Getting to know: Texas Tech basketball

By Staff Feb 23, 2019

Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver (23), Brandone Francis (1), Kyler Edwards (0) and Tariq Owens, right, huddle around head coach Chris Beard, center, during a time out in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

It is no secret that tonight’s game is a big one, and will have huge implications on the Big 12 race.

No. 12 Kansas (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) and No. 14 Texas Tech (21-5, 9-4) will meet for the second time in three weeks, though this time will be in the United Supermarkets Arena. The Jayhawks and Red Raiders are currently tied for second in the Big 12 standings, one game out of first place, with five league games remaining.

However, Kansas and Texas Tech have the two longest winning streaks in the Big 12 with the Red Raiders at four straight and the Jayhawks at three.

Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Series history: Kansas leads the overall series with Texas Tech, 35-5. The Jayhawks have won 17 of the last 18 meetings in the series beginning Jan. 16, 2010.

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji (30) and Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver (23) hustle for a loose ball during the second half, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at Allen Fieldhouse.

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**BREAKING DOWN TEXAS TECH**
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**TOP PLAYER**

*No. 23 — G Jarrett Culver | 6-5, so.*
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Culver comes into Saturday’s game having scored 875 points in his career and leads the Red Raiders with 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season.

Texas Tech's Matt Mooney (13) jumps back to shoot the ball over TCU's Alex Robinson (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)

This season, Culver is third in the Big 12 in scoring behind only Iowa State’s Marial Shayok (19.3) and KU’s Dedric Lawson (19.2). He has scored in double figures in 25 of 26 games and is shooting 49.8 percent from the field overall and 44.7 percent in Big 12 play.

The Red Raiders run through Culver on a nightly basis, as he has a usage rate of 30.4. That mark ranks 48th in the nation, according to KenPom.com.

**SUPPORTING CAST**

*No. 13 — G Matt Mooney | 6-3, sr.*
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As one of three double-digit scorers for TTU, Mooney is posting 10.7 points per outing.

Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) and Texas Tech guard Davide Moretti (25) compete for a ball during the second half, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Mooney scored nine points against Baylor after going 5-for-5 on 3-pointers in a 15-point performance at Oklahoma State. He now has three games in his collegiate career with five 3-pointers and has 29 triples this season for the Red Raiders.

Mooney is recording an assist rate of 19.3 percent, while posting a steal rate of 3.6 percent.

*No. 25 — G Davide Moretti | 6-3, so.*
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Moretti is second on the team in scoring with 10.9 points per contest.

Last Saturday, Moretti hit four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points against Baylor and is now 10-for-18 from beyond the arc in the past four games. He scored 14 points against Kansas where he hit three 3-pointers and was 5-for-5 at the free-throw line in the first matchup.

Texas Tech's Tariq Owens (11) dunks the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)

Moretti’s free throw percentage of 91.4 ranks seventh in all of college basketball.

*No. 11 — F Tariq Owens | 6-10, sr.*
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Even though Owens is not averaging double figures on the season, he still has made a huge impact for Texas Tech as of late.

Owens, who has had at least one block in all 26 games this season, has scored in double figures in five of the last seven Big 12 games. He has 31 blocks in Big 12 play and is fifth in the conference with a 56.7 shooting percentage.

Owens is boasting a block rate of 12.7 percent, which is the eighth-highest mark in the nation.

**ONE THING TEXAS TECH DOES WELL**

Spoiler alert: Texas Tech is a very talented defensive team. According to KenPom, the Red Raiders defense has boasted the best defensive efficiency and effective field goal percentage in all of college basketball.

**ONE AREA TEXAS TECH STRUGGLES**

Texas Tech hasn’t always valued possession on the offensive end. The Red Raiders are allowing opposing defenses to post a 9.8 steal rate. It is an area that the Jayhawks can take advantage of with good on-ball defense.

**MEET THE COACH**

Texas Tech is coached by Chris Beard, who is 66-29 in his third season at TTU and 162-59 in his seventh season overall.

**VEGAS SAYS…**
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I know this team is different from the previous 14 KU teams that have won at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title. That being said, I’m not going to pick against KU getting a piece of the league crown unless it loses this weekend. So in these situations, I’ll trust Bill Self to win one game with a week to prepare. I’m certainly comfortable taking the Jayhawks to cover, but I think they find a way to steal this one.

**My prediction:** Kansas 71, Texas Tech 68