Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: JT Toppin was unbelievable, the only player to shoot 50% from the field, 7 of 14 with 16 boards, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers. Very much carried the team in the 2nd half, scoring 13 of the 20 and going 4 of 7 in the 2nd half.
The Motion:
- I missed this game as Youssouf had basketball in Arlington all day and then flag football. I watched the condensed game embedded below, but this recap will largely be stats based. This appeared to be a 2-possession game for the most part before Texas Tech broke it open both offensively and defensively with 5 minutes left and this became a 16-point win, something I did not foresee.
- This is a game where Toppin previously struggled, Iowa State had some bigger guys that could push Toppin around quite a bit and Toppin figured it out with an array of hook shots and that’s such a tough shot to guard. Seeing players figure it out is the sign of good players and a good team and that’s Toppin.
- I mentioned that no player other than Toppin shot better than 50%, but would want to point out two additional standouts in Chance McMillian, who played 36 minutes and was 5 of 13 from the floor with 4 boards, 1 assist and no turnovers. Christian Anderson played 34 minutes, tied for 2nd in that category with Elijah Hawkins, and had 10 on 3 of 9 with 3 boards, and 2 turnovers with a steal. Speaking of Hawkins, he missed all 4 of his shots in the 1st half, but scored 9 in the 2nd half and had 5 of his 9 assists in the 2nd half. McCasland praised Hawkins’ assist to turnover rate after the game, and it has been quite something.
- Both teams shot pretty terribly, Arizona shot just 31% and 17% from deep, Texas Tech was slightly better, 36% and 26%. Texas Tech out-rebounded Arizona 50 to 34 and that’s a big disparity and a big number, but that’s a lot of misses. Texas Tech pounded the offensive boards, winning that 16 to 8, which resulted in 15 2nd chance points to just 5 for the Wildcats.
- I wrote that no one shot better than 50% and that’s not technically true, Federiko was 2 of 3 and was perfect from the line at 4-4 with 8 boards, an assist, block and a turnover.
- Despite a really tough offensive night, Texas Tech was still over a point per possession at 1.029 with Arizona at .857.
- McCasland got really emotional when asked about players accepting responsibility and McCasland said that this starts with McMillian who always accepts responsibility for his play. Nearly tearing up at saying that McMillian is an unbelievable teammate and that no one is harder on him than himself. Making mistakes, but not shying away from the moment and that McMillian is inspirational and that McCasland wants to be like Chance, not as a coach, but in life. Credits the team winning because he is competing at all times and never blames his teammates and asks to be coached as hard as he can.
- Head coach Grant McCasland: “We didn’t have one of our best offensive nights but give Arizona credit,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. “They are really physical. They wear on you with their physical nature and how physical they are over screens, how they screen you, how they rebound on every possession, it wore on us. We didn’t shoot it well but that’s because of the physical nature of the game and the way it fatigues you. But that’s what I loved about this game. This was the grit I was hoping our team believes in. That we can win this way. It may not have been a fun one to watch, but it sure is a fun one to win.”
- Advanced stats that that Toppin was the POTG at +21.1, then Federiko at +14.1, McMillian at +9.9, Hawkins +8.6, Anderson +4.5 and Overton at +2.2. Negatives were Williams at -3.7 and Walton at -7.8.
- Up next? Texas Tech hits the road and will play Cincinnati on Tuesday, January 21st with tip-off at 6:00 p.m. and played on ESPNU.
Highlights