Texas Tech basketball: Why no one wants to play the Red Raiders right now
Tech’s defense is beginning to play as one cohesive unit
When the defensive scheme that is the brainchild of assistant coach Mark Adams is properly executed, the Red Raiders play like an amoeba on that end of the floor. Rather than a collection of individual defenders, the Adams defense moves as one entity that is never in the same shape or alignment and which seems to morph constantly in order to combat whatever the opposition tries to execute.
But for much of this season, that hasn’t been what this version of the Red Raiders have looked like. It’s a tough ask for a team relying on six freshmen and eight newcomers because when one player fails to react in partnership with what his teammate does, the entire system breaks down as passing lanes are left open, switches on screens are not executed, or the baseline is not cut off. We’ve started to see far fewer of those errors in the last few weeks.
The stat that is the greatest indicator of Tech’s improved defensive cohesion is the number of blocks we see per game. When this defense is executed properly, Tech’s block totals are indicative of a defensive unit that is anticipating where the ball will be going and where to fill in as the amoeba moves and shifts.
In the last three games, Tech has averaged 6.3 blocks per game including seven in each of the last two despite playing against teams in TCU and Texas that both shoot a heavy number of outside jumpers. That’s over two more per game than Beard’s team has averaged on the season.
Consider that in the eight losses we’ve seen the Red Raiders endure this season, they’ve averaged just 3.3 blocks per game. On the other hand, they are averaging 5.2 per game in their eight wins against major conference opponents, seven of which are Big 12 wins.
Leading that charge has been senior T.J. Holyfield who is averaging 3.8 blocks per game over his last five outings. To put that in perspective, consider that it’s 1.4 more per game than Tariq Owens averaged last year when he set a school record for rejections in a season.
It isn’t likely that Holyfield will continue that pace but what his recent uptick demonstrates is that he and the rest of his teammates are starting to function as one interconnected unit on the defensive end of the court.
Passing lanes are being cut off, the baseline is being shut down, ball reversals are being covered and there is usually some type of resistance at the rim when opponents drive the ball. When the Red Raider defense starts to play in that manner, it is capable of putting the clamps on any team in the nation.