Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Head To Fort Worth
February 24, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Zach Smith, who set the freshman blocks record earlier this season, will lead the Red Raiders against the Horned Frogs on Wednesday in Fort Worth.
February 24, 2015
FORT WORTH, Texas - The last time the Red Raiders hit the floor, head coach Tubby Smith sent four freshman and a junior out as his starting five.
He shortened his rotation to six and Texas Tech almost upset No. 17 Oklahoma, falling in overtime, 79-75.
But now the Red Raiders hit the road for their 11th game away from Lubbock. Texas Tech is looking to end the drought, as the Red Raiders are 0-10 on the road and have lost their last 15 away from the Hub City.
On Wednesday, Texas Tech will face TCU at 7 p.m. at the Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center, as the Horned Frogs are remodeling the Daniel Meyer Coliseum.
Texas Tech has had its luck in Fort Worth, almost a second home, as the Red Raiders have won 30 of 57 meetings with TCU in Cowtown. In fact, the Red Raiders have won four of the last five in Fort Worth.
Wednesday's meeting marks the 125 meeting in the series, making it the third most-played rivalry for the Red Raiders, behind Texas and Baylor.
"TCU has done some good things and won some important games this season," said Smith. "What we have to do is build off our game against Oklahoma. We did a lot of things right, but just did not get the key stops we needed in overtime."
Smith used his ninth different starting lineup against the Sooners and could go with the freshmen-laden lineup again on Wednesday.
"We have not determined exactly who is going to start," said Smith. "But those five did some good things and played together."
Against Oklahoma, Smith started junior Toddrick Gotcher and then added four freshmen - Keenan Evans, Zach Smith, Isaiah Manderson and Norense Odiase. All five played over 30 minutes each and accounted for 73 of the team's 75 points in the game.
The freshmen four have been coming on of late. Each one has become a key contributor ovcer the second half of Big 12 play.
But for Texas Tech to have a chance at winning, the Red Raider will have to limit its mistakes and capitalize in transition.
"We have to keep our turnovers down," added Smith. "Ball control will be key."
When the two met in Lubbock in January, TCU walked away with a 62-42 win over the Red Raiders. But this might be a different Red Raider team that has found some offensive momentum.
The Red Raiders have been shooting higher percentage shots of late and converting at a higher rate. Zach Smith is a key example, as the Red Raider is netting 66.7 percent of his shots over the last six games.
