Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: Christian Anderson scored 21 on his first career start on 7 of 13, 5 of 8 from deep, 4 boards, 4 assists, and 3 turnovers. Anderson played 38 minutes so he definitely filled the role of Chance McMillian by playing all of those minutes and being pivotal on the defensive end of things.
The Motion:
- Another game that I didn’t get to see (this time it was Fitsum with a band event and he scored a 1, which is as good of a score you can get), but a 22-point win over a very good West Virginia team is nothing to sneeze at and you weren’t at full strength with Chance McMillian out for the game.
- Head coach Grant McCasland said that after the TCU game he didn’t do a good enough job of playing his subs and he did that yesterday. Kevin Overton played 28 minutes and Federiko Federiko played 23. Overton poured in 10 points including some tough looking shots and getting to the rim, add in 6 boards and a steal. I think he can give that to you for sure. Federiko was also good defensively, 6 boards and credit for a block but affected more from what I could tell.
- This was a tale of two halves. Texas Tech shot 34% from the field in the first half and it was a slow auspicious start, including 18% from deep. Transition to the 2nd half and Texas Tech hits 63% from the field and 64% from deep. The Texas Tech defense was pretty suffocating form the opening tip, 36% in the 1st half and 30% in the 2nd, with 25% and 18% from the 3-point line.
- Speaking of great 2nd halves, TJ Toppin scored 6 boards in the 1st half and made just 3 of 9, turning it around and scoring 6 of 7 in the 2nd half including 2 of 3 from deep. Toppin scored 22 to lead the team and had 8 boards.
- Darrion Williams was also banged up in the 2nd half, playing just 6 minutes, Texas Tech will need all of him against Houston.
- Texas Tech did get back to being on the positive side of certain stats. Texas Tech had a 10 board advantage over WVU, 41-31, and the same advantage in points in the paint, 32-22. The free throws weren’t a huge disparity like they were against TCU, which I think is a ref thing and not a play thing. There’s always going to be contact but there isn’t always going to be a foul. West Virginia shot 11 free throws and Texas Tech shot 15.
- I do want to shout-out Elijah Hawkins who didn’t have the best shooting day, just 3 of 9, but he had 6 assists, scored 10 points, had 7 boards and just 1 turnover in 34 minutes.
- Head coach Grant McCasland: “Over the course of the game in the second half we came out with the fight we needed. We fought. This time of year is about when it gets difficult, do you like being in the ring. It’s real. There has to be a relentless approach. West Virginia is one of those teams that will fight you and I thought our grit to play in the second half showed what you have to be like this time of year.”
- Advanced stats had everyone with a positive number (first time I can remember this happening): Anderson +14.5; Hawkins +9.5; Overton +9.2; Toppin +8.9; Federiko +4.7; Williams +3.2; and Walton +2.4.
- Up next? No. 9 Texas Tech hosts No. 5 Houston on Monday night, tip-off at 8:00 p.m. and game will be on ESPN.
Highlights