Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Rise to No. 11 in National Polls
February 25, 2019 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – A five-game winning streak with a 25-point margin of victory after a 91-62 win over Kansas last Saturday has Texas Tech at No. 10 in the NCAA NET Rankings and up three spots to No. 11 in the Associated Press Top-25 and USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
The Red Raiders (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) have won seven of their last eight games coming into a 6 p.m. matchup against Oklahoma State on Wednesday at the United Supermarkets Arena where they are now 15-1 at this season following the 29-point win over KU which dropped from 12 to 15 in the AP Top-25. The Red Raiders also are at No. 10 in the ESPN Power Rankings and No. 16 in Andy Katz' Power 36 with four games remaining in the regular season.
Along with national polls, Texas Tech is second in the nation by holding opponents to 57.3 points per game and a 36.5 shooting percentage this season. During the five-game winning streak the Red Raiders have beat West Virginia (81-50), Oklahoma (66-54), Oklahoma State (78-50), Baylor (86-61) and Kansas (91-62) to improve their scoring margin to 14.9 for the season which is 10th nationally. Tech is fourth nationally by limiting opponents to 28.2 percent shooting on 3-pointers, 24th with 16.22 turnovers forced per game and 25th with a plus-3.4 turnover margin. The team is second in the Big 12 with 4.8 blocks per game, a 71.1 free-throw percentage, 7.3 steals per game, 129 blocks, 198 steals and a 36.9 shooting percentage on 3-pointers.
Individually, Tariq Owens is 16th nationally with 64 blocked shots after having one against Kansas to extend his streak of having at least one block in every game this season. Owens is a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist and is second in the conference with 2.37 blocked shots per game. His 64 blocks are currently fourth all-time at Tech for a single season, behind only Tony Battie who set the single-season record with 71 blocks in the 1996-97 season, Brodney Kennard who had 69 blocks in 1999-2000 and Battie who is third on the list with 68 blocks in the 1995-96 campaign. Jarrett Culver is third in the Big 12 with 18.0 points per game and fifth with 99 assists, while Matt Mooney is currently second in the conference with 1.74 steals per game (47 total).
Texas Tech and the Cowboys (10-17, 3-11 Big 12) are set to play at 6 p.m. on Wednesday followed by a trip to Fort Worth to play TCU at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Red Raiders will host Texas in its home finale at 8 p.m. on Monday before finishing the regular season against Iowa State on Saturday, March 9 in Ames, Iowa.
The Red Raiders (22-5, 10-4 Big 12) have won seven of their last eight games coming into a 6 p.m. matchup against Oklahoma State on Wednesday at the United Supermarkets Arena where they are now 15-1 at this season following the 29-point win over KU which dropped from 12 to 15 in the AP Top-25. The Red Raiders also are at No. 10 in the ESPN Power Rankings and No. 16 in Andy Katz' Power 36 with four games remaining in the regular season.
Along with national polls, Texas Tech is second in the nation by holding opponents to 57.3 points per game and a 36.5 shooting percentage this season. During the five-game winning streak the Red Raiders have beat West Virginia (81-50), Oklahoma (66-54), Oklahoma State (78-50), Baylor (86-61) and Kansas (91-62) to improve their scoring margin to 14.9 for the season which is 10th nationally. Tech is fourth nationally by limiting opponents to 28.2 percent shooting on 3-pointers, 24th with 16.22 turnovers forced per game and 25th with a plus-3.4 turnover margin. The team is second in the Big 12 with 4.8 blocks per game, a 71.1 free-throw percentage, 7.3 steals per game, 129 blocks, 198 steals and a 36.9 shooting percentage on 3-pointers.
Individually, Tariq Owens is 16th nationally with 64 blocked shots after having one against Kansas to extend his streak of having at least one block in every game this season. Owens is a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist and is second in the conference with 2.37 blocked shots per game. His 64 blocks are currently fourth all-time at Tech for a single season, behind only Tony Battie who set the single-season record with 71 blocks in the 1996-97 season, Brodney Kennard who had 69 blocks in 1999-2000 and Battie who is third on the list with 68 blocks in the 1995-96 campaign. Jarrett Culver is third in the Big 12 with 18.0 points per game and fifth with 99 assists, while Matt Mooney is currently second in the conference with 1.74 steals per game (47 total).
Texas Tech and the Cowboys (10-17, 3-11 Big 12) are set to play at 6 p.m. on Wednesday followed by a trip to Fort Worth to play TCU at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Red Raiders will host Texas in its home finale at 8 p.m. on Monday before finishing the regular season against Iowa State on Saturday, March 9 in Ames, Iowa.
ÂA night to remember. ??#4To1
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 25, 2019
??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/vvy5YIp7r7
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