Texas Tech basketball moves to 8-0 with win over UAPB

The No. 13 ranked Texas Tech basketball team moved to 8-0 Wednesday by beating the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff 65-47 in Lubbock.

The Texas Tech basketball team overwhelmed another mid-major program in Lubbock on Wednesday night to move to 8-0 on the season. The No. 13 Red Raiders were not necessarily sharp, but had more than enough talent to dominate Arkansas-Pine Bluff 65-47 at United Spirit Arena.

Once again, Jarrett Culver led the way offensively for the Red Raiders but his 13 points were six off of his season average entering the game. He was one of just three Red Raiders in double figures as Texas Tech shot 41.9% from the field and just 20% (3-15) from three-point range.

Senior guard Matt Mooney aded eleven points and freshman Kyler Edwards was again solid off the bench with ten. Meanwhile, UAPB guard Martaveous McKnight led all scorers with 27 points on 18 field goal attempts. That was two more than the No. 9 scorer in the nation had averaged in his first seven games this season.

But Tech seemed content to let McKnight get his points choosing not to focus special attention on the Golden Lions’ only offensive threat. The rest of McKnight’s teammates hit just seven shots and totaled a mere 20 points proving incapable of helping their star carry the load.

Coming off a rousing double-digit comeback victory over Memphis Saturday in Miami, Chris Beard’s team looked at times to be lacking the type of intensity it displayed in erasing a 13-point deficit in the second half against the Tigers. Fortunately, no such heroics were needed against UAPB.

After jumping out to a 21-12 lead with just under ten minutes to go in the first half, Tech was not threatened the rest of the way. The Red Raiders held a 35-25 lead at intermission and never let UAPB get within single digits in the second half.

One game after setting a school record with eight blocks against Memphis, center Tariq Owens was solid but far less dominant blocking only one shot while scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds. But Owens, and the rest of his fellow starters got most of the second half off as none of the starting five played more than 25 minutes.

More from Wreck'Em Red

Though some may have expected to see Tech put forth a more dominant effort against another helpless mid-major opponent, fans should appreciate the fact that the Red Raiders are 5-0 at home this year avoiding an upset to an inferior opponent. That is something that not all of the teams in the Big 12 can say.

As the Red Raiders were handling their business against UAPB, Texas was busy dropping its third-consecutive game, a 54-53 letdown against Virginia Commonwealth. The Horns have now lost two home games in-a-row to mid major teams also losing to Radford last week.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State fell to 4-4 on the season with a 74-71 loss at Tulsa on Wednesday. The Cowboys have dropped three of their last four games with losses to Villanova and Minnesota sandwiched around a win over than No. 19 LSU prior to their in-state setback at the hands of the Golden Hurricane.

Thankfully, Texas Tech has avoided any such pitfalls thus far. The Red Raiders have won their five home games against mid-major teams by an average of 26.4 points allowing just 47.6 points per game.

Next. Texas Tech basketball climbs to No. 13. dark

Tech has two more home games against mid-major teams, Northwestern State and Abilene Christian, before heading to New York City to take on No. 3 Duke on December 20th. That game will be the team’s biggest measuring stick thus far and will finally give us an idea of just how good the Red Raiders may be. But until then, Chris Beard and his team must continue to take care of business against lesser opponents at home just like they did Wednesday night.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball