Game Info
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-10, 0-8)
Bad Guys: LSU Tigers (12-8, 1-7)
When to Watch: Saturday, January 28th @ 1:00 pm
Where to Watch: Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, LA
How to Watch: ESPNU | WatchESPN
How to Listen: 97.3 FM | Affiliates | TuneIn App
The Line: Texas Tech -2.5
Advanced Stats
| TEXAS TECH | STAT | LSU |
|---|---|---|
Lineups
| THE STARTERS | Pts / Reb | |
|---|---|---|
| POINT GUARD | De’Vion Harmon (6-2/205) | 12.2 / 3.4* |
| SHOOTING GUARD | Kerwin Walton (6-5/200) | 3.6 / 1.0 |
| SMALL FORWARD | Jaylon Tyson (6-6/210) | 9.7 / 5.7 |
| POWER FORWARD | Kevin Obanor (6-8/235) | 15.0 / 6.4 |
| CENTER | Daniel Batcho (6-11/235) | 9.3 / 6.6 |
| THE BENCH | Pts / Reb | |
| SIXTH MAN | Lamar Washington (6-4/205) | 3.3 / 2.0* |
| SEVENTH MAN | KJ Allen (6-6/255) | 3.2 / 2.6 |
| EIGHTH MAN | Elijah Fisher (6-6/190) | 2.9 / 1.4 |
| NINTH MAN | D’Maurian Williams (6-3/200) | 3.5 / 1.4 |
| TENTH MAN | Robert Jennings (6-7/225) | 3.3 / 2.1 |
| ELEVENTH MAN | CJ Williams (6-1/155) | 1.0 / 0.5 |
| TWELFTH MAN | Richard Isaacs (6-2/170) | 11.9 / 2.8* |
| THIRTEENTH MAN | Fardaws Aimaq (6-11/245) | 12.0 / 5.8 |
| THE STARTERS | Pts / Reb | |
| POINT GUARD | Justice Williams (6-4/175) | 6.9 / 3.5* |
| SHOOTING GUARD | Adam Miller (6-3/190) | 11.7 / 2.1 |
| SMALL FORWARD | Jalen Reed (6-10/230) | 3.0 / 3.1 |
| POWER FORWARD | Derek Fountain (6-10/225) | 7.0 / 5.4 |
| CENTER | KJ Williams (6-10/250) | 17.4 / 7.3 |
| THE BENCH | Pts / Reb | |
| SIXTH MAN | Trae Hannibal (6-2/215) | 6.7 / 4.5 |
| SEVENTH MAN | Cam Hayes (6-2/185) | 7.6 / 2.0 |
| EIGHTH MAN | Kendal Coleman (6-8/230) | 2.5 / 2.2 |
| NINTH MAN | Tyrell Ward (6-6/185) | 1.2 / 0.7 |
| TENTH MAN | – (-/-) | – / – |
* Assists.
Starting 5
1. Stats. LSU has worse advanced stats than Texas Tech, yet they are playing at home and have a conference win and aren’t even favored with two Texas Tech starters out? LSU isn’t good because they don’t shoot well, 286th in the nation in 2-point shooting and 201st in 3-point shooting. The Tigers are mid in offensive rebounding percentage, 148th, and free throw rate, 142nd. They are also a relative high turnover team, 248th overall. Defensively, they are excellent at defending 3-point shooting, 29th in the nation, but then are 271st in defending 2-point shooting and they have 3 6’10” players starting. Does not compute, especially in that they are 232nd in block percentage.
2. Scouting. KJ Williams is really good at just about everything except passing the ball and free throw rate, but I don’t care about those things if he does all of those other things well. A terrific shooter at every level, he’s the guy that’s got the ball in his hands the most, doesn’t turn the ball over and is an excellent rebounder. After that, things go downhill a bit. Hayes is good shooting inside the arc and passes decently. Miller gets a ton of turn, but doesn’t shoot the ball well at all, turns the ball over too much, doesn’t rebound and more of him could bode well for Texas Tech.
3. How They Match Up. Texas Tech really is better in a handful of categories, but lots of those figures are based on Isaacs being able to make shots. Walton will need to fill that role with Washington and Williams filling in. I think that Williams is a better shooting option for me and would be fine with watching more of them, maybe getting 15 to 20 minutes a game. Heck, I’d feel the same about Jennings and Fisher getting more burn at this point. This is a meaningless game in the grand scheme of things. And this team needs more of Tyson and Obanor getting shots up, that needs to be a priority and get guys to play high-end defense for an LSU team that struggles on offense.
4. lagniappe | something given as a bonus or extra gift.
📍 Pete Maravich Center pic.twitter.com/jjmCZ73iHX
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) January 28, 2023
5. Official Site. The official site has their preview right here:
Texas Tech is heading back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where it will play LSU at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the 2023 Big 12-SEC Men’s Basketball Challenge at the Maravich Center.
The Red Raiders (10-10) are venturing outside Big 12 play for the final time this season and will look to snap an eight-game losing streak, while the Tigers (12-8) are on a seven-game losing streak of their own. Tech, which will host No. 12 Iowa State (15-4, 6-2 Big 12) on Monday night, is currently 10-2 in non-conference play but has opened conference play with eight straight losses after falling, 76-61, against West Virginia on Wednesday in Lubbock. LSU took a 60-40 loss at Arkansas on Tuesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas – dropping to 1-7 in SEC play.
Texas Tech is 6-3 all-time in the Big 12-SEC Challenge after earning a 75-50 home win over Mississippi State last season. Tech has won five of the last six matchups in the annual series against SEC opponents, including going on the road in 2021 and taking a 76-71 win over LSU in the most recent matchup. The Red Raiders own a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series over LSU and are 3-1 in Baton Rouge.