Texas Tech basketball: Defense carries Red Raiders to 3-0
The Texas Tech basketball team moved to 3-0 on the season with a 59-40 win over Southeastern Louisiana thanks to another stifling defensive effort.
On a night when the shots weren’t falling for the Texas Tech basketball team, head coach Chris Beard saw his team turn in another rugged defensive effort to knock off Southeastern Louisiana 59-40 and move to 3-0. The Red Raiders shot just 29% from three point range (5-19) and 62.5% from the free throw line, but it was the defense that carried the team to its 41st consecutive non-conference home win.
The Red Raiders held the Lions to just 26.1% shooting (12-46) and forced 15 turnovers in holding its opponent to 40 points or fewer for the third time in three games to begin the 2018-19 season. Tech also won the rebounding battle 38-28 thanks in large part to the work of senior forward Norense Odiase who had 13 rebounds to go along with six points.
The game began in a familiar manner as the Red Raiders jumped out to an early 11-3 lead before the first timeout. Texas Tech has yet to trail for a single second this season as Chris Beard’s team has scored on the first possession of every game this season building up double-digit leads in the first five minutes each time out.
But as was the case in Tech’s first two games, a first half lull allowed the Lions to climb back into the contest. SELA cut the Tech lead to seven points at 26-19 with 2:26 to play before halftime but six points from Jarrett Culver would propel the home team to a comfortable 32-19 lead at intermission.
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Culver was the lone Red Raider to live up to his normal offensive ability. With 21 points, the Red Raiders’ leading scorer was the only player on the team to reach double-figures.
Only eight Red Raiders scored with Davide Moretti chipping in eight points, Matt Mooney adding seven and Deshawn Corprew six. Additionally, Culver was the only Red Raider to hit more than one shot from three-point range going 2-5. Francis, Edwards and Corprew each had one three-pointer but Mooney and Moretti combined to go 0-7.
However, there could be some benefit to come from the Red Raiders’ offensive struggles. Prior to Monday’s game against the USC Trojans in Kansas City, Beard will have plenty of ammunition to use in practice and the film room as he prepares his team for its first true test of the season.
Coming off a close loss to Vanderbilt, USC is 1-1 on the season as they prepare to take on the Stetson Hatters Wednesday night. Texas Tech and USC will meet as part of the Hall of Fame Classic with the winner to take on either Nebraska or Missouri State on Tuesday.
It will mark a huge increase in competition for the Red Raiders who have defeated thee opponents thus far that went just a combined 33-61 last season. But USC and Nebraska both appeared in the NIT last year and are expected to be in contention for an NCAA Tournament birth this year.
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If the Red Raiders are going to win the Hall of Fame Classic, they will need to put forth a better effort than they did Tuesday night in Lubbock. But as long as Texas Tech continues to play the type of defense that the program has come to be known for under Chris Beard, it can withstand the occasional off night on the offensive end like it did against Southeastern Louisiana.