Per Kenpom, UT scored 1.1 points per possession. Tech had not won while allowing 1.1 or more points per possession since the 2018 conference tourney win against Texas. For the 62 wins in between, we held opponents to under 1.1 points per possession. It helps when you still have a chance to win games when the other team is really good offensively and shooting lights out.
Tech has turned the ball over on less than 15% of its offensive possessions in 4 out of 6 Big 12 games. Last year, we did so in just 4 out of 18 league games. The Final 4 team did so in 9 out of 19 games. Our guards are doing a great job valuing possessions & taking care of the ball. For as great as UT played offensively last night, if they were playing anyone but us, they would have scored 10 more points in transition off of open-floor turnovers.
Through 6 games, Tech is shooting free throws at an alarming rate (and making them... highest FT% in conference games). If our free throw rate continues at this pace, it's going to be one of the highest in Big 12 history. Terrence Shannon and Mac McClung are two of the hardest guards to defend off the dribble in the conference (both are top 5 individually), and MSS is very difficult to defend without fouling when he gets the ball down low.
MSS was a monster last night. There are a lot of similarities between Beard teams year to year -- position-less lineups, switch everything on D, etc. -- but what makes this Tech team a little different is having a real difference maker offensively in the paint. I like the way Beard described how playing through MSS has a "calming effect" on our half-court offense. It gives us a way to beat teams besides creating offense through our defense or by taking people off the dribble (which we happen to be pretty good at).
70% of UT's minutes were played guys in their 3rd, 4th or 5th year in the program. Only 30% of Tech's minutes (Kyler/Mac) were played by guys in their 3rd or 4th year.
Kevin McCullar might be the most underrated player in the country.
Tech has turned the ball over on less than 15% of its offensive possessions in 4 out of 6 Big 12 games. Last year, we did so in just 4 out of 18 league games. The Final 4 team did so in 9 out of 19 games. Our guards are doing a great job valuing possessions & taking care of the ball. For as great as UT played offensively last night, if they were playing anyone but us, they would have scored 10 more points in transition off of open-floor turnovers.
Through 6 games, Tech is shooting free throws at an alarming rate (and making them... highest FT% in conference games). If our free throw rate continues at this pace, it's going to be one of the highest in Big 12 history. Terrence Shannon and Mac McClung are two of the hardest guards to defend off the dribble in the conference (both are top 5 individually), and MSS is very difficult to defend without fouling when he gets the ball down low.
MSS was a monster last night. There are a lot of similarities between Beard teams year to year -- position-less lineups, switch everything on D, etc. -- but what makes this Tech team a little different is having a real difference maker offensively in the paint. I like the way Beard described how playing through MSS has a "calming effect" on our half-court offense. It gives us a way to beat teams besides creating offense through our defense or by taking people off the dribble (which we happen to be pretty good at).
70% of UT's minutes were played guys in their 3rd, 4th or 5th year in the program. Only 30% of Tech's minutes (Kyler/Mac) were played by guys in their 3rd or 4th year.
Kevin McCullar might be the most underrated player in the country.
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