Texas Tech basketball: How the Red Raiders beat Utah State

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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – MARCH 19: Kyler Edwards #11 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrates making a three point basket during the second half against the Utah State Aggies in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Assembly Hall on March 19, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Tech had a distinct advantage from the 3-point arc

Texas Tech’s strategy was to make the Utah State guards beat them with jumpers and that proved to be more than the Aggies could handle. Packing the defense inside the arc to help combat 7-footer Neemias Queta, Tech gave USU plenty of open looks, and time and again, Utah State head coach Craig Smith’s team couldn’t connect.

In all, USU was just 4-19 from deep. That’s just 21.1% overall. We knew going into the game that USU wasn’t a good outside shooting team but there was still the chance that they would get hot just like so many of Tech’s opponents have this year. However, those fears were assuaged in the first half when the Aggies went just 1-8 from downtown.

Meanwhile, Tech shot it well from deep. Making 7 of 18 attempts, the Red Raiders hit at a 38.5% clip, which is better than the 34% the team averaged in the regular season.

Interestingly, all of Tech’s makes from deep came from three players, Mac McClung (3-6), Kevin McCullar (2-5), and Kyler Edwards (2-4). That’s the type of efficiency the Red Raiders need from their guards in March.

Often, when a less talented team pulls off an upset, the underdogs use the 3-point shot as a way to neutralize the favorite’s talent advantage. But that didn’t happen on Friday as Tech was able to hold a 9-point edge from the 3-point arc.

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