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Texas Tech basketball: Hidden moments in Tech’s victory over UT

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot looks on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot looks on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Tech opens up strong in the first four minutes of the second half

Chris Beard talks frequently about breaking the game into four-minute segments.  That’s because every four minutes, there is a media timeout so naturally, it’s a good opportunity to assess where things stand.

In the first four minutes of the second half on Saturday, the Red Raiders did exactly what they needed to do by cutting into the Texas lead and putting doubt in the Horns’ minds.  By the time the first media time out came with exactly 16:00 to play, the UT advantage had been shaved from 12 points to seven following Davide Moretti’s only 3-pointer of the game.

Considering that the lead had been 16 points late in the first half, this was a significant salvo on the part of the Red Raiders.  Once the difference got into single-digits for the first time since the score was 16-8, everyone watching on TV and for certain, everyone in the arena had to feel like Uncle Mo had jumped over to the Red Raider bench.

Kyler Edwards began the half with a tough basket in the paint.  Jahmi’us Ramsey then stole the ball on the other end before taking it back down and hitting a 3-pointer from the wing.

After a UT basket, Ramsey then connected again, this time on a runner in the paint.  But then, Texas answered with four straight points before Kyler Edwards hit one of two free throws to make it a 37-27 game.

Ramsey then deflected the ball from UT’s Andrew Jones to start a Red Raider fast break that ended with Moretti’s 3-pointer to cut the lead to seven points.  In all, Tech went 4-6 from the field and forced three live-ball UT turnovers during this run.  That proved to be a microcosm of the second half.

That’s because, while Tech was attacking the rim on offense (the only outside shot was Moretti’s transition 3-ball), UT was doing what Tech did prior to the halftime break and giving the ball away or playing passively on offense.

Anytime a team jumps out to a double-digit lead in a game, the entire atmosphere in the arena and the psychology of everyone involved begins to change when that lead shrinks below 10 points.  That’s what happened in the first four-minute segment of the second half on Saturday and that proved to be a crucial segment of the Red Raiders’ comeback.

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