It’s probably still a little early to say this, but it’s really starting to look like LeJuan Watts is becoming the sort of solid, consistent scoring anchor that Grant McCasland and the Texas Tech Red Raiders need him to be. I mean, in two games following JT Toppin’s injury, Watts has stepped up and performed in the sort of role that Texas Tech has needed him to.
He is quietly doing some pretty exciting things for the Red Raiders. His statline isn’t going to be the most impressive thing that Texas Tech fans will see when they start looking at some of the numbers that the Red Raiders put up on Tuesday, but they were vital all the same.
As he played 33 minutes for the Red Raiders, Watts managed to finish the game against the Bearcats with 13 points and five rebounds as he went 4-of-7 shooting from the field and then 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
That’s not bad. Not the most eyepopping stats, but Texas Tech needed that sort of consistent presence who jumped in where the Red Raiders needed him the most.
LeJuan Watts provided Texas Tech with some necessary scoring and vital rebounds as the Red Raiders faced the Cincinnati Bearcats
What Watts did against Cincinnati is actually pretty much par for the course with him, which is interesting. So far, Watts is averaging 12.2 points per game and then 6.0 rebounds per game. He's consistent and steady and that helps Texas Tech out a bit.
Watts isn’t being asked to be JT Toppin (that’d be crazy and also totally unnecessary). Nobody but Toppin is capable of being Toppin. Still, the Red Raiders will likely need for Watts to continue to be a player who can figure things out and average 12ish points and 6ish rebounds on a day to day sort of basis.