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Texas Tech basketball: Takeaways from Tech’s loss to Baylor

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Forward Marcus Santos-Silva #14 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the Baylor Bears at United Supermarkets Arena on January 16, 2021 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Forward Marcus Santos-Silva #14 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball during the first half of the college basketball game against the Baylor Bears at United Supermarkets Arena on January 16, 2021 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: Guard Kevin McCullar #15 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball during the second half of the college basketball game against the Incarnate Word Cardinals at United Supermarkets Arena on December 29, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – DECEMBER 29: Guard Kevin McCullar #15 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball during the second half of the college basketball game against the Incarnate Word Cardinals at United Supermarkets Arena on December 29, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

The 3-point shot could be the death of this team

This game was lost at the 3-point line and that aspect of the game could eventually prove to be the death of the Red Raiders come March.

The Red Raiders shot just 6-24 (25%) from deep against the Bears.  Meanwhile, BU was 9-24 (37.5%) from deep.  That’s a nine-point difference in a game that was decided by eight.

Coming into this year, we wondered if Tech would have enough outside shooting after the departures of Davide Moretti and Jahmi’us Ramsey.  So far, the answer has been a resounding “No”.

In Tech’s four losses on the year, they are shooting just 27.4% from deep on average.  That includes three games in which the Red Raiders have shot below 27%.  That simply can’t continue if this team is going to have the type of season that we all envision.

Shooting just 32.6% as a team on the year, Tech is 8th in the Big 12.  That’s good for just 208th in the nation.

What’s more, no player in the regular rotation is shooting over 36% from deep.  Even worse, five are shooting below 33%.

If you look at the top 100 of the national rankings in 3-point percentage, you will find such national contenders as Baylor at No. 5 (42.3%), Illinois at No. 11 (40.5%), Iowa at No. 21 (39.3%), Wisconsin at No. 23 (39.1%), and Michigan at No. 71 (36.4%).

Those are all teams that Tech could meet in the NCAA Tournament and to keep up, the Red Raiders are going to have to shoot better from 3-point range.  But after yet another poor effort against a quality team in that regard, one has to wonder if this team is capable of shooting well enough from deep to make as deep of a run in March as we all would like.

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