Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech basketball: 3 reasons Red Raiders were able to beat Kansas

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders goes in for the dunk against the defense of Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game on February 23, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Kansas 91-62. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders goes in for the dunk against the defense of Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game on February 23, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Kansas 91-62. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Norense Odiase out-played Dedric Lawson

Entering the game, Kansas’ biggest advantage was in the low post where forward Dedric Lawson, the Big 12’s leading scorer, has played at an All-American level for most of the season.  But Saturday, he was outplayed by Texas Tech’s Norense Odiase, who had his best game of the season.

Lawson finished the game with 14 points, six more than Odiase, but its was on the glass where Tech’s emotional leader was dominant.  Playing just his second game after losing two cousins in an automobile accident in North Lubbock on February 15th, Odiase controlled the paint pulling down 13 rebounds.  Meanwhile, Lawson grabbed just five boards, half of his season average.

In the early-going, Kansas fed the ball to Lawson on the block against Tariq Owens, whom he outweighs by 50 pounds, and the KU forward was able to have some success.  But when Beard put Odiase on Lawson, the tone of the game changed.

Odiase was able to stand his ground and use his strength to neutralize Kansas’ biggest weapon.  In addition to scoring Tech’s first three points, Odiase grabbed five rebounds in the first ten minutes of the game when Tech jumped out to a 26-12 lead.

Three times during Tech’s current five-game winning streak, Odiase has pulled down double-digit rebounds.  Whats more, he has also found his role in the offense.

Taking the Baylor game out of the equation (because that came one day after the tragedy that took his cousins’ lives), Odiase has scored 6.7 points per game, which is up from the 2.8 he averaged in the previous ten conference games.

Odiase started Tech’s scoring by nailing a fadeaway turnaround jumper on the low block foreshadowing what was to be a historic offensive night for his team.  And by outplaying KU’s best player, he not only set the tone for his team, he gave the Red Raiders a huge advantage on both ends of the court.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball