Well, that was certainly something, wasn't it? A few thoughts...
*When we hit the halftime break, my first real doubts about this team started to creep in. After two straight games where the offense was flat as a board, the team lost their edge, and it appeared this team couldn't hit water falling out of a boat behind the arc. It was the same story, different game. Then, this team found themselves again. It started slowly on the offensive end with a couple of baskets, and soon enough, the Red Raiders had hit six consecutive buckets to cut it to an 8 point game. That's when the confidence returned. The swagger - as much as I hate that term - came back. This team was confident, and they drowned OSU on both ends from then on. They were down by 15, and they won by 5. They scored 50 points in the second half while OSU scored just 33, and most of those coming in the final 2 minutes when they were in a frenzy and Tech was trying to avoid fouling. This Tech basketball team rediscovered themselves on the offensive end of the floor tonight in the second half of this contest.
*That started with Keenan Evans. With 18:17 left to play in the game, he made a layup. Then, on the next possession, he hit a three. Then Francis hit a three. Then Stevenson drove it for a big dunk. Things snowballed from there. Keenan Evans found himself again, and I think it was because he found his aggression on offense again. Once he found that aggression, his teammates followed. Tech drove the ball to the hoop and was more aggressive on offense than they've been in two weeks. And it worked because this group is long, athletic, and tough at guard. They finally remembered that again tonight. I think that aggression helped them find big, aggressive buckets from three, too. The fever finally broke on offense, and I think this may end up being their "get right" game.
*But that offense also came because this team did another thing they haven't in a few games: Fight their tails off on defense with great energy, hustle, and physicality for stops, turnovers, and rebounds. Tech essentially flipped the rebounding margin on its head from the first half to the second half. OSU had 21 rebounds while Tech had 14 at the end of the first half. In the second half, Tech had 17, and OSU had just 10. That all came as a result of effort. Tech was diving all over the floor, and jumping out of the gym for rebounds. This is a group that's always made the whole better than the sum of the parts because of the energy and effort they play with, on both ends, really. My hope is that this was the proof/wakeup call/reversal they needed to realize that's what made them a top 10 team weeks ago. It's about how hard they play.
*Jarrett Culver, take a bow young man. The freshman had the best game of his young career, scoring 25 and rebounding it 8 times. He kept the Red Raiders in the game with a big first half on offense, and he kept on chugging in the second half. He knocked down 4 big threes in the contest, and you can argue he's just as big a reason Tech won as Evans was. If you didn't already know it: This kid is special. He's going to do some once-in-a-generation things as a Red Raider on the court. I will guarantee that right now.
*One negative note: I felt for Zhaire Smith tonight, because the cards just didn't fall his way on the offensive end. He had 9 shots, and I think he needs to be shooting it that much, but two failed dunks and a few other close calls held him back on that end. Just one of those nights where no luck went his way.
*This team, no matter how poorly things have gone over the last 8 days, kept their heads up, never wavered, and pressed onward, even when they were down 15 to OSU. This group's resiliency is something worth admiring. It's their best trait, if you ask me. And they may have saved their hopes for a chance at a conference title tonight because of that.
*When we hit the halftime break, my first real doubts about this team started to creep in. After two straight games where the offense was flat as a board, the team lost their edge, and it appeared this team couldn't hit water falling out of a boat behind the arc. It was the same story, different game. Then, this team found themselves again. It started slowly on the offensive end with a couple of baskets, and soon enough, the Red Raiders had hit six consecutive buckets to cut it to an 8 point game. That's when the confidence returned. The swagger - as much as I hate that term - came back. This team was confident, and they drowned OSU on both ends from then on. They were down by 15, and they won by 5. They scored 50 points in the second half while OSU scored just 33, and most of those coming in the final 2 minutes when they were in a frenzy and Tech was trying to avoid fouling. This Tech basketball team rediscovered themselves on the offensive end of the floor tonight in the second half of this contest.
*That started with Keenan Evans. With 18:17 left to play in the game, he made a layup. Then, on the next possession, he hit a three. Then Francis hit a three. Then Stevenson drove it for a big dunk. Things snowballed from there. Keenan Evans found himself again, and I think it was because he found his aggression on offense again. Once he found that aggression, his teammates followed. Tech drove the ball to the hoop and was more aggressive on offense than they've been in two weeks. And it worked because this group is long, athletic, and tough at guard. They finally remembered that again tonight. I think that aggression helped them find big, aggressive buckets from three, too. The fever finally broke on offense, and I think this may end up being their "get right" game.
*But that offense also came because this team did another thing they haven't in a few games: Fight their tails off on defense with great energy, hustle, and physicality for stops, turnovers, and rebounds. Tech essentially flipped the rebounding margin on its head from the first half to the second half. OSU had 21 rebounds while Tech had 14 at the end of the first half. In the second half, Tech had 17, and OSU had just 10. That all came as a result of effort. Tech was diving all over the floor, and jumping out of the gym for rebounds. This is a group that's always made the whole better than the sum of the parts because of the energy and effort they play with, on both ends, really. My hope is that this was the proof/wakeup call/reversal they needed to realize that's what made them a top 10 team weeks ago. It's about how hard they play.
*Jarrett Culver, take a bow young man. The freshman had the best game of his young career, scoring 25 and rebounding it 8 times. He kept the Red Raiders in the game with a big first half on offense, and he kept on chugging in the second half. He knocked down 4 big threes in the contest, and you can argue he's just as big a reason Tech won as Evans was. If you didn't already know it: This kid is special. He's going to do some once-in-a-generation things as a Red Raider on the court. I will guarantee that right now.
*One negative note: I felt for Zhaire Smith tonight, because the cards just didn't fall his way on the offensive end. He had 9 shots, and I think he needs to be shooting it that much, but two failed dunks and a few other close calls held him back on that end. Just one of those nights where no luck went his way.
*This team, no matter how poorly things have gone over the last 8 days, kept their heads up, never wavered, and pressed onward, even when they were down 15 to OSU. This group's resiliency is something worth admiring. It's their best trait, if you ask me. And they may have saved their hopes for a chance at a conference title tonight because of that.
