Texas Tech basketball: How the Red Raiders beat the Sooners

Tech dominated the battle from 3-point range

OU is one of only three teams in the Big 12 that has taken over 500 shots from 3-point range this season.  The problem for the Sooners is that they shoot only 32% as a team, 7th in the Big 12.

On Tuesday, they hoisted 24 long-range bombs.  Only six connected.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders were fantastic in that area of the game.  Going 10-18, Tech managed to stay hot from deep after shooting 9-21 (42.9%) Saturday against Kansas.

Holding a 12-point edge on 3-point shots, the Red Raiders used the long ball to their advantage.  Ironically, it was one of their only players that struggled on the night who hit the game’s biggest shot from behind the arc.

Davide Moretti was just 2-6 from deep for the game but when OU played zone defense for a late possession, he made them pay.  Confidently stepping into a three from the wing, Moretti gave his team a 60-56 lead with 3:37 to play.

That was the first time all night that the home team had managed to hold a lead of more than three points.  It was perhaps the game’s most important basket and it came from the only Red Raider that missed more than two shots from deep.

Another important three came from Kevin McCullar.  Entering the game with only three makes from distance on the year, the redshirt freshman drilled one on Tech’s final possession of the first half to cut the OU lead to just 31-30 at the break.

We recently discussed how in almost every one of Tech’s losses this year, the 3-point line has been a problem (though that was not the case against Kansas).  But when this team shoots well from deep, it is nearly impossible to beat, even on a night such as Tuesday when it doesn’t play its best basketball.