Texas Tech basketball: 4 reasons for confidence as Red Raiders face Michigan

Tech has more depth, especially in the post

If, as expected, this game turns into a bare-knuckle brawl, the Red Raiders’ depth could be a key, especially in the post.  Overall, the Wolverines play only six players more than 13 minutes per game.  Meanwhile, Tech has eight players averaging over 14 minutes per game.

That could be huge if fouls begin to mount, especially down low because Michigan has only one true post player, 7-foot-1 Jon Teske, who averages 28.1 minutes per game.

But after him, no other Michigan player getting double-digit minutes is over 6-foot-7.  If Teske finds his way into foul trouble, Michigan will find it tough to deal with Tariq Owens and Norense Odiase and the Wolverines will have no shot blocker to harass Culver when he gets to the rim.

Meanwhile, Tech’s big men are playing excellent basketball right now.  Odiase had just the second double-double of his career against Buffalo with 14 points and 15 rebounds and Owens is averaging 12 points per game in his last three outings (all three games have been double-digit scoring efforts).

And the Red Raider bench players must come up big as well. The Wolverines receive just 16.7% of their scoring from their bench, which consists of just two regulars.  Meanwhile, Tech’s bench is responsible for 23.2% of its offensive output meaning that Brandone Francis, Deshawn Corprew and Kyler Edwards need to give Chris Beard’s team a lift.