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Texas Tech basketball: Davide Moretti’s best games of 2019-20

By Matthew Conner

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts to their 70-57 win over the Louisville Cardinals at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts to their 70-57 win over the Louisville Cardinals at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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Guard Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Guard Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

vs. Kansas 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, one steal, one turnover

The second time this year Tech faced the No. 1 team in the nation, the result was not as favorable as it was in the Louisville game.  Still, Davide Moretti’s 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and one steal were a huge reason the Red Raiders were able to push Kansas to the brink in Lubbock before falling 66-62 in what would turn out to be the final game of the season.

Kansas was a sneaky good defensive team this year.  Traditionally, known as an offense-first program, the Jayhawks ranked second in the Big 12 by allowing just 60.7 points per game.

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When they came to the Hub City, they did a great job of corraling Ramsey and Edwards holding that duo to a combined nine points on 3-14 shooting.  Thus, someone had to keep the Red Raiders afloat and that someone was Moretti.

Shooting 6-14 from the floor (but only 2-7 from 3-point range), he led Tech in field goals and free throws.  What’s more, he was one of only two players on the team in double digits joining T.J. Holyfield, who had 11.

What’s more, don’t forget that he played 38 of the 40 minutes in that game.  Given that much of that time was spent trying to check lightning-quick KU point guard Devon Dotson, that workload had to take a toll on his legs and lungs.

Also important in this game was the fact that he had only one turnover.  That was sometimes a problem this season as he spent far more time than he ever has at Tech with the ball in his hands.

Only nine times when facing a major conference opponent this year did he have fewer than two turnovers and doing so against the second-best defensive team in the conference was impressive.

What’s more, Moretti almost singlehandedly saved the day in the closing seconds.  With just 12 seconds to play, he hit a 3-pointer to pull Tech to within three points at 65-62.  But on the next possession, he had to force up a contested three to try to tie the game and he couldn’t connect.  It was a poorly executed possession for Tech as the Red Raiders once again looked rather lost and uncertain on a possession where they had to have a bucket late in the game.

That proved to be the final possession of the season and given how often Tech struggled this year when trying to pull out a one-possession game in the final minute, it was rather poetic.  It also overshadowed what was Moretti’s best all-around game because had it not been for his play over the course of the first 39:48, Tech would never have been in a position to even think about sending this game to OT in the first place.

Also. Terrance Shannon's best games of 2019-20. light

Recently, Moretti said that he expects to return for his senior year instead of playing professionally in Europe next season.  Of course, that’s great news for the Texas Tech basketball team and if Chris Beard can find a grad transfer guard to take much of the ball-handling chores off of Moretti’s shoulders or if incoming 5-star freshman Nimari Burnett proves capable of that task, Moretti’s senior season could be his best as a Red Raider and that would be saying quite a bit.

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