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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) /
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(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Texas Tech had nearly flawless offensive execution

Making Tech’s 91-point outburst so surprising is the fact that Kansas is an above-average defensive team.  The Jayhawks rank 20th in the nation in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings.

KU is allowing just 92.9 points per 100 possessions this season.  That is fourth-best of any Big 12 team.  However, Tech averaged 1.48 points per possession Saturday night.

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The most obvious reason would be Tech’s unusually hot shooting.  But don’t overlook how the Red Raiders’ crisp ball movement led to their 60.7% shooting from the field.

Tech had 19 assists on 34 made field goals.  In other words, 55.8% of Tech’s baskets were assisted.  That is exactly what the motion offense is designed to do.  By contrast, Kansas had just eight assists on 22 made baskets (36.3%).

As we have discussed at length, outside of Culver, Tech does not have a player capable of consistency creating his own offense off the dribble.  And when the motion offense lacks motion from either the players off the ball or the ball itself, the Raiders struggle to score.

That is what happened during Tech’s 3-game losing streak in January.  During that span, Beard’s team averaged just 8.3 assists per game.

Next. Tech hoops this year vs. last year through 26 games. dark

But in the current five-game winning streak, Tech is averaging 16.6.  Not coincidentally, it’s scoring average in those games is 80.4 (eight points more than its season average).  And against Kansas, the Red Raiders’ ball movement was at another level leading to a school record tying 16 3-pointers, most of which were wide-open looks thanks to nearly perfect offensive execution.

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