Oklahoma State 80, Texas Tech 63
- Just not enough juice. Texas Tech does have the scoring or the defense to run with Oklahoma State. After the game, Chris Beard spoke about how Oklahoma State has three all-conference players and I think that’s right, J. Evans, Carroll and Forte are all all-conference and how Travis Ford couldn’t get more out of these guys is pretty amazing. Still, Texas Tech can’t out-score the Cowboys and they can’t stop them, it’s a match-up nightmare because they’re just so good offensively.
- Keenan Evans and Justin Gray did their best to stay in the game and they helped Texas Tech battle back, Gray especially. I haven’t see that active of a Gray in a long time, securing a double-double in scoring 16 points on 8 of 15, grabbing 11 rebounds, dishing an assist, grabbing 2 steals and 2 turning the ball over twice. Evans didn’t shoot as well, only 5 of 16, but he did hit 3 of 8 from the three-point line and led the team with 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 turnovers.
- No one else showed up. Zach Smith is in a funk. He’s not scoring and he’s not rebounding the ball the last handful of games. Niem Stevenson only had 2 points and only played 11 minutes.
- Beard tried starting Ross and Livingston, probably with the thought that they would provide some inside presence and they produced 2 rebounds in 44 minutes. As an aside, Texas Tech was out-rebounded by 9 yesterday. This team needs rebounders in a bad way. Real bad.
- Shaddell Millinghaus got a ton of time and he played okay. He didn’t turn the ball over and scored 7 points on 6 of 6 and grabbed 6 rebounds. He’s had a rough time doing something with his playing time, but he played well.
- Oklahoma State was perfect from the line, going 22 of 22, they shot 49% from the floor and 45% from the three-point line. Again, just not enough defense. Starting Ross and Livingston doesn’t help
- Don’t get me wrong, Texas Tech did make a really nice run in the second half, clawing back to, within 7 or so after being back by 18 or 20, but that took everything that they had out of them and they eventually gave it all back by the time the game ended. Evans and Gray got hot, but no one else was really even close.
- Texas Tech had their last home game of the year on Wednesday against Texas. Let’s whip up on the Longhorns.
Here are the highlights from our battle with Oklahoma State in Stillwater. #WreckEm #4to1 pic.twitter.com/fRzUiOjKc0
— TexasTech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 25, 2017