Matt Mooney shut down Zavier Simpson
When we discussed the individual matchups that would likely decide this game, we focused on the battle between Matt Mooney and talented Michigan point guard Zavier Simpson. And fortunately for the Red Raiders, Tech’s senior dominated this one-on-one battle.
Averaging 9.1 points and 6.8 assists per game this year, the 5-foot-11 Simpson was the spark that ignited the Michigan offense all year. But Mooney put the clamps on him to the tune of 0-5 shooting, one assist and four turnovers.
This was only the second time that Simpson was held scoreless this season but it was his inability to create offense for his teammates that devastated the Wolverine attack. With eight games of at least ten assists to his credit this year, Simpson was second in the Big 10 in assists per game.
But against the Red Raiders, he has his second-lowest assist game of the year. Of course, it did not help that his teammates could not have thrown the ball in the ocean had they been standing on a yacht but tons of credit must go to Mooney who kept the Wolverine point guard out of the middle of the floor and who flustered Michigan’s catalyst.
When Matt Mooney signed with Texas Tech last summer, his biggest contribution was expected to be his scoring. And while he is the Red Raiders’ third-leading scorer this year, he has made the biggest impact on the defensive end of the court where he has become a lock-down defender. Never was that more true than Thursday night when he put the clamps on Zavier Simpson to help keep the Michigan offense from ever finding any sense of rhythm.