Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech basketball: Tariq Owens’ best games as a Red Raider

By Matthew Conner

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Tariq Owens #11 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after a dunk against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Tariq Owens #11 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates after a dunk against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
(Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
(Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block vs. USC

In Tech’s first true test of the season, Owens came up huge in a showdown with a big man who had been taking no prisoners up to that point.  Against USC in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Owens had 18 points, 4 rebounds and a block to lead Tech to a 78-63 comeback win.

Meanwhile, he was a huge part of a Texas Tech defensive effort that held the Trojans’ forward Nick Rakocevic to just nine points and nine rebounds, most of which came with the game already decided.  Entering the game averaging 17.6 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, the temperamental forward was frustrated all night by the swarming Red Raider defense which even drew a flagrant foul from the junior who ultimately averaged 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on the season.

Owens had no such frustrations in the game, even with the Red Raiders trailing by nine points at the break.  In the second half, Tech shot 82.4% (16-19) from the field to storm past the Trojans and into the title game of the Hall of Fame Classic.

But had it not been for Owens, USC could have taken an even larger lead into the locker room.  Scoring 7 of Tech’s 23 first-half points, Owens accounted for 30% of the offense as the Red Raiders shot just 27.3% overall from the floor and 1-9 from 3-point range.  Thanks to Owens’ scoring touch in the first half, the Red Raiders were able to stay within striking distance and weather USC’s early storm.

Down the stretch, as Tech pulled away with an offensive onslaught, Owens poured in eleven more points with his first basket of the half giving his team a 59-53 lead at the 6:20 mark.  His 18 points were tied with Culver for the team-high and were his most in a Red Raider uniform.

Prior to this game, Owens had scored just five, nine, and three points respectively in Tech’s first three games.  During that time, he’d attempted just eleven total shots.

Against the Trojans, he became an offensive asset for the first time in his Red Raider career as he nailed 7-10 shots.  In his coming-out party with Tech, Owens equaled a season-high in field goals and proved that he was more than just a defensive specialist as he dominated in a head-to-head matchup with another highly skilled Power 5 big man.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball