Texas Tech basketball comes alive from 3-point range against Arkansas

In Saturday’s win over Arkansas, the Texas Tech basketball team was finally able to get hot from 3-point range which was a huge reason the Red Raiders prevailed.

For Texas Tech basketball fans, cheering for an offensively challenged team can be frustrating. That is especially true on nights when the opposing team seems to get hot from 3-point range because it almost certainly spells doom for the Red Raiders. But Saturday night against Arkansas, the tables turned and for once, it was the Red Raiders that made a killing behind the arc in their 67-64 win.

Going 10-19 from deep, Tech tied its season high in 3’s made (Tech also made ten against Northern Colorado and Northwestern State) and had its second-best night of the season in terms of 3-point percentage (52.6%). And seeing the Red Raiders finally rediscover their shooting touch was a welcome sight for everyone in scarlet and black.

In Texas Tech’s three-game losing streak over the past two weeks, the Red Raiders had gone just 16-56 from deep (28.5%). And in their most recent loss, Tuesday at Kansas State, Tech was an abysmal 5-23 (21.7%).

Jarrett Culver tied his season-high with four 3’s on the day in his most efficient 3-point shooting performance of the season. Against Duke, he also drained four from long-range but it took him nine attempts to do so. Saturday, he missed only once from behind the arc knocking down 80% of his attempts.

Davide Moretti was 3-6 in a continuation of a steady trend in recent weeks. Dating back to the start of conference play, the sophomore from Italy has hit at least two 3’s in every Big 12 game but one (at Baylor) and he has shot at least 40% from deep in every game.

Perhaps the biggest development this season, other than Culver taking his game to the next level, has been Moretti’s increased confidence as a scorer. For the first season-and-a-half of his career, he seemed to be timid at times passing up good looks just because a defender was in his general vicinity. But this team needs him to let it fly from deep and he finally seems to have put to rest his tendency for passing up good looks only to pump-fake and pass the ball to a less-talented shooter or hoist an out of rhythm jumper.

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And it was nice to see Matt Mooney finally get a 3-pointer to fall. A 36% shooter from 3-point range in his three years prior to coming to Tech, Mooney is hitting a career-low 33% this year and had been 0-10 in his last three games. He went 1-2 against Arkansas which will hopefully help him rediscover his shooting touch.

DeShawn Corprew and Brandone Francis each also knocked down one 3-pointer for the Red Raiders who outscored the Razorbacks by 24 points from the 3-point line. The Hogs entered the game making on average 7.8 shots from deep and their inability to hit open looks Saturday night was critical.

Freshman Isaiah Joe, who is on pace to set a school record for 3-point percentage by a freshman, went 0-5 from three. In two of his last three games, he had hit seven 3-pointers apiece and he had gone without a three only once this season prior to coming to Lubbock.

In the game of college basketball, the 3-point shot is the great equalizer. And against major conference opponents this year, Tech has had the advantage from the arc just five times in twelve games.

Next. Red Raiders beat Hogs 67-64. dark

Hopefully, Saturday’s shooting performance is a sign that the Red Raiders are about to heat up as a team. While Tech will never be a team that is among the nation’s leaders in 3-pointers made per game, efficiency from deep such as we saw Saturday, could be the key in helping the Red Raiders find just enough offense to be a legitimate Big 12 title contender this season.

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