Texas Tech basketball: Kevin McCullar’s five best games of 2019-20

No. 4: @ Oklahoma

There simply wasn’t much positive to take away from this year’s road game against Oklahoma.  In the 65-51 loss in Oklahoma City, the Red Raiders put forth their most anemic effort of the year as they fell into an early 21-6 hole and never threatened to make the game competitive.

But if there was one player who showed up that night, it was McCullar who led the team with 13 points while also collecting four rebounds, coming up with four steals, and handing out three assists.  One of only two Red Raiders in double digits in the scoring column that night, he was the only starter with more than eight points.

If there is a complaint about McCullar’s performance in that game though it was that he, like his teammates, was a virtual no-show in the first half as the Sooners essentially put the game on ice in the first half.  During those 20 minutes, he was just 1-8 from the floor with only two points.

After halftime though, he showed serious fight and heart and did not let the score dictate his effort.  Going 5-9 from the floor after the break, he scored 11 points and grabbed three rebounds as he tried to will Tech back into the game.

That’s what we now expect from McCullar, unrelenting effort.  It’s become his trademark and what Chris Beard loves about the sophomore to be.

Often, first-year players don’t have the discipline and maturity required to play at their highest level regardless of the game situation.  But that wasn’t a problem for McCullar this season as he showed by putting up nice numbers in an otherwise forgettable night for his team.