STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is off for the second-straight day due to time management heading into an incredibly busy week where there will be four games played in a week’s time, three of which coming on the road. It’s a welcome reprieve for the Pokes, such as Abou Ousmane and Arturo Dean, but that doesn’t mean the coaching staff, and the players for that matter, aren’t preparing as best they can for a tough Texas Tech team on the road this coming Sunday.
The Red Raiders are 14-4 overall on the season, 5-2 to start Big 12 play, and have one three-straight games, including a 16-point home win over a very good Arizona team on Jan. 18. Before that, they took No. 3 Iowa State to overtime in Lubbock where they lost by just one, 85-84.
“[They’re] a really good basketball team,” head coach Steve Lutz said about Texas Tech. “Obviously, [a team] that can, and will possibly finish towards the top. They’ve got a good inside/outside balance, they really shoot the three well. Well-coached. [They] play at a little bit slower tempo, that sort of deal, but they change defenses based upon what they fell that scheme is best, maybe for them in that particular game, and they do the same offensively. They really exploit mismatches offensively.”
The Red Raiders are third in the conference averaging nearly 78 points per game on 46% shooting from the floor, and second in the conference in 3-point shooting at 36%, fourth in rebounding with 37 boards per game and they have a zero (0) turnover margin, which is pretty solid, regardless of the league you play in.
JT Toppin is leading the way in scoring and shooting as he’s averaging 17 points per game on nearly 56% shooting from the floor. He’s also leading in rebounding with 9 boards per game.
Tuesday night against Arizona was a challenge for the Cowboys as other than about 16 minutes, there was a lapse in defense. Lubbock is always a challenge, no matter who’s playing in the game, or who’s on the Tech roster. But this is a really good Tech team, which has a chance to win the Big 12 this season. So, the Cowboys will need to be locked in for all 40 minutes.
