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Texas Tech basketball: Red Raiders show improvement during 3-game gauntlet

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Forward TJ Holyfield #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders battles for the jump ball against forward Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first half of the college basketball game at United Supermarkets Arena on January 29, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Forward TJ Holyfield #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders battles for the jump ball against forward Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first half of the college basketball game at United Supermarkets Arena on January 29, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Guard Avery Benson #24 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders blocks a shot attempt by forward Nick Richards #4 of the Kentucky Wildcats. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Guard Avery Benson #24 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders blocks a shot attempt by forward Nick Richards #4 of the Kentucky Wildcats. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

The Red Raiders are starting to compete on the glass

What frightened most of us about this 3-game stretch was the fact that all three opponents had dominant size inside and looked like teams that were going to own the Red Raiders on the glass.  But after struggling in that aspect of the game for most of the season, over the last week, Tech has been much more competitive in the rebounding battle.

Against Kentucky, the Red Raiders lost the rebounding battle just 38-32.  What’s more, Tech was even with UK in the critical area of offensive rebounds as each team grabbed ten.

Consider that the Wildcats are No. 35 nationally in total rebound percentage (the percentage of available rebounds a team collects) at 53.8% and it is quite a good sign that Tech stayed within striking distance on the glass.  But that wasn’t nearly as impressive as what Tech did one game later against an even better rebounding team.

West Virginia ranks 7th nationally in total rebound percentage at 56%.  But when they came to Lubbock on Wednesday, they were beaten on the glass by the Red Raiders to the tune of 32-23.

That was a stark contrast to the domination WVU enjoyed on the boards in the season’s first meeting.  In Morgantown, the Mountaineers had a 13-rebound edge over the Red Raiders so beating them on the glass as handily as Tech did on Wednesday proved to be a great sign of improvement.

Saturday at Kansas, Tech lost the rebounding battle just 36-33.  That was also a great sign given that KU is 24th in total rebounding percentage.  In other words, when facing a trio of elite rebounding teams, the Red Raiders more than held their own in an area of the game that has been a tremendous struggle for much of the year.   If Tech continues to rebound that way for the rest of the year, life is going to be much more enjoyable in February than it was for parts of January.

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