Texas Tech basketball: 3 key matchups to watch as Tech hosts Kansas

Shannon vs. Wilson

If Terrence Shannon wants to prove that he’s one of the best small forwards in the nation and boost his draft stock significantly, he would be wise to play well tonight because he’ll be facing one of the breakout stars of the early college basketball season, Jalen Wilson.

A Denton native, Wilson is a redshirt freshman who is averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.  And at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, he is already a full-grown man who can bully his way to the rim.

More from Wreck'Em Red

• Texas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these Mountaineers
• Texas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025
• Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?
• Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 title
• Texas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives

Though Tech’s switch-everything defense will throw a number of defenders at Wilson, Shannon will get plenty of opportunities to play him straight up, as will Micah Peavy.  They must force him to the outside and not let him drive to the middle of the court.

The key will be to make Wilson get his points off the dribble and outside of the paint.  If he can beat Tech with his mid-range jumper, then you just tip your hat to him and move on.

But Tech can’t let him bull his way to the rim, which is easy for him to do thanks to the notoriously tough to defend weave that KU runs at the top of the key.  That offensive system essentially calls for the ball handler to hand the ball off to a teammate who is already on the move thus making it easier for them to get downhill with the first dribble.  Wilson makes a killing off of that play.

He’s also a respectable 3-point shooter at 37.9% on the year.  He’s already had three games in which he’s made multiple 3-pointers, including a 4 of 6 performance against Creighton.

Wilson will be a huge test for the Red Raiders and specifically Shannon.  If Tech’s own dynamic and physically gifted wing can at least neutralize Wilson’s output by giving his team a similar stat line, it will bode well for the Red Raider’s chances.  But if Wilson dominates Shannon the way he has dominated most of the opponents he’s faced this year, it will be tough to envision the Red Raiders being able to come out on top.