Texas Tech basketball: Factors that led to Red Raiders’ loss at DePaul

Texas Tech had only 9 assists

It’s puzzling that when basketball players who aren’t necessarily good outside shooters find themselves in tight situations, they turn to that which they aren’t particularly strong at in the first place…standing around and hoping for another three-point shot.

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That’s what it felt like Tech’s offense did too often on Wednesday.  When the Red Raiders found out early on that Reed, one of the nation’s leading shot blockers was going to be tough to handle inside, they simply seemed to give in and stop challenging him.

That’s no way to win an as a result, Tech has just 9 assist on 21 made baskets.  Having only 42% of his team’s baskets come as a result of an assist is not how Beard wants his team to play.

For the year, 67.5% of Tech’s baskets have come off of an assist as Tech has averaged 18.8 per game.  We say it often but when the motion offense lacks motion, it isn’t going to work.

There was just too much standing around until the final ten seconds of the shot clock as players like Kyler Edwards and Moretti had to try to be creators off the dribble when all else failed.  That’s not their game but it is the role they were too often thrust into.

Though there was a premier rim protector like Reed in the middle, that shouldn’t prevent Tech from getting looks at the basket.  If anything, the motion offense should neutralize such a player because when run properly, it is designed to confuse a stay-at-home defender because there’s no real way he can predict where the next screen is coming from.

Wednesday, 33% of Tech’s shot attempts came from behind the arc which is exactly the same percentage as the shot attempts from deep for the season have been.   The difference is that most of those looks came off of isolation plays or pull-up jumpers rather than off of passes from penetrating guards.

When this team is playing well, it shares the ball.  Wednesday night, the offense lacked cohesion and movement, both with the ball and away from it, and the result was a season-low 60 points.