Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech, K-State Square Off In Little Apple
January 14, 2015 | Men's Basketball
January 13, 2014
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The Red Raiders and Wildcats will square off on Wednesday at 7 p.m. from Bramlage Coliseum on ESPNews, but it is also a battle of two teams seemingly headed in different directions.
Texas Tech head coach Tubby Smith alluded to the possibility to a shakeup in the rotation on Tuesday to the media.
"We might make some changes in the rotation," said Smith. "We are going to go with the five that are playing the best right now and the five that give us the best chance to win."
After starting the season 9-1, Texas Tech has won just one of its next six games and have started the season 0-3 in Big 12 play. Conversely, Kansas State started the season 7-6 and have since gone 2-1 to open league play.
"Kansas State is on an upswing right now and we have our hands full," said Smith. "They are a well coached team and seem to be playing well behind Marcus Foster."
Foster, a native of Wichita Falls, Texas, leads Kansas State in scoring and is one of three Wildcats in double figures.
"We need to find the five best players that are going to give us the best chance to win," said Smith. "We might shake up the lineup. We are going to go with the players that are playing the best right now."
Texas Tech has struggled with consistency of late. The Red Raiders started the season shooting 46.7 percent through the first 10 games, but over the last six games, Texas Tech has shot just 38.8 percent.
The Red Raiders have also seen a decrease rebounds. Through the first 10 games, Texas Tech was pulling down 39.1 boards per game. Over the last six games, the Red Raiders 32.7 rebounds per game. The also including going from a plus-9.2 rebounding markgin to a minus-3.8 rebounding margin.
"If we are going to be successful, we have to do a better job on the boards," added Smith. "If we can keep our turnovers down and attack the boards better, then we have a chance to win every game."
One side note for Wednesday's matchup is both Texas Tech and Kansas State are two of the top four programs nationally in terms of getting to the free throw line. The Red Raiders lead the nation in free throw rate at 54.4 percent. Which means, Texas Tech shoots a free throw every 0.544 possessions. Kansas State is fourth nationally at 0.512 possessions. The Red Raiders are third nationally in free throw attempts, while Kansas State is 27th.
The Red Raiders are averaging almost 10 more free throw attempts per game. Texas Tech's 28.0 free throw attempts per game is the seventh most in program history and the most since the 1995-96 team.
"We are doing a great job of getting to the line," said Smith. "We just need to do a better job when we get there."
