Life in the Big 12 Conference leaves little room for nursing your injuries, something Texas Tech 25 will have to confront with another difficult challenge up next.
After having their nine-game winning streak snapped at Houston 5 on Wednesday, the Red Raiders (14-3, 3-1 Big 12) welcome BYU 20 (14-3, 2-2) in Lubbock on Saturday as the conference tests continue.
The Cougars come after their second consecutive victory on Tuesday, breezing past Iowa State 24 with an 87-72 win despite being undermanned.
Texas Tech experienced their first league loss due to shooting struggles against Houston’s suffocating defense and a flurry of turnovers, which was contrary to their excellent ball control in the previous three conference games.
Despite making 11 3-pointers, Texas Tech only shot 36.7 percent overall and coughed up the ball 14 times after having single-digit turnover counts in the three prior matches.
Kerwin Walton was a bright spot with 18 points, hitting 6-of-9 shots from 3-point range, but the Red Raiders seldom got second opportunities on offense and lost the rebound battle 38-28.
Houston also wrapped up their 77-54 win with a commanding 40-8 lead in points in the paint.
“There wasn’t any question on who the tougher team was,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. “We knew coming into the game that we would have to play our best basketball to put ourselves in position to win the game.”
“I thought rebounding would play a big part and I thought we showed some effort there, but their points in the paint and us turning the ball over was the difference in the game.”
Spencer Johnson and the defense were the key factors against Iowa State for BYU, which had lost its first two Big 12 games.
Playing without starting guard Trevin Kell and backup big man Fousseyni Traore, the Cougars only used seven players until garbage time.
Johnson produced a career-best 28 points, and point guard Dallin Hall delivered with 11 points and eight assists in the victory.
In scoring the most points that Iowa State has conceded this season, BYU also capitalized at the free-throw line (20 of 24).
The Cougars also only turned the ball over 11 times against a Cyclone defense that was averaging 19 takeaways per game.
“I’m just proud of these guys’ togetherness and I’m proud of their fight and I’m proud of their belief,” BYU coach Mark Pope said. “If I could encapsulate one thing, it was our guys’ poise and their confidence and their refusal to not second-guess their decisions in real time.”
The challenge will be very different for both teams in their initial meeting as league opponents and their first encounter in Lubbock since 1995.
BYU comes in as the most prolific offensive team in the Big 12, averaging 85.7 points per game.
Five Cougars average double figures in scoring, spearheaded by sixth-man Jaxson Robinson with 14.3 points per game.
If Knell is fit and ready to go after a foot injury, he poses a significant threat from beyond the arc with 47 successful attempts in 100 tries, while Robinson has a 38.9 percent shooting accuracy from deep (42 of 108).
Texas Tech has a strong defense that was stingy during the nine-game winning streak and allows 65.5 points per game on the season.
