Texas Tech University Athletics
Saturday, January 6
United Supermarkets Arena
3:00 PM
Texas Tech Athletics
vs
Kansas State
Red Raider Preview: Kansas State
January 05, 2018 | Men's Basketball
The Red Raiders aim for the program’s second 3-0 start in Big 12 play on Saturday.
LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 18 Texas Tech men's basketball team will look to finish off a week sweep of the Sunflower State schools when Kansas State visits the United Supermarkets Arena on Saturday.
Tipoff is slated for 3 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 950 AM 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 (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) enter Saturday's action in a three-way tie for first place in the Big 12 standings with No. 6 West Virginia and No. 7 Oklahoma. Those two programs also meet on Saturday in Morgantown.
Texas Tech dialed up the program's first victory at Allen Fieldhouse with a wire-to-wire 85-73 win over No. 10 Kansas on Tuesday. The 36-point margin of victory is the second-largest in program history during its first two Big 12 games only behind the 1998-99 squad which won their first two outings by a combined 45 points under head coach James Dickey.
Saturday's matchup with the Wildcats (11-3, 1-1 Big 12) is the 39th in a series where Kansas State holds a 25-13 edge. Texas Tech has won the last three matchups in Lubbock which includes a 66-65 decision against then No. 25 K-State on Jan. 10.
Kansas State has split its first two Big 12 matchups courtesy of a 91-75 road win versus Iowa State followed by a 77-69 loss to No. 6 West Virginia. The Wildcats also have defeated Vanderbilt and Washington State away from the Little Apple coupled with a two-point setback to No. 4 Arizona State at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational.
"I think I speak for everybody in our program – our players and our staff – that we have a lot of respect for K-State," Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. "This is a team that returns a lot of their best players from last season. They've added some really good pieces this season, both in recruiting and in development. They have one of the best coaches (Bruce Weber) in college basketball. It's a team that really kicked us last time we played them (in Manhattan). It's a team that played in the NCAA Tournament last year. We know we are going to have to play really well to have a chance to win this game at home. We have a lot of respect for Kansas State's program."
Tickets to Saturday's game can be purchased for as low as $15 online at www.TexasTech.com or at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office which opens on gameday starting at 1 p.m. CT.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street off of Texas Tech Parkway 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 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 continue to pace the Big 12 conference and possess Top 5 national marks in scoring defense (59.3 PPG – 4th), field goal percentage defense (36.7 – T-3rd) and scoring margin (+22.3 – 3rd). Texas Tech also hold Top 10 national rankings in turnover margin (+5.4 – 8th) and three-point field goal percentage defense (29.3 – 10th).
Keenan Evans has rattled home 16.5 points, 3.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game. All three marks coupled with his 80.3 free throw percentage check in among the Big 12's Top 11 headed by the 16.5 points in fifth place. Evans has notched double digit points in 12 of 13 games and in 38 of his last 40 outings. He pumped in 16 of his 18 points during the second half highlighted by the go-ahead layup in the closing 15 seconds of last year's 66-65 win over Kansas State.
The freshmen trio of Jarrett Culver, Davide Moretti and Zhaire Smith lead an effective and efficient Texas Tech which has racked up 553 points during the team's first 14 games. The Red Raiders have kicked into high gear and tallied an 84-20 edge in bench points during their first two Big 12 games.
Smith and Culver are ranked sixth and seventh among Big 12 freshmen with 10.7 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Smith has upped his scoring average to 12.6 points per game on the strength of nine consecutive games in double figures whereas Culver has reached double figures on seven occasions most recently a 12-point effort at No. 10 Kansas. Moretti has managed at least five points in nine of 14 games and dished out 21 of his 28 assists over his last 10 games.
Niem Stevenson has turned in 8.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He has compiled 18 assists versus five turnovers since the Kennesaw State game on Dec. 14. Stevenson has secured 10-plus points in six of his last nine games.
Zach Smith has battled his way to the floor through an injury over the team's first two Big 12 games. He has come away with 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks per game for the season. Smith has pulled with 18 points of reaching 1,000 for his career and 14 points of Tony Battie's program record.
Tommy Hamilton IV and Brandone Francis have chipped in 6.4 points and 4.4 points per game, respectively. They each tallied seven points on 3-of-6 shooting during the Kansas game. Hamilton IV has registered 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his last seven efforts coming off the bench.
Justin Gray and Norense Odiase round out Texas Tech's 10-man rotation with 6.1 points and 4.9 points per game. The veterans brought their 'A' game to Lawrence. Odiase controlled the interior with 12 points, eight rebound and two steals. Gray did a majority of his damage during the first half where he claimed a season's best 12 points to go along with six rebounds and a season-high three steals.
"Justin is a really good player, but he is the ultimate 'team' guy," Beard said. "He does what it takes to win. Justin Gray is going to get paid a lot of money to play basketball, and I'm sure on some of his pro jobs he will be asked to score the ball a lot more than we ask him. He is always ready when need be. In the Kansas game on some of those possessions that got to mid/late clock, that's where Justin gets really aggressive. I give his teammates a lot of credit for screening and passing to him. I've always thought he is a great scorer. He's doing what needs to be done each game. Justin will have some 20 point games in this league, there's no doubt about it."
