Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: I’m going with Eemeli Yalaho because I don’t know how many opportunities he’ll have to win this again this year, but Yalaho finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, an assist, turnover, and a steal. The 13 points are a career high.
The Motion:
- This is not the game I expected. I didn’t expect a 30+ point win and for Texas Tech to score 100 points without their two main big men. After the game, Grant McCasland said that Federiko Federiko tweaked his shoulder on a dunk against Oral Roberts and was better to keep him out. The result was a guard-oriented free flowing offense that left Lamar without the ability to guard Texas Tech’s most dangerous players.
- There were 5 players in double-figures, and not just by a little bit. Darrion Williams was terrific, 23 points and having to play the post on defense, finishing with 7 boards, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers. He’s a difficult player to guard anyway and he was last night. Lamar just didn’t have an answer for his versatility.
- Christian Anderson was 8 of 10 from the floor, scoring 20 points, had 5 boards, 2 assists, no turnovers and 4 steals. Highly efficient and such a great ability to shoot makes him a dangerous player.
- Chance McMillian was highly efficient again, 7 of 11 from the floor, including 3 of 6 from deep, 6 boards, 2 assists, no turnovers, 1 block, and 2 steals. His ability to take good quality shots, I just don’t even see how teams will guard him and his misses were misses at the rim where he didn’t get the call. And Kevin Overton’s 17 points on 6 of 11 with a lot of dives to the basket with 6 boards as well, he can be such a good player and he’s not a one-and-done.
- Texas Tech shot 55% from the floor, 45% from deep, while holding Lamar to 33% and 30%. Despite having 1 big man, Texas Tech out-rebounded Lamar 42-36, had 37 bench points to just 13, and scored 40 points in the paint to 24. The only spot that Texas Tech struggled statistically was offensive rebounds, 18 to 13, which resulted in more 2nd chance points, but I’ll forgive this.
- Haven’t mentioned Elijah Hawkins, who still looks like he’s figuring out his role, McCasland said that he can shoot and is figuring out when that should be, but finding his place while dishing out 7 assists to just 2 turnovers.
- Perhaps it was just smart, but holding out TJ Toppin for a stretch and then Federiko to get them fully healthy was a gamble, but it also an indication of the type of team that McCasland has. This is a guard-heavy team that can shoot the heck out of the ball and the best shooter, Kerwin Walton, isn’t even playing that much or shooting that much. McCasland said he’s been sick and is on his way back, so we’ll see.
- Head coach Grant McCasland: “Lamar had our attention going into this game and I thought the urgency we played with showed that. I thought today showed the depth that we have. Our guard play is awesome. Elijah Hawkins on the ball, his ability to break pressure and decision making in transition. Christian Anderson’s floor game, his understanding and defense, Chance McMillian scoring, Kevin Overton attacking the basket and slashing. It just feels like this team is starting to feel what we need to be to win games. What do you say about Darrion Williams? His competitiveness to play multiple positions today. It was a heck of a win going into the Christmas break.”
- Advanced stats say that Williams was +21.3, Anderson +19.3, McMillian +13.9, Yalaho +7.1 and Overton +1.5. Hawkins was -0.8 and Walton was -4.1.
- Up next, Texas Tech is hosting UCF on 12/31, tip-off at 1:00 p.m. for their first Big 12 basketball game.
Highlights