Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Hosts Oklahoma Saturday at United Spirit Arena
February 10, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Luke Adams led the Red Raiders with 15 points against Kansas State last time out.
Feb. 20, 2012
Texas Tech Notes | Oklahoma Notes | Big 12 Notes | ESPN3.com
Game 24 • Texas Tech (7-16, 0-11 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma (13-10, 3-8 Big 12)
Saturday, February 11, 2012 • 7:07 p.m. CT • Lubbock, Texas (United Spirit Arena • 15,020)
THE BROADCAST
Television: Texas Tech Sports Network / KLBK-TV 13 / FSN Southwest Plus (Texas)
Brian Jensen (PxP) & John Harris (Analyst)
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Netowrk (104.3 FM Lubbock Flagship)
Mark Finkner (PxP) & Andy Ellis (Analyst)
Satellite: XM (85) / Sirius (85) - Texas Tech
COACHES
Texas Tech: Billy Gillispie
Record at School: 7-16 (1st Season)
Overall record: 147-101 (8th Season)
Oklahoma: Lon Kruger
Record at School: 13-10 (1st season)
Overall record: 492-314 (25th season)
THE OPENING TIP
• Texas Tech enters Saturday's game after a 65-46 setback to Kansas State in Manhattan on Tuesday.
• Oklahoma fell to Missouri at home on Monday, 71-68.
• Today's game is on the Texas Tech Sports Network, Fox Sports Southwest and ESPN3.com. Brian Jensen (Play-by-Play) and John Harris (Analyst) are on the call.
• Texas Tech is looking to snap a 11-game losing streak. The Red Raiders are 0-11 in Big 12 play for the first time since joining the league in 1996. It is the longest conference losing streak for Tech since 1989-90.
TEXAS TECH-OKLAHOMA SERIES
• This is the 50th meeting between the Sooners and the Red Raiders. The two first met on Dec. 27, 1944 in Oklahoma City, Okla. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 31-18. Texas Tech leads the series in Lubbock, 12-9.
• The home team has won the last four meetings in the series.
• Oklahoma topped Texas Tech, 64-55, on Jan. 17 in Norman. Jaye Crockett paced Texas Tech with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Romero Osby had 15 points and eight rebounds for Oklahoma.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
• Oklahoma is currently 13-10 on the season and 3-8 in Big 12 play. The Sooners are 1-4 in road games this season.
• Oklahoma has lost five of its last six since beating Texas Tech in Norman.
• The Sooners are led by Steven Pledger (17.8 ppg/4.0 rpg), Andrew Fitzgerald (13.4 ppg/5.0 rpg) and Romero Osby (12.3 ppg/7.7 rpg).
FROM THE START
Last time out against Kansas State, the starting lineup was Terran Petteway, Ty Nurse, Javarez Willis, Robert Lewandowski and Jordan Tolbert. This is the fourth time this season this lineup has been used and one of 12 different starting lineups used this season.
A YOUTH MOVEMENT
Texas Tech features the youngest roster in the Big 12 Conference this season and one of the youngest squads in the nation with seven freshmen and three sophomores. Entering the season, only three players on the roster had played in a Division I basketball game - senior Robert Lewandowski, sophomore Jaye Crockett and sophomore Javarez Willis. Of the 12 players who have played this season, there are only two are upperclassmen - Lewandowski and junior Ty Nurse. The seven freshmen have produced 45.3 percent of the Red Raider offense this season, while playing 43.9 percent of the team's minutes.
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Turnovers have been a struggle for the Red Raiders this season, as Texas Tech has committed 17.4 per game. One by-product of turnovers are opponents' points off of turnovers. In Big 12 games this season, the Red Raiders are allowing 19.8 points per game off of turnovers. Texas Tech opponents are averaging 70.8 points per game in league play, meaning 28 percent of their offensive output is the result of turnovers.
