Texas Tech basketball: Red Raiders sputter in OT vs. Butler

Chance McMillan’s big night for Texas Tech doesn’t continue in overtime

It is tough to find much fault in the performance of backup guard Chance McMillan.  Matching his career-high with 24 points, he drilled eight shots from beyond the arc.

In fact, were it not for his second-half heroics, Tech wouldn’t have even reached overtime.  It was the best game of his brief Red Raider career and only the second time the Grand Canyon transfer has reached double figures this season following a 17-point showing against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Tech needs this type of performance more often from the junior.  He averaged 10.9 points per game a season ago and is the primary scoring option the Red Raiders have on the bench.

However, in the Bahamas, he managed only 12 total points in three games and he was held scoreless in the finale Friday against Michigan. That can’t happen if Tech is going to compete with good teams.

At Butler, he was Tech’s leading scorer.  However, when overtime rolled around, the Bulldogs shut him down.

Unfortunately, McMillan didn’t register a shot in the extra five minutes and that’s an indication of the weakness in his game. All of McMillan’s makes came as a result of catch-and-shoot opportunities created by other teammates.

However, when McMillan put the ball on the floor and tried to create his own offense, he was unable to convert.  So when Butler stuck to him like glue in overtime, he was essentially taken out of the game.

Still, his showing is one of the biggest positives from the loss.  While McMillan likely isn’t going to be a 20-point scorer with regularity, he does have to find a way to be an offensive factor for Tech on a nightly basis and maybe this game will help him have confidence in his ability to do just that.