It was a seesaw game to say the least, but in the end, the Texas Tech men's basketball team emerged victorious over. There were several; things that the team should be concerned about, but I'll just highlight a few.
Perimeter defense
Even if you watched this game half sleep, with one eye open, you'd realize very quickly that it was a huge problem. High Point shot a staggering 55.6 percent from long range. Most of those shot attempts were consequences from players not closing out on shots, or leaving assignments wide open, It's definitely something head coach Tubby Smith will need to address going forward.
Turnovers
Any team knows that you'll be hard pressed to come back from turning the ball over 17 times. Every time the Red Raiders went on a run, a turnover would hinder its chances to get back into the game. Luckily, High Point failed to capitalize on some of the turnovers, but tougher competition may not. Let's just say the team that coughed up the ball 17 times only allowed the opposition to score two pointers. That team would essentially have the opportunity to score 34 points.
Rebounding
Texas Tech's effort to grab boards in the first half of the game was lacking severely. The worst part about it all was the opposition's size. Obviously, High Point forward John Brown gave them all they could handle in the paint, it still doesn't justify the lack of intensity. However, the second half was a different story, as Tech would completely turn things around.
The Positives.....
Resilience
Many teams fold after giving up a double digit lead, but the Red Raiders were able to keep composure and walk away victorious. In the second half, Tech held an 11 point lead. If you blinked a few times or stepped away from the television for just a second you would have missed High Point cut that lead to two. Then, a three point shot gave High Point a three point lead late in the second period. But once again, the team railed together to get out of a sticky situation.
Devaughtah Williams
I'd be remise if I didn't highlight the man of the night for Texas Tech. Twenty-six points and eight rebounds? That performance was nothing short of excellent. But this is nothing new for Williams, as tonight marked his seventh 20 plus night as a Red Raider. His biggest shot came late in the fourth when Tech trailed by three. He got the ball, rolled the dice on the three ball, and got a seven by tying the game. He then got a steal and a fast break score on the next possession. The sky is the limit for Tech if he's performing like that all season.
Overall, it was a decent performance from Texas Tech. There still are a few things that coach Smith will have to iron out, but it is just the first game. It may take a few games, but the experience of games like this may actually pay off down the road in conference play.
Perimeter defense
Even if you watched this game half sleep, with one eye open, you'd realize very quickly that it was a huge problem. High Point shot a staggering 55.6 percent from long range. Most of those shot attempts were consequences from players not closing out on shots, or leaving assignments wide open, It's definitely something head coach Tubby Smith will need to address going forward.
Turnovers
Any team knows that you'll be hard pressed to come back from turning the ball over 17 times. Every time the Red Raiders went on a run, a turnover would hinder its chances to get back into the game. Luckily, High Point failed to capitalize on some of the turnovers, but tougher competition may not. Let's just say the team that coughed up the ball 17 times only allowed the opposition to score two pointers. That team would essentially have the opportunity to score 34 points.
Rebounding
Texas Tech's effort to grab boards in the first half of the game was lacking severely. The worst part about it all was the opposition's size. Obviously, High Point forward John Brown gave them all they could handle in the paint, it still doesn't justify the lack of intensity. However, the second half was a different story, as Tech would completely turn things around.
The Positives.....
Resilience
Many teams fold after giving up a double digit lead, but the Red Raiders were able to keep composure and walk away victorious. In the second half, Tech held an 11 point lead. If you blinked a few times or stepped away from the television for just a second you would have missed High Point cut that lead to two. Then, a three point shot gave High Point a three point lead late in the second period. But once again, the team railed together to get out of a sticky situation.
Devaughtah Williams
I'd be remise if I didn't highlight the man of the night for Texas Tech. Twenty-six points and eight rebounds? That performance was nothing short of excellent. But this is nothing new for Williams, as tonight marked his seventh 20 plus night as a Red Raider. His biggest shot came late in the fourth when Tech trailed by three. He got the ball, rolled the dice on the three ball, and got a seven by tying the game. He then got a steal and a fast break score on the next possession. The sky is the limit for Tech if he's performing like that all season.
Overall, it was a decent performance from Texas Tech. There still are a few things that coach Smith will have to iron out, but it is just the first game. It may take a few games, but the experience of games like this may actually pay off down the road in conference play.