CROCKETT STEPS UP IN LEAGUE PLAY
Texas Tech's Jaye Crockett has elevated his play since Big 12 Conference play began on Jan. 4. In the 11 league games this season, Crockett has scored in double figures six times and notched nine points in three other outings. He notched his second career double-double at Oklahoma and had a career-best 19-point effort at Texas A&M. His 19 points eclipses his previous best effort of 14 points against North Texas on Nov. 16, 2010. He added double-doubles against Missouri (11 points and 11 rebounds) and Oklahoma State (16 points and 14 rebounds). Crockett now has 13 career double-digit scoring efforts, with nine coming this season. He is averaging 8.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season and 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in Big 12 games. His 14 rebounds against Oklahoma State were a career best and the most by a Red Raider since Brad Reese had 16 against Texas-Arlington on Dec. 22, 2010.
TOLBERT LEADS BIG 12 FRESHMEN
Jordan Tolbert leads all Big 12 freshmen this season in rebounds (6.1 rpg) and field goal percentage (54.1 pct.). He is third among league freshmen in scoring at 11.9 points per game. Overall, Tolbert ranks 21st in the league in scoring and ninth in rebounding. He has scored in double figures 10 times this season, including a season-high 27 twice -- once at TCU on Dec. 6 and once against CSU-Bakersfield on Dec. 27. It was the most by a Tech freshman since John Roberson went for 28 against Northwestern State on Dec. 29, 2007. It is the second highest scoring mark by a Red Raider freshman in the Big 12 Era. He also netted 20 points against Indiana State at the Old Spice Classic, 22 against Grambling State and 21 against Oral Roberts. Tolbert has pulled down five rebounds in 14 of 19 games this season and had a his first double-double at Oklahoma State with 13 points and 13 rebounds. He added 10 rebounds at Oklahoma. He has recorded five 20-point games as a freshman, which has only been recorded one other time in the last 20 years at Texas Tech by a freshman. He also did it four times in a row, which was last done by Jarrius Jackson in November, 2006. He was named the Big 12 Conference player of the Week for the Week of Dec. 26-Jan. 1, after averaging 19.0 points and 4.0 rebounds, while shooting 78.9 percent from the field.
PLAYING 10 AGAINST KANSAS STATE
For the 12 time this season, the Red Raiders saw 10 players enter the lineup against Texas. On five occasions, nine players have seen action in a game and six times 12 players have played.
LEWANDOWSKI'S CAREER NUMBERS
Senior Robert Lewandowski has been a steady stalwart for the Red Raiders for the last four years. Against Oklahoma on Jan. 17, he recorded his 400th rebound. He has 708 career points, 418 career rebounds and 95 career blocks. His blocks rank eighth all-time at Texas Tech. He needs five more blocks to move into sixth on the career list. He has connected on 300 of 569 career shots for a 52.7 percent field goal percentage, which ranks fifth all-time at Texas Tech. This season, Lewandowski is averaging 7.0 points and 3.7 rebounds a game. He has scored eight or more points in 10 of the team's 21 games this season. Lewandowski also recorded his first career 3-pointer in just his third career attempt against Southeastern Louisiana. It was 61 games between his first 3-point attempt against UTEP on Jan. 3, 2010 and his first career make against Southeastern Louisiana. The 6-10 Lewandowski has played in 118 career games with 71 career starts. He ranks 11th in career games played at Texas Tech.
WAGNER DONE FOR SEASON
Lubbock native Kevin Wagner suffered a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 4 in Austin against Texas. Had a breakout performance on Jan. 25 against Kansas State. The 5-8 freshman, played in 18 games this season, starting six for the Red Raiders. He averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists and just under a rebound per game for the season. He had a breakout performance against Kansas State in Lubbock, when he netted 16 points, dished out four assists and had a pair of steals and rebounds in 37 minutes.
