Texas Tech University Athletics
Saturday, November 25
United Supermarkets Arena
2:00 PM
Texas Tech Athletics
vs
Savannah State
Red Raider Preview: Savannah State
November 24, 2017 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech men's basketball team wraps up its two-game Thanksgiving week homestand versus Savannah State on Saturday at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised by FOX Sports Southwest Plus along with the FOX Sports Go app. John Harris, Chris Level and Adam Doyle will serve as the announcing team.
The Texas Tech Sports Network will carry the game live on its flagship stations Double T 97.3 FM, 100.7 FM The Score and AM 950 in Lubbock. Geoff Haxton and Clark Lammert will have the radio call. The radio broadcast also will be available on the Texas Tech Sports Network radio affiliates, online at www.TexasTech.com and the Tune-In Radio app. Fans can interact live with Saturday's broadcast by following @GunsUpRadio on Twitter.
The Red Raiders (5-0) have tucked away five consecutive wins by 10-plus points to start the season. The 134-point margin of victory ranks second in program history for teams with a 5-0 start only behind the 140 points posted by the 2002-03 squad when Chris Beard was as an assistant coach under Bob Knight.
Last time out, Texas Tech claimed a 79-56 victory over Wofford. The Red Raiders took control of the game with a 23-0 spurt midway through the opening half and have won 32 straight nonconference home games going back to the 2013-14 season.
Texas Tech will take on Savannah State (2-4) for the first time on the hardwood. The Red Raiders have already defeated Maine (83-44), No. 20 Northwestern (85-49) and Wofford (79-56) in initial meetings this season.
Texas Tech has posted a 5-0 record in its previous meetings with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference members by an average margin of 28.4 points per game. The Red Raiders last meeting with a MEAC program was a 101-39 rout of South Carolina on Dec. 17. 2014 with the 62-point margin standing as the fourth-largest in program history.
"Savannah State is going to try to force the tempo," Beard said. "They want us to turn the ball over and want us to take quick shots. Defense starts with our offense. We have to play intelligent, and we have to play veteran March-type basketball on offense. We need to take good shots, move the ball and don't bail out with quick shots. We have to build a defense once we get back that will guard the three-point line. We need a defense that is going to help each other, and a defense that will get a rebound."
Tickets to Saturday's matchup can be purchased for $5 as part of a gameday Doorbuster deal at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office which will open at 12 p.m. CT.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street is the lone free parking lot for all fans which includes ADA parking for all men's basketball games. A free shuttle service begins 75 minutes prior to tipoff and runs up to 60 minutes following the game to transport fans to and from the United Supermarkets Arena. Buses also are ADA accessible. There is no longer free parking available in the West Lot across from the United Supermarkets Arena.
Traffic patterns around the United Supermarkets Arena have changed for the 2017-18 season. All patrons with North Lot passes must enter their lot from the Main and Flint intersection. All fans with South Lot passes must enter their lot from the 18th and Flint intersection. All West Lot pass holders must enter their lot at the Texas Tech Parkway and Knoxville Avenue intersection. All vehicles will be blocked from entering Indiana Avenue off of the Texas Tech Parkway.
Fans are reminded to go clear at all Texas Tech basketball games. The clear bag policy provides a safer atmosphere and speeds up the entry process into the United Supermarkets Arena.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders have been superb in their first five on the defensive end and not only pace the Big 12 but rank fifth nationally allowing just 52.6 points per game. Texas Tech also has limited the opposition to a 32.9 percent field goal clip which is second in the Big 12 and third in the nation. In addition, the Red Raiders hold NCAA Top 25 marks in turnovers forced, steals per game and turnover margin.
"I think our players are really buying in to having a defensive identity so far this year," Beard said. "We are athletic enough to be a defensive team. We've got Coach Adams on the staff who does a great job with the defense along with the assistants who have the scouts. I think to this point we have been able to get multiple stops. We have had some good defensive teams in the past, but what it really comes down to is being able to get multiple stops. That's what allows you to have offensive runs. A lot of good things going on in the defensive end, but we know we have to keep getting better too. We are nowhere near where we can be."
Keenan Evans has piled up 18.0 points per game which is fifth on the Big 12 leaderboard. He has strung together 25 consecutive games in double figures which is tied for the 11th longest streak in program history. The 25-game run is the longest for a Tech player since Ronald Ross during the 2004-05 season. Evans also has secured 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He posted a season's best five assists and matched a season-high three steals during the Wofford game.
The Red Raiders have been solid off the bench and amassed 188 points after five games, good enough for second place in the Big 12 rankings. Jarrett Culver (9.6 PPG), Zhaire Smith (7.4 PPG), Brandone Francis (6.4 PPG), Davide Moretti (6.2 PPG) and Norense Odiase (5.8 PPG) have combined for six games in double figures.
