Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma State today at 3:00 pm for Senior Day. We’ve got your preview for the game, including keys to the game and other stats, and this will serve as the open thread as well.
Game Details:
Date: Saturday, February 28th
Time: 3:00 pm
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-17, 2-14)
Bad Guys: Oklahoma State Cowboys (17-10, 6-3)
Location: United Supermarkets Arena | Lubbock, TX
TV/Stream: ESPNews
Radio/Stream: Broadcast Affiliates and TuneIn App
Starting Lineup
 |
Pts / Reb |  |
Pts / Reb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POINT GUARD | Keenan Evans (6-3/175) | 5.8 / 1.3* | Anthony Hickey Jr. (5-11/185) | 9.3 / 3.4* |
| SHOOTING GUARD | Toddrick Gotcher (6-4/190) | 7.0 / 2.7 | Phil Forte III (5-11/185) | 16/2 / 2.2 |
| SMALL FORWARD | Zach Smith (6-8/205) | 6.0 / 5.0 | Jeff Newberry (6-2/190) | 6.5 / 2.4 |
| POWER FORWARD | Norense Odiase (6-8/270) | 6.8 / 4.8 | Le’Bryan Nash (6-7/235) | 16.8 / 5.6 |
| CENTER | Isaiah Manderson (6-10/240) | 4.4 / 2.9 | Michael Cobbins (6-8/230) | 6.9 / 5.7 |
* Assists.
Three Keys to the Game:
1. Scouting the Cowboys. Oklahoma State needs a win in a pretty bad way. They’ve lost their last three, which includes TCU, Iowa State add West Virginia. Don’t get me wrong, before that, OSU had won three in a four, including Kansas (OMG!) Baylor and Texas, but with three games remaining, this is one of those “must win” games for Oklahoma State. No, that’s a lie, I think that OSU is in the tournament, but with 17 wins, it sure would look better to get to 20 before the end of the season for the Cowboys and getting to 20 would start tonight against Texas Tech.
2. Stats. Statistically, OSU clearly has the edge and this is one of those times where if Texas Tech plays above their head that the stats won’t matter all that much.
Oklahoma State is the 31st best team according to KenPom, 62nd in AdjO and 32nd in AdjD. Despite the record where they have struggled in conference, they are still a top 30 or so team. Texas Tech is 170th overall, 261st in AdjO and 93rd in AdjD. I think this is slightly down from where Texas Tech was
*AdjO and AdjD via KenPom.
3. Matching Up. I think Texas Tech has a chance here as long as they start guarding Forte after halfcourt. At home, Texas Tech beat Iowa State by 5, beat Kansas State, lost by 20 to Kansas (that’s okay, because they are good), lost to Baylor by 6 and lost to Oklahoma by 4 in overtime. So yeah, we’re at the end of the year. This is the last game for Robert Turner, Clark Lammert, and Luke Adams as out-going seniors. There will be 30 alumni there to watch the game and so why not. I tend to think that teams that have something to play for play better and that’s got to be a very tough motivating factor for Tubby Smith, but this game should matter and they do have something to play for. So here we are. Texas Tech is starting four true freshmen (although this could change with it being senior night) and two of the best scorers in the Big 12 are playing for Oklahoma State and I still think that Texas Tech plays well. I like the match-ups for Texas Tech, especially since OSU is going with a 3-guard lineup. Texas Tech should have rebounding advantage with Manderson, Odiase and Smith playing the bulk of the minutes in the frontcourt. If Turner and Williams are even slightly motivated, which I think they will be, then yeah, I think Texas Tech can keep pace.