WILLIS ADDS BACKCOURT PRESENCE
Javarez "Bean" Willis is one of three returning players from last year's squad who has started 22 of 23 games this season. His streak of 27 consecutive free throws ended against Oklahoma State. For the season, he has converted 35 of 43 from the charity strip this season. His 81.4 percent from the line is third on the squad to teammates Ty Nurse and Robert Lewandowski. Willis is fourth in scoring (7.4), leads in assists (41) and is second in 3-pointers made (27). He also is second on the team in minutes played. He has recorded nine or more points 11 times this season and had a season high 16 against Cal State-Bakersfield thanks in large part to a season-high four 3-pointers. He tied that mark at Oklahoma after connecting on another four treys. Willis followed up that outing with a team-best 15 points against Southeastern Louisiana and another 11 against Oklahoma State. He has also dished out at least two assists in 10 of 22 games this season.
NURSE IS ONE OF NATION'S BEST FROM LINE
Ty Nurse has the ability to be an offensive threat each time he steps on the floor. He has led the team is scoring five times this season and scored in double figures on nine occasions. Nurse had a remarkable debut, chipping in 29 points. He has scored in 18 of 22 games this season. Nurse is second on the team in scoring at 8.7 points per game, while chipping in 1.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He is an 91.1 percent foul shooter, connecting on 51 of 56 from the charity strip this season. He has had streaks of 13 straight and 27 straight free throws made this season. He currently has the third highest free throw percentage in the nation, but it just misses out on qualifying as the nation's top charity stripe shooter. A player must make 2.5 free throws per game to qualify and Nurse currently is averaging 2.3 made free throws per game.
LEWANDOWSKI HAS CAREER GAME
Robert Lewandowski had a career performance against Iowa State. The 6-10 senior from Overland Park, Kan. went 8-17 from the field and 4-5 from the line to tie his career high with 20 points. He had previously had netted 20 points against Texas A&M as a freshman (01/28/09) and against Stephen F. Austin as a sophomore (11/19/10). Lewandowski played all 40 minutes against Iowa State and added six rebounds, four assists (tying a career high) and four blocks. He had four blocks in a game for the first time since Jan. 20, 2009, when he notched four blocks against Colorado.
WHERE'S THE LINE
Texas Tech made just three trips to the free throw line, converting just two of six free throws against Missouri on Jan. 28. It is the second time this year that the Red Raiders failed to shoot at least 10 free throws in a game this season. Texas Tech went 6-of-8 from the line against Iowa State on Jan. 21. Prior to that, the last time Texas Tech only shot eight free throws in a game was at Texas A&M on Jan. 28, 2009, when Texas Tech went 6-of-8 from the line. The last time the Red Raiders only shot six free throws in a game was at SMU on Dec. 2, 2003, when Tech hit 3-of-6 free throws. For the season, Texas Tech is attempting 21 free throws a game.
STRUGGLING FROM THE FIELD
After ranking as high as eighth in the nation in field goal percentage, the Red Raiders had been mired in a shooting slump until the game at Missouri. Texas Tech notched three straight games over 40 percent before recording its worst shooting effort of the season at Kansas State (28.9%). Prior to that, the Red Raiders had converted on better than 40 percent of their shots in three consecutive Big 12 games - 45.5% (at Missouri), 50.0% (OSU) and 40.7% (at Texas). The Missouri game was Tech's first game above 40 percent since Dec. 30. Before that, the Red Raiders had failed to shoot 40 percent in each of the previous seven games - 39.6% (at OSU), 39.6% (Baylor), 31.4% (Kansas), 33.3% (at Texas A&M), 32.6% (at Oklahoma), 35.1% (Iowa State) and 37.5% (Kansas State). The Red Raiders to 136th in the nation in field goal percentage (44.2 percent), but did you know that Texas Tech ranks 343rd in shot attempts (47.2 attempts per game)? The Red Raiders are making on average 20.9 field goals per game, which ranks 322nd out of the 344 schools in the NCAA Division I. The Red Raiders rank sixth in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage, 10th in shot attempts and shots made.
