Little late-arriving but nevertheless, we move. Texas Tech has a big chance to get back on track Tuesday evening in Manhattan, KS against Kansas State.
Let’s take a look at the projected starting lineup and some keys to the game that I think can play a factor in the Red Raiders rebounding and getting back above .500 in Big 12 play entering a critical stretch of the schedule…
Projected Starting Lineup
G Dug McDaniel - 5-foot-11, 175 pounds - Quick, twitchy guard who is still coming into his own at K-State after transferring in from Michigan. Played against the Red Raiders last season and had a season-high three steals in that game. Averaging 10 points per game and 3.5 assists per game in Big 12 play.
G Max Jones - 6-foot-4, 220 pounds - Athletic and experienced guard who has 96 career starts under his belt. Can really get out and go in transition but will also shoot the three ball. Averaging 9.5 points per game and 3.8 rebounds a night in Big 12 play.
G Brendan Hausen - 6-foot-4, 205 pounds - An elite shooter who has seen his fair share of ups and downs this season. Shoots 40.5 percent from beyond the arc, where 86 percent of his shots this season have come from.
F Coleman Hawkins - 6-foot-10, 235 pounds - In my opinion, the Wildcats’ most talented player. For all his length, Hawkins is really a massive guard out there, likes to make plays with the ball in his hands and will shoot from anywhere on the floor. Is leading the team in points per game in conference play, averaging 14 in K-State’s four contests.
F David N’Guessan - 6-foot-9, 220 pounds - Game reminds me some of JT Toppin, does the majority of his work around the rim and is the overall leading scorer on this team, averaging 12.7 points per game this season, which is slightly down in conference play at 10 a night. Excels as the roller in the PNR. Big threat on the boards, pulling down over 10 per game in conference.
Now for some KTTG...
Playing against a poor shooting team? Keep it that way
For what it’s worth, the Red Raiders have done a much better job in the last few games defending the perimeter and forcing their opponents into tougher looks from deep. Utah and BYU were essentially held ineffective from three, where both teams thrived prior to meeting against Tech.
Iowa State also had a tough time finding free looks from the outside, especially in the first half where the Cyclones went without a make from three.
The Wildcats shot a rather impressive (by their recent standards, anyways) 40 percent from three against the defensive juggernaut Houston, going 10-25 from range. Brendan Hausen was responsible for five of those makes and 11 attempts, so all things considered, the rest of the team shot 5-14.
In Big 12 play, K-State is 12th in the conference in three-point percentage (28.7) and the Wildcats have struggled mightily this season trying to find their alpha dog offensively.
Be resilient in the paint
K-State’s leading scorer David N’Guessan does a majority of his work around the rim but the Wildcats are a predominantly perimeter centric team. Even the lengthy Coleman Hawkins, former teammate of Terrance Shannon at Illinois, is more of a playmaker on the outside who is a pick-and-pop threat at any given moment. They may not shoot the best from deep, but the focus of the offense is on initiating actions from outside-in.
ISU was able to pick Tech apart in the lane, where the Cyclones scored 50 points and made some tough plays around the rim to draw fouls.
The Wildcats are coming off allowing 52 points to Houston in the painted region, and gave up 34, 30 and 36 in the games before that.
I think we’ve seen the Red Raiders be able to be a force down low at times this season, especially when the PNR game is functioning at a high-level and dribble-drive keeps its rhythm.
Bit all over the place with this key but case stands that Tech has a chance to impose its will on the inside against a team that is struggling to find itself on either end of the floor down low.
Keep the road magic cooking
I never would have thought I’d see Tech ever be winless at home in Big 12 play, even if it is just two games in. So far in this conference season, road teams have won 14 of 32 total games in the Big 12, so around a 44 percent clip. Even though the sample size is considerably smaller and there will also be more conference games this season, this is up about 11 percent.
The Red Raiders are 6-18 in Manhattan and have lost the last two meetings in the Octagon of Doom.
This being the only meeting between the two sides, I see the sense of urgency being ramped up even more and entering a stretch of games that are all certainly winnable, I see Tech coming out and pouncing on a struggling K-State squad.
