Game Links:
Tortilla Tossin’ Player of the Game: I’m not sure who you pick, but Chris Anderson scored 22, Darrion Williams scored 20, JT Toppin scored 20 and needed every single one of those points. They all added so much more, Williams struggled to make a shot in the 1st half (and many times in the 2nd half as well, but he finished with 9 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals, a block and a turnover. Anderson couldn’t hit much of anything for 5 halves of basketball and then exploded in the 2nd half. Toppin scores despite the height on Arkansas and does so efficiently, 10 of 18 with 9 boards, 5 blocks, and 1 turnover.
The Motion:
- Ha! Ha!. That’s not a game you’re supposed to win. It’s just not. You all know that being down 61-45 in the second half and things looked incredibly bleak. Arkansas was shooting out of their mind in the first half from deep, 7 of 14 and then 2 of 10. Just sticking with it and trusting and working and digging in and making shots. I’d also add that Arkansas should have won when they went up 72-66 with 1:15 remaining, fouling and putting Texas Tech on the line or doing something, but they absolutely choked. Anderson and Williams hit huge 3’s at the end of regulation that pulled Texas Tech even and Arkansas just didn’t have an answer.
- That last overtime possession was something. There’s no timeout, Hawkins holds the ball until they are ready to start their action, the intent of the action that Arkansas just leisurely switched on, which was exactly what Texas Tech wanted rather than the stronger defender staying with Williams, was to get Williams one-on-one. And it was church when Williams backed down Knox (who was originally guarding Anderson so he switched twice basically). Of all of the players to take a last shot for Arkansas you want it to be Wagner, where Arkansas ran no action, had no plan, there were no screens, just one-on-one ball and the guy that’s not a great shooter just didn’t make the shot. Wagner did make that layup at the end of regulation and that was a huge play, but that was at the rim. Organized and intentional for Texas Tech.
- Games like this are full of small moments and things that show up in the box score, but aren’t incredibly clear about how things shake out. Federiko’s 9 rebounds, including 7 offensive and 4 on 1 possession were huge. And Kevin Overton’s 1st half kept Texas Tech in the game, making 4 of 6. Just like the first game of the tournament where Walton goes off, Overton steps up and contributes in a huge way, including 7 rebounds by the end of the game.
- There’s no way that Elijah Hawkins should have shot that 3 from that cross-court pass from Williams. Williams had missed 9 shots and had 5 turnovers and by all accounts his confidence should have been shattered, but McCasland said after the game to step-into shots and that’s exactly what he did. He didn’t shrink and that’s the kind of confidence that a coach has to have in his players. Despite all of the bad, you’ve got a winning play just waiting. And he plays 45 minutes and plays with 4 fouls a majority of the 2nd half. Just huge.
- Texas Tech out-rebounded Arkansas 51-39 including 22 to 11 on the offensive glass. Arkansas was not ready for that. Again, a bigger team, Texas Tech out-scored Arkansas in the paint, 50-30. Arkansas had the deeper team, yet Texas Tech had 19 bench points to just 3 for Arkansas. What about 2nd chance points? Texas Tech got that too, 16-9. Points off of turnovers? There’s a theme, 18-3 for Texas Tech.
- That first half for Texas Tech was rough, but they weren’t that much better in the 2nd half, at least not shooting the ball. Texas Tech made 35% of shots in the 1st half including 19% from deep and 40% in the 2nd half and 27% from deep. That’s not that big of a difference, but reduced turnovers from 5 to 2 and they also hit the glass in the 2nd half. Despite those low shooting numbers, Texas Tech still had 1.164 points per possession.
- What a special game and what a special moment to get that win. I hope you watch the 2nd video, it has the entire overtime including the interview with Williams after the game. This is fun.
- Head coach Grant McCasland: “What an unbelievable college basketball game. They came out and punched us good. I kept telling these guys in timeouts that we’re going to win the game. D5, I don’t know what he started the game out 0-for quite a few from 3. And Christian was 0-for. I told them we’re going to make it when it matters. I believe it with all my heart. That’s Red Raider basketball. It doesn’t matter what the score is, what’s stacked against us — I think we got down to 16 at one point and telling JT we’ve got to get stops and rebounds.”
- Advanced stats had Federiko at +17.5, Toppin at +11.6, Anderson at +10.4, Williams +7.7, and Overton +4.3. Hawkins was -9.3 and Walton was -2.7.
- Up next? Texas Tech will face the No. 1 seed Florida Gators on Saturday, March 29th at 5:09 p.m. and the game will be on TNT and truTV.
Highlights