Texas Tech basketball: Free throws, missed chances result in loss to ISU

The Texas Tech basketball team fell at home to Iowa State Wednesday night 68-64 as the Red Raiders were unable to covert at the foul line and in the paint.

No one expected the Texas Tech basketball team to run through an 18-game Big 12 schedule unscathed. But not many expected their first conference loss to be the result of missed free throws and missed shots from inside of six feet.

In their 68-64 loss to Iowa State Wednesday night in Lubbock, the Red Raiders hit just 6-15 (40%) from the free throw line and missed seven shots from inside the paint as they failed to take advantage of their opportunities to stay perfect at home and in league play.

As usual, Jarrett Culver led the way with 20 points but his performance left quite a bit to be desired. He was just 7-21 from the field and 5-10 from the line while also turning the basketball over five times as he continues to struggle with being the sole focus of opposing defenses.

But the sophomore star got little help from his teammates. Davide Moretti was the only other Red Raider in double-digits scoring 10 points on 4-9 shooting. Meanwhile, freshman Kyler Edwards chipped in with nine points off the bench in what was his best all-around performance of the Big 12 season thus far.

However, senior guard Matt Mooney was unable to follow up his 22-point outing from Saturday in Austin with another stellar showing. Going 0-3 from 3-point range, the Red Raiders’ second-leading scorer added just eight points as he struggled on both ends of the court (he was whistled with four fouls).

Meanwhile, Iowa State’s star and the Big 12’s leading scorer Marial Shayok matched Culver with 20 points but he did so on just 14 shot attempts. Three other Cyclones scored in double-digits including Nick Weiler-Babb who had eleven points including the go-ahead jumper to break a 61-61 tie with 1:51 to play.

That shot ended a 7-0 Red Raider run that pulled the home team even after trailing since the 3:42 mark of the first half. ISU closed the first twenty minutes on a 16-4 run to take a 41-33 lead at intermission.

It was the most points the Red Raiders have surrendered in a first half this season and it looked as if Iowa State was poised to be the first team to break the 70-point mark against Texas Tech this year.

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But in the second half, Tech turned up its defensive intensity holding the visitors to just 10-23 from the field. Unfortunately, thanks to its inability to finish in the paint and dreadful free throw shooting, Tech could not muster enough offense to complete the comeback.

And while Tech was awful at the charity stripe, Iowa State was 13-19 giving the Cyclones a 7-point advantage which proved to be the difference. Down the stretch, Shayok made 3-4 from the line to ice the game and send the Red Raiders home with their just their second home loss since 2017.

Fortunately, Tech remains atop the Big 12 standings. The Red Raiders and Kansas are both 4-1 while Kansas State and Iowa State are just at game back at 3-2.

The Red Raiders now head out on the road for their next two games. Saturday, they will be in Waco to take on the Baylor Bears who are 10-6 overall and 2-2 in league play. Tuesday will find Chris Beard’s team in Manhattan, Kansas to take on the Wildcats in what will be a pivotal game for both teams.

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But honestly, every game in the round-robin Big 12 schedule is pivotal. And after dropping a home game that they could have won had they made their free-throws and shots in the paint, Tech has made its next two games all the more important if it plans on remaining in the conference title hunt.

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