Let’s take a look at the projected starting lineup and some keys to the game that I think can play a factor in the Red Raiders rebounding and getting back above .500 in Big 12 play entering a critical stretch of the schedule…
Projected Starting Lineup
G Dug McDaniel - 5-foot-11, 175 pounds - Quick, twitchy guard who is still coming into his own at K-State after transferring in from Michigan. Played against the Red Raiders last season and had a season-high three steals in that game. Averaging 10 points per game and 3.5 assists per game in Big 12 play.
G Max Jones - 6-foot-4, 220 pounds - Athletic and experienced guard who has 96 career starts under his belt. Can really get out and go in transition but will also shoot the three ball. Averaging 9.5 points per game and 3.8 rebounds a night in Big 12 play.
G Brendan Hausen - 6-foot-4, 205 pounds - An elite shooter who has seen his fair share of ups and downs this season. Shoots 40.5 percent from beyond the arc, where 86 percent of his shots this season have come from.
F Coleman Hawkins - 6-foot-10, 235 pounds - In my opinion, the Wildcats’ most talented player. For all his length, Hawkins is really a massive guard out there, likes to make plays with the ball in his hands and will shoot from anywhere on the floor. Is leading the team in points per game in conference play, averaging 14 in K-State’s four contests.
F David N’Guessan - 6-foot-9, 220 pounds - Game reminds me some of JT Toppin, does the majority of his work around the rim and is the overall leading scorer on this team, averaging 12.7 points per game this season, which is slightly down in conference play at 10 a night. Excels as the roller in the PNR. Big threat on the boards, pulling down over 10 per game in conference.
Now for some KTTG...
Playing against a poor shooting team? Keep it that way
For what it’s worth, the Red Raiders have done a much better job in the last few games defending the perimeter and forcing their opponents into tougher looks from deep. Utah and BYU were essentially held ineffective from three, where both teams thrived prior to meeting against Tech.
Iowa State also had a tough time finding free looks from the outside, especially in the first half where the Cyclones went without a make from three.
The Wildcats shot a rather impressive (by their recent standards, anyways) 40 percent from three against the defensive juggernaut Houston, going 10-25 from range. Brendan Hausen was responsible for five of those makes and 11 attempts, so all things considered, the rest of the team shot 5-14.
In Big 12 play, K-State is 12th in the conference in three-point percentage (28.7) and the Wildcats have struggled mightily this season trying to find their alpha dog offensively.
Be resilient in the paint
K-State’s leading scorer David N’Guessan does a majority of his work around the rim but the Wildcats are a predominantly perimeter centric team. Even the lengthy Coleman Hawkins, former teammate of Terrance Shannon at Illinois, is more of a playmaker on the outside who is a pick-and-pop threat at any given moment. They may not shoot the best from deep, but the focus of the offense is on initiating actions from outside-in.
ISU was able to pick Tech apart in the lane, where the Cyclones scored 50 points and made some tough plays around the rim to draw fouls.
The Wildcats are coming off allowing 52 points to Houston in the painted region, and gave up 34, 30 and 36 in the games before that.
I think we’ve seen the Red Raiders be able to be a force down low at times this season, especially when the PNR game is functioning at a high-level and dribble-drive keeps its rhythm.
Bit all over the place with this key but case stands that Tech has a chance to impose its will on the inside against a team that is struggling to find itself on either end of the floor down low.
Keep the road magic cooking
I never would have thought I’d see Tech ever be winless at home in Big 12 play, even if it is just two games in. So far in this conference season, road teams have won 14 of 32 total games in the Big 12, so around a 44 percent clip. Even though the sample size is considerably smaller and there will also be more conference games this season, this is up about 11 percent.
The Red Raiders are 6-18 in Manhattan and have lost the last two meetings in the Octagon of Doom.
This being the only meeting between the two sides, I see the sense of urgency being ramped up even more and entering a stretch of games that are all certainly winnable, I see Tech coming out and pouncing on a struggling K-State squad.
