Texas Tech basketball: Surprises from the Red Raiders season-opener
Tech had a fantastic offensive night without having to rely on big games from Moretti and Edwards
If we would have known prior to the game that the only two players who were in the National Title Game last year, Moretti and Edwards, would combine for just 19 points, we might have feared that Tech would be in for a fight. But that wasn’t the case.
Moretti had 13 points on 4-6 shooting (3-4 from 3-point range). However, only two of his points came in the first half. Regardless, the Red Raiders had 46 points at the break.
Meanwhile, Edwards was scoreless in the first half. He finished the game hitting only 2-6 from the floor and failing to connect on his lone long-range attempt.
While both players were able to surpass their average offensive output from a season ago, they each did so by only around a point. That’s not what we thought we’d see from this team of newcomers.
With Jarrett Culver and Matt Mooney, last season’s first and third-leading scorers, now in the professional ranks, it was assumed that Moretti and Edwards would have to carry a heavier offensive burden this year. Of course, that could still be true but we may have underestimated just how much offensive skill this roster has.
We wondered if anyone on this team other than the two returners would be able to hit shots from deep with any consistency. In the opener, the other 9 players that suited up combined to hit 5-10 from 3-point range as the Red Raiders connected at a 53.5% as a whole.
Credit Edwards and Moretti for not trying to do more than what the game required them to do. It would have been easy for either to try to put on their superhero tights and play outside the framework of the gameplan.
It was apparent, especially early, that Eastern Illinois did not want to give Moretti any looks and he spent most of the first half trying to shake free against a defense that was clearly geared towards trying to make other Red Raiders hit shots.
dark. Next. What to expect from this year's basketball team
If guys such as Holyfield and Ramsey (a combined 4-5 from deep) are able to make defenses fear their ability to shoot jumpers at the same rate that they did on Tuesday night, the floor will open up for Moretti and Edwards. And as we saw in game-one, even if Beard’s two returners aren’t offensive juggernauts, this roster can still put up an impressive offensive showing.