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Texas Tech basketball: What the Red Raiders have to do to beat the Horns

By Matthew Conner

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 28: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks to his players during a stop in play in the 2019 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 28, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hawkeyes defeated the Red Raiders 72-61. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 28: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks to his players during a stop in play in the 2019 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 28, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hawkeyes defeated the Red Raiders 72-61. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders . (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders . (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Dominate at the free-throw line

One area where Tech should expect to have an edge in this game is at the free-throw line.  That’s because UT, thanks to the fact that they are a heavy jump-shooting team, gets to the line just 11.5 times per game, by far the fewest attempts per game of any team in the conference.

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Consider that UT isn’t just last in the league in the number of free-throw attempts, they trail No. 9 TCU by 75 shots.  What’s more, they have attempted 197 fewer free throws than Tech, which has shot the second-most in the Big 12.

We all know that getting calls in an opponent’s gym can be tough.  Thus, Tech may not have the type of edge at the line that they will when these teams meet in Lubbock at the end of this month.

But this is still an area of the game that needs to be Tech’s ace in the hole.  Even if the teams shoot a relatively even number of shots, Tech could have a huge edge because as a team, the Red Raiders shoot 76.1% (2nd in the Big 12) while UT shoots just 65.9% (8th in the Big 12).

In case you are wondering, these teams are relatively even when it comes to how often they foul.  Tech is giving up on average 19 free throws per game while UT sends its opponents to the line 18.4 times per game.

This is another area of the game where Tech’s mentality of attacking the rim needs to pay off.  When facing another team that loves to shoot jumpers, OU, Tech shot eleven more free throws and had a seven-point edge at the line and that’s a recipe that needs to be repeated this afternoon in Austin.

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Meanwhile, Texas shot only 10 free throws at Kansas on Monday, six at home against LSU, nine at home against Kansas, and seven at home against OU (all losses).  In fact, in every one of their defeats this year, they have shot at least three fewer free throws than their opponent and if Tech can head to the line with more regularity than the home team today, it will be a great sign for the Red Raiders.

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