Wanted to share some analysis and observations as we get ready for tonight's matchup with the Longhorns...
*First, I'm firmly in the camp of believing that eight days of rest in the last nine days may have been the best possible thing this Tech team could've ever asked for. With Tech playing at WVU for Big Monday last week, they played just one game in the last nine days. Keenan Evans needs as much time off as you can give him. Zach Smith needs as much time off as you can give him. Heck, I think this team needed as much time off as you could give them to recalibrate, clean some things up defensively on the practice court, and prepare to go all out for (hopefully) the next three days.
*I've got a theory for ya: Keenan Evans' toe is definitely still not 100 percent, and I don't think it will be the rest of the season. That being said, I think that, until you prove to yourself what you can or can't do with caution to the wind on an injury, you won't really know. I think that, by having to essentially say screw it, going full on onions-mode, in the second half against TCU to make sure to win on Senior Day may have shown Keenan Evans that "Hey, I'm banged up, but I can still do this!" If that makes sense. With proof that he can still effectively drive it in on the injury, I think Keenan Time is still on the table for this basketball team.
*Tech's rotations defensively around the perimeter need to tighten up again. Late this season Tech's given up more open threes than they did all year. I think some of that's had to do with Justin Gray missing two games and Evans being banged up, but if Tech's going to continue to play their style of defense, they've got to build a wall around the perimeter like they did all year.
*With Eric Davis - a true blue sharpshooter - out for Texas, and Mo Bamba likely on the bench (but we’ll see), I think Tech's matchup gets easier with the Horns. They still have some size down low in Jericho Sims and Dylan Osetkowski, but neither one of those guys can close of the paint and score it inside quite like Bamba. The size matchup isn't near the problem now against the Horns. Eric Davis being out cuts down on the number of three point shooters for Texas, too, so as long as Tech gets back to defending the three point line like they have most of the season, they should really be able to clamp down on Kerwin Roach with more attention here.
*Speaking of Kerwin Roach, he's been the guy that's truly given Tech the most fits defensively, IMO. He's been a big time scorer against the Red Raiders as a shooter and driver. Like I said, if they can clamp down on him more with Bamba and Davis out, I think it helps Tech out in a major way. Sure, Osetkowski could go off, but with your length at guard, with Justin Gray and Zach Smith in the mix both, I don't think he'll have a big day shooting it on jumpers or on the perimeter.
*Finally, if Bamba does not in fact play, I want to see Tech get uber aggressive to the rim offensively with Evans, Culver, and Stevenson. If they can do that and stay patient with it, I think they can have more success with layups and dunks than they've had against the Horns all year.
*Odiase, Hamilton, and Francis. What can you get out of these guys tonight? Need all three to step up in the postseason, period.
*First, I'm firmly in the camp of believing that eight days of rest in the last nine days may have been the best possible thing this Tech team could've ever asked for. With Tech playing at WVU for Big Monday last week, they played just one game in the last nine days. Keenan Evans needs as much time off as you can give him. Zach Smith needs as much time off as you can give him. Heck, I think this team needed as much time off as you could give them to recalibrate, clean some things up defensively on the practice court, and prepare to go all out for (hopefully) the next three days.
*I've got a theory for ya: Keenan Evans' toe is definitely still not 100 percent, and I don't think it will be the rest of the season. That being said, I think that, until you prove to yourself what you can or can't do with caution to the wind on an injury, you won't really know. I think that, by having to essentially say screw it, going full on onions-mode, in the second half against TCU to make sure to win on Senior Day may have shown Keenan Evans that "Hey, I'm banged up, but I can still do this!" If that makes sense. With proof that he can still effectively drive it in on the injury, I think Keenan Time is still on the table for this basketball team.
*Tech's rotations defensively around the perimeter need to tighten up again. Late this season Tech's given up more open threes than they did all year. I think some of that's had to do with Justin Gray missing two games and Evans being banged up, but if Tech's going to continue to play their style of defense, they've got to build a wall around the perimeter like they did all year.
*With Eric Davis - a true blue sharpshooter - out for Texas, and Mo Bamba likely on the bench (but we’ll see), I think Tech's matchup gets easier with the Horns. They still have some size down low in Jericho Sims and Dylan Osetkowski, but neither one of those guys can close of the paint and score it inside quite like Bamba. The size matchup isn't near the problem now against the Horns. Eric Davis being out cuts down on the number of three point shooters for Texas, too, so as long as Tech gets back to defending the three point line like they have most of the season, they should really be able to clamp down on Kerwin Roach with more attention here.
*Speaking of Kerwin Roach, he's been the guy that's truly given Tech the most fits defensively, IMO. He's been a big time scorer against the Red Raiders as a shooter and driver. Like I said, if they can clamp down on him more with Bamba and Davis out, I think it helps Tech out in a major way. Sure, Osetkowski could go off, but with your length at guard, with Justin Gray and Zach Smith in the mix both, I don't think he'll have a big day shooting it on jumpers or on the perimeter.
*Finally, if Bamba does not in fact play, I want to see Tech get uber aggressive to the rim offensively with Evans, Culver, and Stevenson. If they can do that and stay patient with it, I think they can have more success with layups and dunks than they've had against the Horns all year.
*Odiase, Hamilton, and Francis. What can you get out of these guys tonight? Need all three to step up in the postseason, period.
