Know Thine Enemy: Iowa State is toughest test for Texas Tech thus far

The Texas Tech men’s basketball team had better come down off of cloud 9 because a cyclone awaits them tonight. In the midst of a 10-game win streak, the most recent being a thorough beating of in-state rival Texas; Tubby Smith’s Red Raiders have no time to admire themselves or their accomplishments.

Life in the Big 12 is brutal and it does not get much more difficult than a trip to Ames, Iowa to take on the 11-2 Iowa State Cyclones.

Despite losing its head coach of five years, Fred Hoiberg, to the Chicago Bulls of the NBA, Iowa State returns one of the most talented rosters in the nation. At the top of that list is national player of the year candidate Georges Niang.

The 6-foot-8 senior forward is averaging 24.5 points per game over his last four contests and with 1,765 points, Niang is the Big 12’s active career scoring leader. The matchup between Niang and Texas Tech sophomore forward Zach Smith will be fantastic to watch.

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Niang is nowhere near as athletic as Smith but he is far more experienced. Whether the veteran savvy of Niang or the athleticism of Smith wins out will be one of the keys to the game.

Another key scorer for the Cyclones is 6-foot-4 junior guard Deonte Burton. The transfer from Marquette is averaging 13.8 points per game this year coming off the bench. Burton is the spark for Iowa State’s second unit (though the Cyclones normal rotation is only seven players deep) and Texas Tech must be able to keep him in check if it is to stay within reach of the Cyclones.

The Cyclones do come into the game missing a critical member of the squad, Naz Mitrou-Long. The guard was averaging 12 points per game through 8 contests this year when injuries to both hips forced him to have surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Mitrou-Long was one of the Cyclones’ best three-point shooters, which is a huge part of the Iowa State offense.

Speaking of the Cyclone offense, Texas Tech must avoid getting into a shootout in Ames. Iowa State averages 85.8 points per game, nine more that the Red Raiders, and the Cyclones are able to score in streaks that can lead to huge deficits for opponents.

Therefore, Texas Tech must avoid turning the ball over. Offensive efficiency will be a key in the game. Keeping up with the Cyclones will require Texas Tech get quality shots on nearly every position and any turnovers that are made must not lead to easy fast-break scores for Iowa State. The goal for Texas Tech should be to have fewer than 10 turnovers on the evening (it is averaging 11.9 per game thus far).

One advantage Texas Tech might be able to exploit is its inside game. Iowa State does not have a big lineup with only one player over 6-foot-9 (Stuart Nezlek who averages a meager 1.8 minutes per contest). Look for Tubby Smith to try the same game plan tonight that he employed against Texas on Saturday. If center Norsense Odiase can open the game by controlling the paint on both ends of the court but especially offensively, Iowa State will have to help his defender thus opening driving lanes for the Texas Tech guards.

When the Tech guards penetrate, they must finish strong at the rim. Iowa State does not have a particularly dominant rim protector but many of the calls the Red Raiders have benefited from while playing at home may not go Tech’s way on the road.

Against Texas, the Red Raiders shot 30 free throws, making 27 (90%). It is almost certain that Texas Tech will not have 30 opportunities from the charity strip tonight but if it can shoot over 80%, the Red Raiders can stay in the game.

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Ultimately, this will be the biggest test of the year thus far for Texas Tech. The No. 14 Cyclones are tough at home and this will be the first true road game of the year for Tech. But the Cyclones are not unbeatable.

Tempo will be a key in this game. Texas Tech must keep its composure and play the style of game it wants to play rather than trying to outscore Iowa State.

Defense, rebounding, turnovers and free throws are the four aspects of the game that Texas Tech must control if it is to pull off the upset and move to 2-0 in the Big 12.

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