Texas Tech 75, TCU 69
- Well, another high-stress game, Texas Tech had a good lead for the better part of the first half and TCU made a terrific run in the second half and it was essentially a back-and-forth affair from the second half. Texas Tech was favored by 4 to start the game and ended up winning by 6. And don’t crap on TCU, this is a good team. I was really impressed with Vlad Brodziansky and Alex Robinson. Those guys can play.
- Players of the game were definitely the three key juniors. Justin Gray, who has been off for the better part of a month, scored 18 points on just 9 shots, including going 7 of 10 from the line, with 6 boards, 2 assists and just 1 turnover. Zach Smith was bothered by Brodziansky and his 6’11” frame, but he still ended up with 19 points on 7 of 13 from the floor with 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Keenan Evans had 20 points on 5 of 9 from the floor, including 8-8 from the free throw line, with 3 assists and 3 turnovers. Those were the only three players that were in double-figures for Texas Tech.
- Texas Tech did shoot more free throws this game, significantly more free throws. 31 to 9. That’s a weird discrepancy and I could see how TCU fans would be upset at that figure. Some of the first half fouls were a bit ticky-tack, but I’ll take it.
- Texas Tech also shot 6 of 14 from the three-point line for 43% and TCU only shot 30% from beyond the arc.
- TCU dominated the interior, scoring 26 points in the paint to Texas Tech’s 16, had 6 offensive rebounds to Texas Tech’s 3 and also doubled up Texas Tech on offensive rebounds, 6-3.
- With the game nearly put away all nice and neat, Aaron Ross fouled a TCU player with the seconds winding down and made it a 3-point game. That was a terrible mistake and thank goodness Texas Tech made their free throws down the stretch. Ross has seemed a bit out of and he sorta needs to snap out of whatever is bothering him. I really do think that some of this is that Ross isn’t comfortable with the offense, but he needs figure out how to get off his shot and be a threat.
- Really loved seeing Gray get going offensively. Gray scored the first 4 points and he looked a lot more in rhythm with the offense. That’s a really good thing going forward.
- To start the second half, the offense was completely stagnant and went through a terrible scoring drought. That’s one thing that I think the staff needs to continue to fine-tune because there are too many scoring options on the team for hte team to go through extended droughts.
- Anthony Livingston and Aaron Ross continue to struggle. Livingston was only 2 of 6 while Ross was 1 of 4.
- Zach.
🏀🎥: Keenan Evans lobs it up and Zach Smith throws it down for your nightly Zach Smith #SCTop10 Alert! #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/43zKI49AeC
— TexasTech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) January 19, 2017
- Head coach Chris Beard:
“Our guys just have a lot of poise,” Beard said. “You coach teams different ways. Some teams I’ve coached, in those moments, you just have to be confident and calm. With this team, I can really be myself because I can’t rattle those guys. I got a piece of them late, and they responded. I really feel like we’re in this together. They’re a fun team to coach because they’re older guys. I’m going to miss these seniors when they’re gone. It’s a part of our identity, and I think one of the reasons why we’re pretty good in tough situations. We don’t really come unraveled is because we have older, experienced players.”
