Texas Tech basketball: How the Red Raiders were able to dominate OK State
The Red Raiders shut down OSU point guard Isaac Likekele
When you do to a team’s best player what the Red Raiders did to sophomore guard Isaac Likekele on Saturday, it’s going to be nearly impossible for your opponent to win. Entering the game averaging 13.1 points and 4.9 assists per game, the Arlington, Texas native was held to just two points and two assists.
It was only the third time this year that he’s been held under ten points with all three coming in his last three contests. Many believe that he is still working back into shape after an illness caused him to miss three games and Saturday was just his second game back in the fold.
To understand just how critical the 6-foot-3 guard is to his team, consider that prior to this game, OSU was 9-0 when he played and 0-3 when he did not. But on Saturday, the Cowboys were outscored by 30 points when he was on the floor.
Much of the credit for Likekele’s quiet day has to go to Kyler Edwards, who drew the primary defensive assignment on the quick dribble-penetrator. Jahmi’us Ramsey also spent quite a bit of time checking the man who makes the OSU offense go.
With as many turnovers on the day as points, Likekele set season lows in points, field goal percentage (16.7%), and rebounds (2), while having his second-lowest assist day thus far with just two.
When LIkekele was a recruit in the class of 2019, Chris Beard went all-in trying to get him to come to Lubbock. In fact, the Red Raiders hosted OSU’s eventual point guard signee for an official visit. Saturday, fans who were seeing LIkekele for the first time might not understand why because he looked lost and overwhelmed as the focal point of the Red Raider defensive game plan.