Culver roasted Wofford for a season-high 21 points over 21 minutes of action and has notched 10-plus points in three of his last four outings. He has been an efficient 11-of-16 shooting on his two-point attempts.
Odiase turned in his most complete all-around effort on the season with nine points and seven rebounds, while Moretti came away with eight points and dished out a season's best six assists versus the Terriers.
"Jarrett has done a great job, not only in the game where he was the leading scorer but all season long," Culver said. "He really helped us beat Northwestern, and he helped us beat Boston College. He is a very talented young guy. I love it when he is aggressive. When he is aggressive on the defensive end, it motivates him. It also spurs his offense to another level. We he is aggressive on offense, good things happen for our team. Culver is going to be special."
Zach Smith has worked his way to 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. He is closing in on joining Evans in the program's 1,000-point club and heads into Saturday's contest 79 points way.
Niem Stevenson (6.6 PPG), Tommy Hamilton IV (6.4 PPG) and Justin Gray (4.6 PPG) round out the starting five. Gray posted eight points and five rebounds versus Wofford, both season-highs. Stevenson and Hamilton IV have chipped two games apiece in double figures.
ABOUT SAVANNAH STATE
The Tigers like to launch from beyond the three-point arc with 223 of their 416 shot attempts coming from triple territory. That's an average of 37.2 attempts per game.
Dexter McClanahan has garnered a team-leading 17.2 points per game fueled by a pair of 20-point performances. He registered 26 points against Middle Georgia State and a 22-point effort versus Jacksonville State earlier this season.
Alante Farmer and Austin Dasent follow with 11.8 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. Zach Sellers has secured 8.2, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Savannah State picked up a 101-97 win over Alabama State in its last outing on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech will make its debut at the Under Armour Reunion against No. 20 Seton Hall on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT and is televised by FOX Sports 1. Next up at home, the Red Raiders square off with Nevada, a team who won 28 games and appeared in the 2017 NCAA Tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
Season tickets are on-sale and features the affordable Red Raider Sports Pass at $99. Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office located on the East Side of Jones AT&T Stadium, online at www.TexasTech.com or over the phone at (806) 742-8324 (TECH). Single-game tickets for nonconference games and Big 12 mini-plan ticket information also has been announced by the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office.
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by liking TexasTechMBB on Facebook along with following @TexasTechMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised by FOX Sports Southwest Plus along with the FOX Sports Go app. John Harris, Chris Level and Adam Doyle will serve as the announcing team.
The Texas Tech Sports Network will carry the game live on its flagship stations Double T 97.3 FM, 100.7 FM The Score and AM 950 in Lubbock. Geoff Haxton and Clark Lammert will have the radio call. The radio broadcast also will be available on the Texas Tech Sports Network radio affiliates, online at www.TexasTech.com and the Tune-In Radio app. Fans can interact live with Saturday's broadcast by following @GunsUpRadio on Twitter.
The Red Raiders (5-0) have tucked away five consecutive wins by 10-plus points to start the season. The 134-point margin of victory ranks second in program history for teams with a 5-0 start only behind the 140 points posted by the 2002-03 squad when Chris Beard was as an assistant coach under Bob Knight.
Last time out, Texas Tech claimed a 79-56 victory over Wofford. The Red Raiders took control of the game with a 23-0 spurt midway through the opening half and have won 32 straight nonconference home games going back to the 2013-14 season.
Texas Tech will take on Savannah State (2-4) for the first time on the hardwood. The Red Raiders have already defeated Maine (83-44), No. 20 Northwestern (85-49) and Wofford (79-56) in initial meetings this season.
Texas Tech has posted a 5-0 record in its previous meetings with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference members by an average margin of 28.4 points per game. The Red Raiders last meeting with a MEAC program was a 101-39 rout of South Carolina on Dec. 17. 2014 with the 62-point margin standing as the fourth-largest in program history.
"Savannah State is going to try to force the tempo," Beard said. "They want us to turn the ball over and want us to take quick shots. Defense starts with our offense. We have to play intelligent, and we have to play veteran March-type basketball on offense. We need to take good shots, move the ball and don't bail out with quick shots. We have to build a defense once we get back that will guard the three-point line. We need a defense that is going to help each other, and a defense that will get a rebound."
Tickets to Saturday's matchup can be purchased for $5 as part of a gameday Doorbuster deal at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office which will open at 12 p.m. CT.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street is the lone free parking lot for all fans which includes ADA parking for all men's basketball games. A free shuttle service begins 75 minutes prior to tipoff and runs up to 60 minutes following the game to transport fans to and from the United Supermarkets Arena. Buses also are ADA accessible. There is no longer free parking available in the West Lot across from the United Supermarkets Arena.
