Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech basketball has no problem with Northwestern State 79-44

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 24: General view of ESPN's College Game Day prior to the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Kansas Jayhawks on February 24, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 24: General view of ESPN's College Game Day prior to the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Kansas Jayhawks on February 24, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Wednesday night the Texas Tech basketball team used a huge first half outburst to put away an overmatched Northwestern State team 79-44.

In recent weeks, the Texas Tech basketball team has made a living off of dominant second halves.  In wins over USC and Memphis, Tech fell behind in the fist 20 minutes before finding a second gear after intermission to pull away late. But Wednesday night, Tech jumped all over Northwestern State from the opening tip en route to a 79-44 win to move to 9-0 on the season.

The No. 11 Red Raiders broke from the gate with a 20-2 run in the first seven minutes of action and never looked back.  And by halftime, Chris Beard’s team had built an insurmountable 53-10 margin.

Four Red Raiders scored in double-digits led by Jarrett Culver who had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.  Senior Tariq Owens added 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks to help the Red Raiders extend their home non-conference winning streak to 44 games.

Meanwhile, the Demons had only one player, DeAndre Love, reach double figures with eleven points.  Shooting just 24.5% as a team and committing 19 turnovers, Northwestern State fell to 2-8 on the year dropping their 4th-consecutive game.

More from Wreck'Em Red

But despite the blowout victory, a sloppy and lethargic second half will provide Beard with plenty of teachable moments as the Red Raiders prepare to host Abilene Christian Saturday night.  Tech was outscored by eight points after the intermission and endured a scoreless drought of nearly five minutes in the middle of the second half.

Thankfully, a smothering defense and inept shooting from Northwestern State meant that Tech’s lead was never in jeopardy.   The Demons shot just 4-19 (21.1%) from three-point range keeping them from ever being able to chip away at the Red Raiders’ lead.

This year, Tech has held all but one opponent (USC) below 40% shooting from the field with two opponents failing to hit even 30% of their shots.  Allowing just 33.7% overall, Tech leads the nation in field goal defense.  Red Raider opponents are hitting just 25.6% from three-point range (5th-worst in the nation) and 39.0% from two-point rage.

Tech now turns its attention to a 9-1 Abilene Christian team that comes to town on Saturday night to close out the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum in the second-annual throwback game.  It will be the final basketball game in the arena that was home to Red Raider basketball from 1956-1999 as the facility is set to be demolished next spring to make room for new athletic facilities.

Next. Basketball ranked No. 11. dark

Last year, the Red Raiders hosted a throwback game for the first time beating Rice in the Coliseum 73-53.  Like last season, this event will feature throwback uniforms, music and game presentation and will honor former Texas Tech basketball legends.  And if the Red Raiders can defeat the Wildcats, they will move to 10-0 for the first time since the 1929-30 season while continuing to rewrite the program’s history books in the third year of the Chris Beard era.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball