Something certainly lit a fire under the Texas Tech
basketball team. There is simply no comparison between the gritty effort the
Red Raiders put forth against the West Virginia Mountaineers, and the slothful
lethargy they displayed the game before against Oklahoma State.
On the road, before a throaty, partisan house, Tech summoned
up a passionate performance and very nearly pulled off a shocker in Morgantown.
This looked like a totally different Red Raider team
What a shame they couldn’t seal the deal!
At any rate, it is fairly apparent that a certain sports
writer penned this team’s epitaph a mite too early. The spirit to win still
beats within the hearts of these Red Raiders, and they are still paying
attention to the teachings of Chris Walker and his staff.
The stark change was most apparent in the first half defense
Tech played. Suffice it to say, that the Red Raiders played more aggressively
and physically than they have all year. On the plus side, Tech pestered,
worried and harried the Mountaineers, holding them to 32 first half points. On
the downside, this physicality resulted in a slew of fouls. And ultimately,
three Red Raiders—Jordan Tolbert, Jay Crockett and Dejan Kravic—fouled out.
It didn’t help matters that the zebras allowed burly Turkish
hill giant, Deniz Kravic to pull a
bull-in-a-China-shop routine all game long. He barreled into, plowed over, and
trampled underfoot many a Red Raider on this afternoon, yet was tagged with
only two personal fouls. This strains credulity.
Tech’s second half defense was not as physical, but then it
couldn’t be because of foul difficulties. Fortunately, the offense took up the
slack.
Offensive productivity has been a terrible problem for the
Red Raiders throughout Big 12 play, but Tech actually looked very crisp at
times running their sets in the second half. Screens were set with authority,
and the Red Raiders cut hard. They also ran a few very sharp in-bounds plays which produced points and fouls.
Then there was Dusty Hannahs, knocking down three-pointers
with the game on the line. And unlike in previous games, Hannahs actually had
breathing room to shoot. This can be attributed to better screening and Hannahs
curling off those screens quickly and precisely.
This was a game Tech could have won. Indeed, for the vast
majority of the game one almost got the sense that the Red Raiders were the
better team, and almost never have you been able to say that about Tech during
Big 12 play.
Ultimately, Tech’s inability to board missed free throws
hurt them badly. The Mountaineers picked off missed charity shots a good four
times, and made the Red Raiders pay when they did. That is unacceptable. Missed
free throws should belong to the defensive team.
Then there was the curious day of Josh Gray. He played a
mammoth 39 minutes and had a very mixed outing. On the plus side, Gray dished
out eight big assists. That sort of productivity is what Chris Walker needs
from his point guard. On the downside, however, Gray went one of nine from the
floor and committed six turnovers. It is thus rather strange that Daylen Robinson, who at times has provided a spark this
season, didn’t see the floor at all.
So how does this rather impressive but bitter loss affect Chris Walker’s pursuit of the permanent head
coaching position at Tech? Just as a kiss is still a kiss, and a cigar is
sometimes just a cigar, a loss is still a loss. It remains to be seen how much
a close road defeat to a middling West Virginia team will sway Kirby Hocutt.
But one thing is for certain—the battling spirit Walker’s team showed
against the Mountaineers looks a damned sight better than the pathetic effort
his team displayed at home against Oklahoma State.
And all of this makes the upcoming tilt against Oklahoma all
the more crucial. For my money, the Sooners could be the Big 12’s sleeper team
in the NCAA tourney. When it comes to pure athleticism and aggression, few
teams in the country are better than OU. This is a team that is capable of
blowing weak-willed clubs right out of the gym. But if Walker’s team builds
upon what they did in Morgantown and upsets the Sooners, they may provide real
justification for getting to play for him again in 2013-14.