Traffic patterns around the United Supermarkets Arena have changed for the 2017-18 season. All patrons with North Lot passes must enter their lot from the Main and Flint intersection. All fans with South Lot passes must enter their lot from the 18th and Flint intersection. All West Lot pass holders must enter their lot at the Texas Tech Parkway and Knoxville Avenue intersection. All vehicles will be blocked from entering Indiana Avenue off of the Texas Tech Parkway.
Fans are reminded to go clear at all Texas Tech basketball games. The clear bag policy provides a safer atmosphere and speeds up the entry process into the United Supermarkets Arena.
ABOUT TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders have been superb in their first five on the defensive end and not only pace the Big 12 but rank fifth nationally allowing just 52.6 points per game. Texas Tech also has limited the opposition to a 32.9 percent field goal clip which is second in the Big 12 and third in the nation. In addition, the Red Raiders hold NCAA Top 25 marks in turnovers forced, steals per game and turnover margin.
"I think our players are really buying in to having a defensive identity so far this year," Beard said. "We are athletic enough to be a defensive team. We've got Coach Adams on the staff who does a great job with the defense along with the assistants who have the scouts. I think to this point we have been able to get multiple stops. We have had some good defensive teams in the past, but what it really comes down to is being able to get multiple stops. That's what allows you to have offensive runs. A lot of good things going on in the defensive end, but we know we have to keep getting better too. We are nowhere near where we can be."
Keenan Evans has piled up 18.0 points per game which is fifth on the Big 12 leaderboard. He has strung together 25 consecutive games in double figures which is tied for the 11th longest streak in program history. The 25-game run is the longest for a Tech player since Ronald Ross during the 2004-05 season. Evans also has secured 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He posted a season's best five assists and matched a season-high three steals during the Wofford game.
The Red Raiders have been solid off the bench and amassed 188 points after five games, good enough for second place in the Big 12 rankings. Jarrett Culver (9.6 PPG), Zhaire Smith (7.4 PPG), Brandone Francis (6.4 PPG), Davide Moretti (6.2 PPG) and Norense Odiase (5.8 PPG) have combined for six games in double figures.
Culver roasted Wofford for a season-high 21 points over 21 minutes of action and has notched 10-plus points in three of his last four outings. He has been an efficient 11-of-16 shooting on his two-point attempts.
Odiase turned in his most complete all-around effort on the season with nine points and seven rebounds, while Moretti came away with eight points and dished out a season's best six assists versus the Terriers.
"Jarrett has done a great job, not only in the game where he was the leading scorer but all season long," Culver said. "He really helped us beat Northwestern, and he helped us beat Boston College. He is a very talented young guy. I love it when he is aggressive. When he is aggressive on the defensive end, it motivates him. It also spurs his offense to another level. We he is aggressive on offense, good things happen for our team. Culver is going to be special."
Zach Smith has worked his way to 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. He is closing in on joining Evans in the program's 1,000-point club and heads into Saturday's contest 79 points way.
Niem Stevenson (6.6 PPG), Tommy Hamilton IV (6.4 PPG) and Justin Gray (4.6 PPG) round out the starting five. Gray posted eight points and five rebounds versus Wofford, both season-highs. Stevenson and Hamilton IV have chipped two games apiece in double figures.
ABOUT SAVANNAH STATE
The Tigers like to launch from beyond the three-point arc with 223 of their 416 shot attempts coming from triple territory. That's an average of 37.2 attempts per game.
Dexter McClanahan has garnered a team-leading 17.2 points per game fueled by a pair of 20-point performances. He registered 26 points against Middle Georgia State and a 22-point effort versus Jacksonville State earlier this season.
Alante Farmer and Austin Dasent follow with 11.8 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. Zach Sellers has secured 8.2, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Savannah State picked up a 101-97 win over Alabama State in its last outing on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech will make its debut at the Under Armour Reunion against No. 20 Seton Hall on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT and is televised by FOX Sports 1. Next up at home, the Red Raiders square off with Nevada, a team who won 28 games and appeared in the 2017 NCAA Tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
Season tickets are on-sale and features the affordable Red Raider Sports Pass at $99. Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office located on the East Side of Jones AT&T Stadium, online at www.TexasTech.com or over the phone at (806) 742-8324 (TECH). Single-game tickets for nonconference games and Big 12 mini-plan ticket information also has been announced by the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office.
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by liking TexasTechMBB on Facebook along with following @TexasTechMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
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