and savvy level to them that really got us on our heels. I loved our response to start the second half. I thought our scrap level improved. It looked like to start the game our guys were trying not to make a lot of mistakes and not trying to play the game to win. I know that sounds weird. When you’re playing a great Big 10 team on the road, you better have an edge in the way you compete. I didn’t think we had an edge in the first half. I did think we were playing hard. We had a few stretches where we put it together and put ourselves in a position to win. They had 11 offensive rebounds and 23 free throws to our four. They earned it and we got beat.”
- Advanced stats had Toppin at +16.4, Watts at +11.7, Anderson +1.3, Petty +2.0 and Atwell +0.7. I don’t know how Akuentok was +9.4 given his short leash. Groves was -20.0 (he is going to have issues on defense), and Bryan -6.0.
- Up next? Texas Tech hosts Milwaukee on Friday with tip-off at 7:00 p.m.
Highlights