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
The Wildcats rely heavily on their starting five who average 62.1 points per game on a 49.4 percent shooting clip. A trio of juniors in Barry Brown, Jr. (14.9 PPG), Dean Wade (14.9 PPG) and Kamau Stokes (14.2 PPG) led the way and have already combined for 32 games with 10-plus points on the season.
Wade has been impressive in Big 12 action where he has raised his averages to 25.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He has knocked down 18 of his 24 field goal attempts. Wade's 51 points are the most by a K-State player through the first two Big 12 games since former All-American Michael Beasley scored 53 during the 2007-08 season. He has garnered 10-plus points during all four of his career games versus Texas Tech.
Stokes has worked his way to 14.2 points, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has eclipsed the 20-point barrier three times most recently a 23-point outburst at Iowa State on Dec. 29. Stokes has handed out five or more assists nine times which includes seven of his last eight games going back to Nov. 29.
Brown, Jr. has picked up 14.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has found his way to double figures in six of his last seven appearances. Three of his 20-plus point performances are away from home highlighted by a season's best 27 points against Arizona State on Nov. 23. Brown also provided 23 points at Washington State on Dec. 20 in Spokane and 21 points at Iowa State on Dec. 29.
Xavier Sneed has proven to be a threat with 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has buried 14 of his 27 three-pointers over his last five games. Sneed canned six triples en route to 20 points versus West Virginia last time out. He also filled it up for 21 points at Vanderbilt back on Dec. 3.
K-State's top options off the bench have been Cartier Diarra (3.9 PPG) and Amaad Wainwright (3.8 PPG). Diarra had two games with 10-plus points in nonconference action and added six pints during the West Virginia game.
"We want to be aggressive with our defense," Beard said. "I don't have any illusion that we are going to make them turn the ball over more than they normally do because they're so well coached and disciplined. I think a big part of this game is patience on defense. I think a lot of times in basketball you associate patience with offense, but you also have to be a patient defense. Our guys are going to play hard. They are going to be ready. They are going to want to win, but sometimes you can't try too hard on defense. Bottom line is that we are about to play against a really well coached, grinded out kind of team. K-State can play in different ways. They are really good in transition because they have about four guys on the floor at all times that can handle the ball and start their break. They've got multiple 3-point shooters and several playmakers. They also are disciplined enough where they can grind it out at half court. We are going to have to be really solid and be at our best."
UP NEXT
Texas Tech is scheduled to face a pair of Top 10 opponents next week starting Tuesday with No. 7 Oklahoma on Tuesday. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT from the Lloyd Noble Center, and the game will be televised by ESPNU.
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 slated for 3 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 950 AM 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 (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) enter Saturday's action in a three-way tie for first place in the Big 12 standings with No. 6 West Virginia and No. 7 Oklahoma. Those two programs also meet on Saturday in Morgantown.
Texas Tech dialed up the program's first victory at Allen Fieldhouse with a wire-to-wire 85-73 win over No. 10 Kansas on Tuesday. The 36-point margin of victory is the second-largest in program history during its first two Big 12 games only behind the 1998-99 squad which won their first two outings by a combined 45 points under head coach James Dickey.
Saturday's matchup with the Wildcats (11-3, 1-1 Big 12) is the 39th in a series where Kansas State holds a 25-13 edge. Texas Tech has won the last three matchups in Lubbock which includes a 66-65 decision against then No. 25 K-State on Jan. 10.
Kansas State has split its first two Big 12 matchups courtesy of a 91-75 road win versus Iowa State followed by a 77-69 loss to No. 6 West Virginia. The Wildcats also have defeated Vanderbilt and Washington State away from the Little Apple coupled with a two-point setback to No. 4 Arizona State at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational.
"I think I speak for everybody in our program – our players and our staff – that we have a lot of respect for K-State," Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. "This is a team that returns a lot of their best players from last season. They've added some really good pieces this season, both in recruiting and in development. They have one of the best coaches (Bruce Weber) in college basketball. It's a team that really kicked us last time we played them (in Manhattan). It's a team that played in the NCAA Tournament last year. We know we are going to have to play really well to have a chance to win this game at home. We have a lot of respect for Kansas State's program."
Tickets to Saturday's game can be purchased for as low as $15 online at www.TexasTech.com or at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office which opens on gameday starting at 1 p.m. CT.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street off of Texas Tech Parkway 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 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 continue to pace the Big 12 conference and possess Top 5 national marks in scoring defense (59.3 PPG – 4th), field goal percentage defense (36.7 – T-3rd) and scoring margin (+22.3 – 3rd). Texas Tech also hold Top 10 national rankings in turnover margin (+5.4 – 8th) and three-point field goal percentage defense (29.3 – 10th).