LUKE STEPS UP IN A BIG WAY
Walk-on Luke Adams stepped onto the court against Grambling State not only playing in his second career game, but making his first career start. The freshman from Big Spring, Texas, who is legally deaf, connected on his first four shots of the game (all 3s) to spark a 27-2 Texas Tech run against the Tigers. He earned his second career start at Oral Roberts, chipping in with four points and four assists. Then at Kansas State, Adams came off the bench to net 15 points to lead to Red Raiders. In 15 games, the 5-9 walk-on has averaged 4.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 216 total minutes of play.
REBOUNDING ON THE ROAD
Texas Tech has out-rebounded four of six Big 12 opponents on the road this season - Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Missouri, but came up short against Texas and Kansas State. In Stillwater, the Red Raiders out-boarded the Cowboys, 38-27 (+11). In College Station, Texas Tech pulled down 36 rebounds to Texas A&M's 28 (+8). In Norman, Tech edged OU, 37-34 (+3). In Columbia, The Red Raiders topped the Tigers, 31-27 (+4). At Texas, the Red Raiders were out-rebounded 41-25 (-16) and came up short against Kansas State, 40-34 (-6).
UP AND DOWN FROM THREE
Texas Tech has been up and down all season when it comes to 3-point shooting. Only four times this season have the Red Raiders put together back-to-back games of 35 percent or better from 3-point range. Here is a look at how the Red Raiders have fared this season -- 43% (Troy), 18.2% (North Texas), 54.5% (Stephen F. Austin), 22.2% (Indiana State), 50% (DePaul), 30% (Wake Forest), 44.4% (Texas A&M-CC), 25% (TCU), 42.1% (Grambling State), 14.3% (Oral Roberts), 50% (Bakersfield), 40% (SE Louisiana), 31.3% (OSU), 37.5% (Baylor), 9.1% (Kansas), 36.4% (Texas A&M), 50% (Oklahoma), 27.8% (Iowa State), 23.1% (Kansas State), 44.4% (Missouri), 36.4% (OSU), 36.4% (Texas) and 28.9% (Kansas State). For the season, the Red Raiders are 105 of 289 from beyond the arc (36.3 percent). Ty Nurse leads the way, hitting on 31 of 85 attempts (36.5 percent) from 3-point range.
SHOOTING FOR AVERAGE
Texas Tech is seventh in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage through 23 games, as the Red Raiders have hit on 44.2 percent of its shots from the field. The Red Raiders are 136th nationally in field goal percentage this season. Tech has hit 60 percent or better in a game three times this season -- Troy (61.1 percent), Stephen F. Austin (62.9 percent) and CSU-Bakersfield (60.0 percent). When Texas Tech shot 61.1 percent from the field (33 of 54) against Troy in the opener, it eclipsed the highest percentage of any game last season. The highest percentage last season was 58.8 percent (30-of-51) against Delaware State on Jan. 4. Two games later against Stephen F. Austin, the Red Raiders connected on their first six shots of the game to take a 15-5 lead. Texas Tech connected on 14 of 17 shots from the field in the first half (82.4 percent) and hit four of five 3-pointers (80 percent). The Red Raiders finished the game hitting 62.9 percent from the field. It is the best shooting performance by Tech in the last three years, eclipsing the 62.1 percent the Red Raiders shot against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 22, 2008. The Red Raiders added their third 60 percent shooting performance against Cal State-Bakersfield, as Texas Tech connected on 24 of 40 shots, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range. In all, the Red Raiders have shot better than 50 percent in six of 22 games this season. Only three teams in the nation shoot 50 percent or better from the field.
FROM THE LINE
Texas Tech shot 92 percent from the free throw line (23 of 25) against North Texas. It is the highest output since connecting on 23 of 24 last season against TCU (95.8 percent). The Red Raiders connected on nine consecutive free throws over the final 3:04 to secure the victory. Against K-State, Tech had its worst free throw shooting performance of the season, hitting just 14 of 26 from the line (53.1 percent). The Red Raiders followed it up with a 2-of-6 performance (33.3 percent) against Missouri. For the season, Texas Tech is 338 of 482 from the line (70.1 percent).
