Where the Texas Tech basketball team needs to improve dramatically in order to win the Big 12

Texas Tech is a poor rebounding team

To understand just how poor Tech is when it comes to rebounding, all we have to do is consider that, prior to each game, our hope is not that Tech can win on the glass but rather that Tech can just keep it close. That's not how an elite team should approach this critical aspect of the game.

Of course, losing forward Devan Cambridge in December was a huge blow to Tech's rebounding efforts. He was averaging 4.5 boards per game, third-most on the team when he suffered his season-ending knee injury.

In his place, Kerwin Walton has taken over as a starter. But he's not a motivated or good rebounder as he averages only 2.2 per game despite logging over 20 minutes a contest.

Also, the lack of size in the post behind Warren Washington is hurting Tech on the glass. When Washington goes to the bench, Robert Jennings comes in and he's not tall enough or athletic enough to be a glass cleaner. In fact, he averages only two rebounds per game.

As a team, Tech is 13th in the Big 12 in rebounding margin at just +1.6 per game. But in Big 12 games, Tech is by far the worst team in the conference in that stat at -6.0 per game.

It is hard to figure out how McCasland can turn around this area of struggle in mid-season. Likely, this is something that Tech is going to continue to be fighting an uphill battle on the boards just about every night.

The only team in Big 12 play Tech has beaten in rebounding is last-place Oklahoma State, which the Red Raiders out-rebounded by one in Lubbock. Hopefully, this shortcoming won't be what causes Tech to miss out on a Big 12 title.