Texas Tech has fared well against elite offenses this year

Today’s matchup between the Texas Tech basketball team and Gonzaga will pit the nation’s best defense against the nation’s best offense.  So let’s look at how Tech has fared against the best offensive teams it has played this year.

Texas Tech is going to be tested today like it has not been all season.  Facing the top-ranked offense in the country with a trip to the Final Four on the line, Tech must contend with a Gonzaga team that is as skilled and versatile as any in the nation.

The key will be for the Red Raiders to figure out how to slow the Gonzaga offense.  The Zags rank 65th in the nation in possessions per 40 minutes at 70.1.  Meanwhile, Tech averages just 66.5 (235th overall).

If Tech can slow this game to a crawl, they will force the Bulldogs to play a style of game that often frustrates run-and-gun teams.  So look for Chris Beard to take such measures as sending multiple players back rather than crashing the offensive glass or pushing the shot clock to its final ten seconds before taking a shot.

It will also be critical for the Red Raiders to limit live-ball turnovers.  Gonzaga ranks 109th in the nation by forcing 13.6 turnovers per game but they rank No. 37 in the nation by coming up with 7.5 steals per game.

If Tech can make certain that they do not cough the ball up to the Zags leading to fast break opportunities, it will go a long way towards creating a pace that is in Tech’s favor.  And in the last two games, Chris Beard’s team turned the ball over just 14 times against an extremely aggressive Buffalo team and seven times against Michigan (which was a top-3 defensive team).

All season, Tech has worked on controlling the pace of play and with few exceptions, the Red Raiders have been able to force opponents to play a deliberate, half-court game.  And it has helped them slow even the best offenses they have faced.  Let’s take a look at how the Red Raiders have handled the teams on this year’s schedule with the most firepower.