Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech basketball: What to know about Montana State

By Matthew Conner

Mar 12, 2022; Boise, Idaho, USA; Montana State Bobcats celebrates at the conclusion of the second half against the Northern Colorado Bears during the Big Sky Conference Championship game at Idaho Central Arena. Montana State defeats Northern Colorado 87-66. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2022; Boise, Idaho, USA; Montana State Bobcats celebrates at the conclusion of the second half against the Northern Colorado Bears during the Big Sky Conference Championship game at Idaho Central Arena. Montana State defeats Northern Colorado 87-66. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
Mar 17, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; Montana State Bobcats forward Jubrile Belo during a press conference before the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; Montana State Bobcats forward Jubrile Belo during a press conference before the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Jubrile Belo is a significant force in the middle

Not only is 6-foot-9, 240-pound Jubrile Belo an imposing force in the middle of the MSU lineup, but he’s also one of the best players on the MSU squad.  How he matches up with Tech’s big men will be a huge factor in this contest.

The Big Sky MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, the junior from London England is going to be MSU’s only hope of competing with the Red Raiders’ size advantage.  Averaging 13.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, he’s going to have to carry a huge share of the load if MSU is going to come out on top.

Also averaging 1.2 blocks per game, Belo’s matchup with Tech’s Bryson Williams will be perhaps the biggest deciding factor in this contest.  But here, Tech might have an advantage in that Mark Adams will have more options in the post.

With Marcus Santos-Silva, Daniel Batcho, and even Kevin Obanor in addition to Bryson Williams, Tech can send multiple defenders at Belo while hopefully keeping Williams out of foul trouble.  Meanwhile, Belo, doesn’t have much help in the paint.

Of the eight Bobcats averaging double-figures in minutes played, Belo is the only one over 6-foot-8.  And of the other two who are 6-foot-8, one is Patterson, who prefers to play away from the basket.  That leaves only 6-foot-8 Great Osobor (a freshman) as MSU’s other post presence.

Last year, Tech faced an elite big man in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the form of Utah State’s Neemias Queta, who was his conference’s player of the year. But he was unable to dominate the Red Raiders like many predicted he would as he managed just a modest 11 points in a 65-53 Red Raider triumph.

Queta was a far better college player than Belo is and this Tech squad is much better in the post than last year’s team was.  So there’s reason to believe that the Red Raiders will be able to handle Belo on Friday.  If they do, it will tip the scales heavily in the good guys’ favor.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball