Texas Tech basketball: How the Red Raiders manufactured their comeback in Austin

Tech started to hang on to the ball and started to force takeaways

After giving the ball away nine times in the first half, the Red Raiders decided that it would be best to hang on to it in the second half and the results were fantastic.  There were no more attempted behind-the-back passes in traffic from T.J. Holyfield, miscommunications on offense, 3-second violations, and sloppiness with the ball that we saw too often in the game’s opening frame.

In fact, the Red Raiders went the final 10:15 without a turnover.  That proved to be what turned the game around.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns became the more charitable of the two teams with nine turnovers.  That resulted in an 11-2 edge in points off turnovers between the two teams.

Tech set the tone on the first defensive possession of the half when Ramsey came up with a steal and then hit a 3-pointer on the other end of the floor to cap a 5-0 run that got the comeback started.  Three minutes later, another Ramsey steal led to the only 3-pointer of the day for Moretti and it cut the Texas lead to 37-30.  At that point, the tide had begun to turn.

With 10:42 to play, Holyfield came up with a steal that led to an Edwards layup and free-throw to tie the game at 41-41.  Tech tied the game again at 43-all with two Chris Clarke free throws following another UT giveaway.

From the start of the second half to the time Tech tied the game at 43-43 with 9:51 to play, Tech had forced five turnovers.  It was a stark contrast to the first half when Beard’s team turned the ball over four times during the 14-2 run that gave the home team its largest lead of the game.

In the first half, UT had a 12-6 advantage in points off turnovers while in the second half, Tech was able to hold a nine-point edge.  That proved to be a critical turn of events as the game swung in the Red Raiders’ favor.