The realest thing in hoops this week: Duke-Texas Tech could go either way
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/25566900/real-duke-texas-tech-fake-nassir-little-hoops-week
It's holiday season -- and final exam season -- in college basketball. But it's also the last stretch of nonconference games for teams hoping to secure resume-boosting victories that might help them on Selection Sunday. That's why the upcoming slate matters. Here's this week's version of What's Real and What's Fake.
What's Real?
Duke might be in trouble against Texas Tech
Texas Tech has been lost in the conversation about potential Final Four contenders -- but that could change on Thursday.
Texas Tech, ranked first on KenPom.com in adjusted defensive efficiency after holding its first 10 opponents to a 36.8 percent clip inside the 3-point arc, will face Duke, which owns the No. 2 mark in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom.com, at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday. A Duke squad that has amassed a 3-1 record against Auburn, Indiana, Gonzaga and Kentucky could face its most perplexing opponent thus far.
On the first possession of a matchup against Texas Tech last month, Nebraska's James Palmer Jr., a 6-foot-6 NBA prospect and a preseason all-Big Ten selection, drove left along the baseline after Jarrett Culver eliminated his other options. As he prepared to take a midrange jumper, he shuffled his feet and traveled when Tariq Owens, who is averaging 2.7 BPG, closed out.
On Texas Tech's first offensive possession in that game, Matt Mooney, a South Dakota grad transfer, tried to throw an alley-oop to Owens, who bobbled the pass before he dribbled out of the lane and found Culver, an NBA prospect, on a bounce pass as he cut toward the basket for an easy layup.
That is Texas Tech basketball: meticulous man-to-man defense and a patient offensive attack. Chris Beard's talented squad averages 68 possessions a game. Duke played a 72-possession affair, three below its average, in a loss to Gonzaga.
The Red Raiders hope to control the tempo and the game on Thursday.
"They are fundamentally sound defensively and don't gamble," said one assistant coach who has faced Texas Tech this season. "They focus possession by possession and have a shot-blocker protecting the paint in Tariq now. They also turn the ball over at a low rate so they always get shots offensively."
And that formula could help the Red Raiders stifle a young Duke team.
Owens is an agile, imposing interior defender and Culver, who has held opposing players to just 0.385 points per possession in isolation scenarios according to Synergy Sports, allow the Red Raiders to adjust on defense. And that's the team's most significant component against a Duke team with three wings -- Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish -- who could go 1, 2 and 3 in the next NBA draft and a point guard, Tre Jones, who has played his way into the first-round conversation.
"They're rock solid on defense," said one opposing head coach who faced Texas Tech this season. "They switched everything with an excellent shot-blocking presence. Really good motion offense. They take good shots and Culver is a nightmare matchup. Guys can make 3-pointers. Maybe vulnerable to pressure as no clear point guard in my view."
Texas Tech could be another bowling pin that Duke runs over
Texas Tech has not faced a team like Duke. Williamson, Barrett and Reddish possess a core of talent that's unmatched in college basketball. Plus, Duke continues to play top-five defense.
The only team that stopped Duke was a veteran Gonzaga squad that was connecting on 80 percent of its shots at one point in the first half. The Blue Devils defeated the other likely NCAA tournament squads on their schedule -- Kentucky, Auburn and Indiana -- by 61 points combined. And the loss to Gonzaga wasn't decided until the final seconds of a two-point game on a neutral site after Duke made a furious comeback.
Yes, Texas Tech boasts a strong defense. But five of its previous opponents are sub-300 teams on KenPom.com. Duke is a different monster.
The Red Raiders have not been tested by an elite opponent. And Texas Tech's offense lacks the playmakers that fuel Duke's squad.
