Texas Tech Basketball: What Went Wrong in 2016-17

2. No Alpha Male

The 2016-17 season will be most defined by the large number of close losses.  The team lost six games by fewer than five points and two more (at West Virginia and vs. Iowa State) in overtime.

What most often befell the Red Raiders was the team’s lack of a go-to scorer down the stretch.

There is something to be said for having balanced scoring.  Six players averaged at least eight points per game this year.

But none of those players was the clear-cut alpha male in crunch time.  Far too often, Texas Tech lacked confidence and continuity in the closing possessions of games.

At West Virginia, Tech scored only four points in the second overtime period.  Then, trailing Iowa State by two points in overtime, Tech did not even get a shot off on the final possession.

When games get tight, teams must know which players to run the offense through.  In the final frantic moments, having a defined role for each player is crucial for success.

Last season, the Red Raiders knew that Gotcher was the team’s primary closer and they looked to him to hit the big shots.  This season saw Keenan Evans, Zach Smith, Ross, Livingston and Justin Gray all take last-minute shots.

While it is nice to have options down the stretch, teams are best served to have one or two players leading the attack.  Having a player that can take over games in one-on-one situations and create offense for themselves or others is a luxury that Texas Tech did not have.

As a result, the team often looked panicked and out of sorts at the end of games.  Perhaps that is an unwanted byproduct of the motion offense.

Chris Beard’s system emphasizes ball movement, player movement and precise screening.  It is beautiful when it is executed properly.

However, it is not always possible to run a motion offense set in late game situations.  Usually, the final possession of a game comes with fewer than 15 seconds to play.

In those instances, the offense almost always puts the ball in the hands of the team’s best player allowing him to create something off the dribble.  Texas Tech’s offense is not conducive to one-on-one play.

So when the team needed a quick score and could not run its standard motion offense, play often broke down resulting in poor shots or even turnovers.  The Big 12 is one of the most competitive conferences in America and next season, Texas Tech must identify which player will be the offensive catalyst in late game situations.