RECAP: No. 15 Kentucky 76, No. 18 Red Raiders 74 (OT)

Saturday, January 25

Lubbock, Texas

5 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

12-7,3-3Big 12

No. 15 Kentucky

15-4,5-1SEC

OT 1

Kentucky

Texas Tech

RECAP: No. 15 Kentucky 76, No. 18 Red Raiders 74 (OT)

January 25, 2020 | Men's Basketball

Box Score PRESS CONFERENCE BOX SCORE Highlights

LUBBOCK, Texas – Time ran out on No. 18 Texas Tech in a classic Big 12/SEC Challenge matchup with No. 15 Kentucky leaving with a 76-74 overtime win on Saturday at the United Supermarkets Arena.

The Red Raiders (12-7) had their 54-game non-conference winning streak end after battling back from 10 in the second half to force overtime at 64-64 before the Wildcats (15-4) pulled out the win with Tech committing a turnover in the final second of play. Kyler Edwards led Tech with 18 points, while Davide Moretti went for 15 and Terrence Shannon, Jr. added 12. The Red Raiders, who are now 0-3 in overtime this season, finished the game shooting 42.2 percent but were just 3 of 19 on 3-pointers while Kentucky shot 43.6 percent and knocked down seven.

"It was a big-time college basketball game," Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. "We played 20 minutes; they beat us by two. We play another 20 minutes we beat them by two. Then we play five minutes and they beat us with a couple of free throws. I wish we could have played another five minutes. I felt like it was one of those games whoever had the ball last wins. We were in that situation and it just didn't go our way tonight."

Texas Tech will now return to action against No. 14 West Virginia at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the USA before traveling to play at No. 3 Kansas on Saturday in Lawrence. The Red Raiders are currently 3-3 in Big 12 play and finished non-conference play with a 9-4 record. Tech, which had not lost at home since Dec. 21, 2013 against LSU, ran off an impressive 54 straight including seven this season before falling to Kentucky. TTU is also now 4-3 all-time in the Big 12/SEC Challenge and 3-1 under Beard in the series. Historically, Tech falls to 0-5 against Kentucky and 0-2 in Lubbock.

Kentucky finished the game with a 38-32 rebounding advantage and was 21 of 25 at the free-throw line, while Tech finished at 17 of 23 from the line. Edwards hit two of the three Tech 3-pointers with Moretti making one and TJ Holyfield led the Red Raiders with eight rebounds and also had five points. Jahmi'us Ramsey, who came into the game leading the Red Raiders at 15.5 points per game, was limited to six points while Chris Clarke added eight points and seven rebounds. Kevin McCullar and Russel Tchewa both gave the Red Raiders sparks off the bench with McCullar finishing with six points and Tchewa four.

In overtime, Edwards and Shannon both had four points while Nick Richards led the Wildcats with seven of their 12 points. Richards finished the game with 25 points after going 7 of 10 from the field and 11-for-14 from the free-throw line and Immanuel Quickley added 21 points with four 3-pointers. Richards was 5-for-5 from the free-throw line in overtime for the Wildcats who were 7-for-7 at the line in the extra session.

In regulation, Tech trailed 64-63 before Davide Moretti made one of two free throws to tie it and then missed on a buzzer-beater attempt. The Wildcats took a 72-66 lead in overtime before a pair of Terrence Shannon, Jr. tied it by hitting four straight free throws and then Kevin McCullar tied it again at 74 with a layup. Nick Richards would hit two free throws with 10 seconds to play to take a two-point lead before Tech lost the ball on its final possession as time was expiring.

Kentucky took a 36-34 lead at halftime with Quickley hitting a buzzer-beater from half court to end a first half of runs that saw the Red Raiders shoot 50 percent from the field. Edwards led Tech with 10 points after going 4 of 7 from the field with two 3-pointers, while Shannon had eight points and Clarke led the team with four rebounds and two assists. The Red Raiders were just 2 of 10 on 3-pointers in the first half while the Wildcats were 3 of 6. Down early, Tech took a 12-10 lead with a 7-0 run that ended with a pair of Clarke free throws and had another run of 8-0 to lead 20-16 capped by a Ramsey layup. UK made another of its runs, a 7-0 one this time, to lead 25-22 before Tchewa took over with two straight baskets and a block as Tech led 34-33 before the buzzer beater. Moretti, Clarke and Tchewa each had four points at halftime for the Red Raiders. Quickley led the Wildcats with 13 points with all three 3-pointers, while Richards had eight and Hagans six. Kentucky had a 21-13 rebound advantage at the break.

As close as it could have been.

Hell of a fight.

??#4To1 | #WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/By7c3Gaq4y
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) January 26, 2020

ADDITIONAL QUOTES
Chris Beard – Texas Tech Head Coach
On the game against Kentucky: "I think there was times in the game where we were the most aggressive team and there were times when Kentucky was the most aggressive team. Certainly, part of their DNA is rebounding, and it is a challenge for us playing right now but I think their ability to manufacture second shots on offensive rebounds was key to the game. I thought our guys fought, it wasn't like we were trying to give them the offensive rebounds, we were scrapping and fighting but we had a couple of miss assignments that hurt us in big moments."

On Kevin McCullar: He has huge upside and is going to be a great college player. Went through a lot of adversity he didn't play his senior year in high school. Then when he came here, he got hurt again. So, he has never really had a full offseason. The first day he was cleared to practice was really the first day of official practice, so he is just continuing to get his legs under him. He will continue to play more minutes each game. It was a scary fall in the first half. They told us at halftime that he was completely fine. His mom and dad where there so we all made the decision together. Mac told us that he promised he was 100% fine. He did a great job in the 2nd half, I think you guys can all tell that he is going to be a great player."

On the game against Kentucky: "Yes, it was a big-time college basketball game. We played 20 minutes; they beat us by two. We play another 20 minutes we beat them by two. Then we play five minutes and they beat us with a couple of free throws. I wish we could have played another five minutes, I felt like it was one of those games whoever had the ball last wins. We were in that situation and it just didn't go our way tonight."

John Calipari - Kentucky Head Coach
On the game against Texas Tech: "The biggest thing is that we had to figure out how to make baskets. The throw over the top where we went to a different set, we tried some pick and rolls. That is a great defensive team. They are one of the best defensive teams in the country. They take away stuff, they switch, they collapse and make you find other shooters. If you do not find other shooters, you are not going to score. You are going to run someone over, or you are going to take a tough shot. This was a terrific win. Yeah, we get a lot of these, but this one was kind of unique and special."

Nick Richards
On returning to Kentucky this season: "Everyone has their own story. Just because I go to a school for being known as one and done, doesn't mean I have to be. It took me time to develop. I have had the best time of my life meeting incredible people and having the best coaching staff in the world. It has helped me become the player I am now and the player I could one day become."

Immanuel Quickley
On teammate Nick Richards: "We have no chance in winning without Nick. What he did for us, rebounding the ball and scoring in the paint, there are not too many big men in the country doing that. What he brought today was really big."
On winning on the road: "I have to credit all of our success to our coaching staff. We have been doing some really tough drills. When times get tough during a game, it is important to not lose the ropes."

Thank you for an incredible environment.

Keep bringing it. ??

??#4To1 | #WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/qN8whhsHuo
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) January 26, 2020