The Red Raiders have the versatility to switch on defense, but Duke's trio of high-level wings can space the floor in ways Texas Tech's previous opponents could not. This is a great test for both teams. But Duke's dominant ways, channeled through its athleticism, explosiveness and talent, could continue against the Red Raiders.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/25566900/real-duke-texas-tech-fake-nassir-little-hoops-week
It's holiday season -- and final exam season -- in college basketball. But it's also the last stretch of nonconference games for teams hoping to secure resume-boosting victories that might help them on Selection Sunday. That's why the upcoming slate matters. Here's this week's version of What's Real and What's Fake.
What's Real?
Duke might be in trouble against Texas Tech
Texas Tech has been lost in the conversation about potential Final Four contenders -- but that could change on Thursday.
Texas Tech, ranked first on KenPom.com in adjusted defensive efficiency after holding its first 10 opponents to a 36.8 percent clip inside the 3-point arc, will face Duke, which owns the No. 2 mark in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom.com, at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday. A Duke squad that has amassed a 3-1 record against Auburn, Indiana, Gonzaga and Kentucky could face its most perplexing opponent thus far.
On the first possession of a matchup against Texas Tech last month, Nebraska's James Palmer Jr., a 6-foot-6 NBA prospect and a preseason all-Big Ten selection, drove left along the baseline after Jarrett Culver eliminated his other options. As he prepared to take a midrange jumper, he shuffled his feet and traveled when Tariq Owens, who is averaging 2.7 BPG, closed out.
On Texas Tech's first offensive possession in that game, Matt Mooney, a South Dakota grad transfer, tried to throw an alley-oop to Owens, who bobbled the pass before he dribbled out of the lane and found Culver, an NBA prospect, on a bounce pass as he cut toward the basket for an easy layup.
That is Texas Tech basketball: meticulous man-to-man defense and a patient offensive attack. Chris Beard's talented squad averages 68 possessions a game. Duke played a 72-possession affair, three below its average, in a loss to Gonzaga.
The Red Raiders hope to control the tempo and the game on Thursday.
"They are fundamentally sound defensively and don't gamble," said one assistant coach who has faced Texas Tech this season. "They focus possession by possession and have a shot-blocker protecting the paint in Tariq now. They also turn the ball over at a low rate so they always get shots offensively."
And that formula could help the Red Raiders stifle a young Duke team.
Owens is an agile, imposing interior defender and Culver, who has held opposing players to just 0.385 points per possession in isolation scenarios according to Synergy Sports, allow the Red Raiders to adjust on defense. And that's the team's most significant component against a Duke team with three wings -- Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish -- who could go 1, 2 and 3 in the next NBA draft and a point guard, Tre Jones, who has played his way into the first-round conversation.
"They're rock solid on defense," said one opposing head coach who faced Texas Tech this season. "They switched everything with an excellent shot-blocking presence. Really good motion offense. They take good shots and Culver is a nightmare matchup. Guys can make 3-pointers. Maybe vulnerable to pressure as no clear point guard in my view."
Texas Tech could be another bowling pin that Duke runs over
Texas Tech has not faced a team like Duke. Williamson, Barrett and Reddish possess a core of talent that's unmatched in college basketball. Plus, Duke continues to play top-five defense.
The only team that stopped Duke was a veteran Gonzaga squad that was connecting on 80 percent of its shots at one point in the first half. The Blue Devils defeated the other likely NCAA tournament squads on their schedule -- Kentucky, Auburn and Indiana -- by 61 points combined. And the loss to Gonzaga wasn't decided until the final seconds of a two-point game on a neutral site after Duke made a furious comeback.
Yes, Texas Tech boasts a strong defense. But five of its previous opponents are sub-300 teams on KenPom.com. Duke is a different monster.
The Red Raiders have not been tested by an elite opponent. And Texas Tech's offense lacks the playmakers that fuel Duke's squad.
The Red Raiders have the versatility to switch on defense, but Duke's trio of high-level wings can space the floor in ways Texas Tech's previous opponents could not. This is a great test for both teams. But Duke's dominant ways, channeled through its athleticism, explosiveness and talent, could continue against the Red Raiders.
