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

13 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks vs. Memphis

The best statistical performance of Owens’ Red Raider career was a near triple-double in a 78-67 comeback win over Memphis back in December.  With 13 points, 11 boards, and a program-record 8 blocks, he was the star of the day as the Red Raiders erased a 12-point deficit in the final nine minutes of the game.

It was Owens who led the charge on both ends of the floor but especially on defense where he blocked six shots in the final nine minutes of the game despite playing with four fouls.

"“He changed the whole pace of the game,” said Memphis’ leading scorer Tyler Harris whose team missed 17 of its final 21 shots."

Offensively, he was part of a dominating 33-10 run to close the game.  Running the floor and playing with an energy that seemed to rub off on his teammates, Owens had seven points in the final nine minutes including three free throws and a monstrous dunk that served as an exclamation point for the Red Raiders.

But his performance will be remembered for his work on the other end of the court.  After equaling the school record for blocks in a game in his Red Raider debut, Owens broke Will Flemmons’ 28-year-old school record set in 1990 vs. Texas A&M.

This game was fascinating because it was an early-season example of how important the defensive end of the floor was to the 2018-19 Red Raiders.  When Owens and his teammates began to pick up their energy on defense, the rest of their game followed suit.

"“I got in a little zone,” Owens said. “We picked it up as a team. Our team defense was better … and that makes it easier for me to do what I do.”"

Most other teams in today’s game will look for their offense to ignite a comeback.  But Chris Beard’s teams play a bit differently.  When the Red Raiders backs were against the wall this year, it was their defense that helped them fight back as was the case when Tariq Owens helped carry his team back from a huge deficit against Memphis by rejecting two more shots than the Tigers made in the last nine minutes of the game.