Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

How the Texas Tech basketball team beat Michigan State

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Thanks to a dominant defense and some clutch play from its seniors, the Texas Tech basketball team was able to beat Michigan State 61-51 Saturday night and advance to the national title Game.

The Texas Tech basketball team will play for the national title Monday night.  And even as I type those words, that reality is still hard to fathom.

But what may be even more unfathomable is the fact that the Red Raiders were able to knock off a Michigan State team that won the Big 10 regular season and tournament titles despite two incredibly poor games from their two leading scorers.

Sophomores Jarrett Culver and Davide Moretti combined for just 15 points (half their combined season average) on 5-18 shooting.  What’s more, that duo was also responsible for five of the Red Raiders seven turnovers on the night.

Culver’s 10-point showing was tied for his second-lowest output of the season matching his point total from Tech’s 19-point loss at Kansas on February 2nd.  This marks the second-straight game in which the Lubbock native has struggled from the field.  After going 5-19 against Gonzaga, he was just 3-12 Saturday night.

But fortunately, Culver came through in the clutch scoring seven points in the final 2:30 after MSU cut the Texas Tech lead to one point at 52-51.  After hitting a jumper to put Tech up 54-51 and end an 8-0 Spartan run, Culver then drilled a 3-pointer with 1:01 to go that sealed the game by putting the Red Raiders up 58-51.

Also making Tech’s win all the more improbable was the fact that Tariq Owens missed most of the second half after suffering an injury when he landed awkwardly on his right leg.  Though he would briefly return to the court, Tech’s leading shot-blocker was a non-factor over the final 15 minutes of the game.

After putting up seven points, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal, Owens’ absence was felt.  But the Red Raiders, as they have all season, fought through the adversity of this game and moved to within one win of a national title.  Let’s take a look at how the Red Raiders were able to beat a very good Michigan State team.

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