Texas Tech basketball: Good, bad, and ugly from win over SHSU

It was another easy victory for the Texas Tech basketball team on Friday so let’s look at the good, bad, and ugly from the contest with Sam Houston State.

Let’s be honest, the Texas Tech basketball team hasn’t exactly faced a murderers’ row of opponents to open the 2020-21 season.  Neither Northwestern State nor Sam Houston State was capable of putting up much resistance to the Red Raiders as Chris Beard eased his team into the season.

That’s fine.  In fact, it was probably a wise decision given the fact that this year’s team is breaking in nine players that didn’t see the court for the Red Raiders a season ago.

But while such turnover could have brought on uneven results, the opposite has been true as the Red Raiders have played as a cohesive unit on both ends of the floor.  And that’s what Beard demands of his players.

"“That’s how we play,” Beard said after Friday’s 84-52 win over San Houston State in Lubbock.  “That’s Texas Tech basketball.  I’d like to think, it’s our fifth year here, that all our teams play like that.”"

While Beard expects all of his teams to play up to his standard, it’s tough to remember any of his squads firing on as many cylinders as this year’s team is through two games. Offensively, Tech is averaging 92.5 points per game while shooting 52.1% as a team.

Defensively, they have given up just 55 points per game and they have allowed teams to shoot just 32.9% from the floor.  What’s more, Tech has outrebounded its opponents 87-63.

"“These guys deserve the credit,” Beard said.  “No exhibition, no scrimmages, kind of a unique year to be playing the way they are playing right now.  I think you gotta give them the credit.  There’s a flow to the way we’re playing right now, and a trust factor. “It’s early.  You know, we’re about to get into these next two games, Houston and St. John’s.  We’re gonna learn a lot about our team through great competition.  But I would agree…that there’s an unselfishness and a flow to our team that’s fun to watch.”"

Indeed, the first two games of the year were fun to watch as Tech dismantled its early-season foes with ease.  So let’s continue to enjoy Friday’s thorough domination of Sam Houston by looking at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the 32-point victory.