FROM THE FIELD
Texas Tech has out-shot its opponent from the field in 14 of 23 games this season. In the last outing, Kansas State outshot Texas Tech, 30 percent (15-of-50) to 28.9 percent (11-of-38). The Red Raiders have been out-shot by DePaul (42.3/46.6), Baylor (39.6/48.9), Kansas (31.4/50.9), Texas A&M (33.3/47.8), Oklahoma (32.6/38.9), Iowa State (35.1/48.4), Kansas State (37.5/48.1), Texas (43.4/40.7) and Kansas State (28.9/30.0).
3-POINT STREAK EXTENDS TO 38 STRAIGHT
Texas Tech extended its streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 38 straight games at Kansas State after connecting on 4-of-13 against the Wildcats. The last time The Red Raiders did not connect from the 3-point line was against Texas (0-11) a year earlier on Jan. 11, 2011.
LAMMERT ADDS DEPTH
Freshman walk-on Clark Lammert has become a key contributor of late. After making his collegiate debut against Grambling State, Lammert has stepped up in league play. In nine Big 12 games, he is averaging 4.9 points and 1.6 rebounds. He notched 10 points at Texas A&M, chipped in nine points against Iowa State and added a career-high 12 points at Texas. He is shooting 61.9 percent from the field and 82.4 percent from the line in limited action.
MEMORABLE DEBUT
Ty Nurse's 29 points against Troy is the most by a Red Raider since Mike Singletary had 33 against Iowa State on Jan. 26 last season. It is also the most points in a season opener by a Texas Tech player since Curtis Marshall had 30 against UNC-Ashville in 2004 and Andy Ellis had 30 against Indiana in 1999. It is also the most points in a newcomer debut in the Red Raider Big 12 Era.
A TRIPLE NOTE
There have been nine triple-doubles performed this year in the NCAA by Keegan Bell (Chattanooga), Jesse Sanders (Liberty), T.J. McConnell (Duquesne), Jake Odum (Indiana State), D.J. Cooper (Ohio), Kenny Gabriel (Auburn), Shabazz Napier (Connecticut), Royce White (Iowa State) and Peter `PJ' Roberson (Grambling State). Did you know that Texas Tech is the only school to face three of these athletes - Odum, White and Roberson. Odum had 13 points, one rebound and four assists against the Red Raiders. White recorded seven points, nine rebounds and six assists against Texas Tech. Roberson had 14 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against the Red Raiders.The Red Raiders faced Liberty's Jesse Sanders last season.
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Texas Tech head coach Billy Gillispie and the Red Raider basketball team spent the holiday season giving back to the local community. For 12 straight days, the Red Raiders visited area hospitals, worked with local charities and provided a helping hand during the holiday season as a part of Billy Gillispie's Red Raider 12 Days of Christmas. The Billy Gillispie's Red Raider 12 Days of Christmas began Dec. 10 and ran through Dec. 21. The team kicked off the season of sharing on Saturday by visiting the Lubbock Heart Hospital and concluded the 12 days by visiting the Texas Tech Police Department.
Date Event
Saturday, Dec. 10 Lubbock Heart Hospital
Sunday, Dec. 11 Covenant Children's Hospital
Monday, Dec. 12 UMC Children's Hospital
Tuesday, Dec. 13 Second Helpings
Wednesday, Dec. 14 Fire Station No. 1
Thursday, Dec. 15 Meals on Wheels
Friday, Dec. 16 Margaret Talkington Learning Center
Saturday, Dec. 17 Ronald McDonald House
Sunday, Dec. 18 Bender Terrace Nursing Home
Monday, Dec. 19 Salvation Army (Ring Bells)
Tuesday, Dec. 20 South Plains Food Bank
Wednesday, Dec. 21 Texas Tech Police