Keenan Evans has rattled home 16.5 points, 3.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game. All three marks coupled with his 80.3 free throw percentage check in among the Big 12's Top 11 headed by the 16.5 points in fifth place. Evans has notched double digit points in 12 of 13 games and in 38 of his last 40 outings. He pumped in 16 of his 18 points during the second half highlighted by the go-ahead layup in the closing 15 seconds of last year's 66-65 win over Kansas State.
The freshmen trio of Jarrett Culver, Davide Moretti and Zhaire Smith lead an effective and efficient Texas Tech which has racked up 553 points during the team's first 14 games. The Red Raiders have kicked into high gear and tallied an 84-20 edge in bench points during their first two Big 12 games.
Smith and Culver are ranked sixth and seventh among Big 12 freshmen with 10.7 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Smith has upped his scoring average to 12.6 points per game on the strength of nine consecutive games in double figures whereas Culver has reached double figures on seven occasions most recently a 12-point effort at No. 10 Kansas. Moretti has managed at least five points in nine of 14 games and dished out 21 of his 28 assists over his last 10 games.
Niem Stevenson has turned in 8.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He has compiled 18 assists versus five turnovers since the Kennesaw State game on Dec. 14. Stevenson has secured 10-plus points in six of his last nine games.
Zach Smith has battled his way to the floor through an injury over the team's first two Big 12 games. He has come away with 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks per game for the season. Smith has pulled with 18 points of reaching 1,000 for his career and 14 points of Tony Battie's program record.
Tommy Hamilton IV and Brandone Francis have chipped in 6.4 points and 4.4 points per game, respectively. They each tallied seven points on 3-of-6 shooting during the Kansas game. Hamilton IV has registered 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his last seven efforts coming off the bench.
Justin Gray and Norense Odiase round out Texas Tech's 10-man rotation with 6.1 points and 4.9 points per game. The veterans brought their 'A' game to Lawrence. Odiase controlled the interior with 12 points, eight rebound and two steals. Gray did a majority of his damage during the first half where he claimed a season's best 12 points to go along with six rebounds and a season-high three steals.
"Justin is a really good player, but he is the ultimate 'team' guy," Beard said. "He does what it takes to win. Justin Gray is going to get paid a lot of money to play basketball, and I'm sure on some of his pro jobs he will be asked to score the ball a lot more than we ask him. He is always ready when need be. In the Kansas game on some of those possessions that got to mid/late clock, that's where Justin gets really aggressive. I give his teammates a lot of credit for screening and passing to him. I've always thought he is a great scorer. He's doing what needs to be done each game. Justin will have some 20 point games in this league, there's no doubt about it."
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
The Wildcats rely heavily on their starting five who average 62.1 points per game on a 49.4 percent shooting clip. A trio of juniors in Barry Brown, Jr. (14.9 PPG), Dean Wade (14.9 PPG) and Kamau Stokes (14.2 PPG) led the way and have already combined for 32 games with 10-plus points on the season.
Wade has been impressive in Big 12 action where he has raised his averages to 25.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He has knocked down 18 of his 24 field goal attempts. Wade's 51 points are the most by a K-State player through the first two Big 12 games since former All-American Michael Beasley scored 53 during the 2007-08 season. He has garnered 10-plus points during all four of his career games versus Texas Tech.
Stokes has worked his way to 14.2 points, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has eclipsed the 20-point barrier three times most recently a 23-point outburst at Iowa State on Dec. 29. Stokes has handed out five or more assists nine times which includes seven of his last eight games going back to Nov. 29.
Brown, Jr. has picked up 14.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has found his way to double figures in six of his last seven appearances. Three of his 20-plus point performances are away from home highlighted by a season's best 27 points against Arizona State on Nov. 23. Brown also provided 23 points at Washington State on Dec. 20 in Spokane and 21 points at Iowa State on Dec. 29.
Xavier Sneed has proven to be a threat with 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He has buried 14 of his 27 three-pointers over his last five games. Sneed canned six triples en route to 20 points versus West Virginia last time out. He also filled it up for 21 points at Vanderbilt back on Dec. 3.
K-State's top options off the bench have been Cartier Diarra (3.9 PPG) and Amaad Wainwright (3.8 PPG). Diarra had two games with 10-plus points in nonconference action and added six pints during the West Virginia game.
"We want to be aggressive with our defense," Beard said. "I don't have any illusion that we are going to make them turn the ball over more than they normally do because they're so well coached and disciplined. I think a big part of this game is patience on defense. I think a lot of times in basketball you associate patience with offense, but you also have to be a patient defense. Our guys are going to play hard. They are going to be ready. They are going to want to win, but sometimes you can't try too hard on defense. Bottom line is that we are about to play against a really well coached, grinded out kind of team. K-State can play in different ways. They are really good in transition because they have about four guys on the floor at all times that can handle the ball and start their break. They've got multiple 3-point shooters and several playmakers. They also are disciplined enough where they can grind it out at half court. We are going to have to be really solid and be at our best."
UP NEXT
Texas Tech is scheduled to face a pair of Top 10 opponents next week starting Tuesday with No. 7 Oklahoma on Tuesday. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT from the Lloyd Noble Center, and the game will be televised by ESPNU.
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.
Players Mentioned
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