Saturday, February 18
Morgantown, West Virginia
11 a.m.
Texas Tech Athletics
15-12,4-10Big 12
78
at
72
West Virginia
15-12,4-10Big 12
1
2
F
Texas Tech
34
44
78
West Virginia
35
37
72
RECAP: Tech earns 78-72 win at WVU
February 18, 2023 | Men's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia – Texas Tech sophomore Jaylon Tyson scored a career-high 27 points and senior Fardaws Aimaq recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds to help lead the Red Raiders to a 78-72 win over West Virginia on Saturday at the WVU Coliseum.
Tech (15-12, 4-10 Big 12) has now won three straight conference games for the first time this season and secured its first road win in conference play with the win over WVU (15-12, 4-10 Big 12). There were 23 lead changes in the game that evened the season series after the Mountaineers had won 76-61 in Lubbock back on January 25. The Red Raiders dominated inside, finishing with a 42-18 scoring margin in the paint and with 11 more rebounds.
WVU led 35-34 at halftime and had a 63-55 lead before the Red Raiders went on a run that had them up 66-63 on a Tyson 3-pointer with six minutes to play. Tech was up four on an Aimaq putback with 4:20 remaining. In the final minute, Aimaq had two rebounds and made four free throws to seal the win.
"It shows a lot about us," Texas Tech coach Mark Adams said. "We're growing up. Getting some confidence and maturity. We were able to answer some of those shots that they made. In the past, we get down a little when adversity got the best of us before we could catch a breath and get back in the game. I think we're responding more quickly and more aggressively than we've done in the past."
Tyson finished the game with his career-high 27 points after going 11-for-015 from the field, including making 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. His previous career-high of 20 points came at Oklahoma State after two 19-point performances against Baylor. Aimaq scored the final eight points of the game for Tech and was 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. Tyson scored 13 of his 27 points in the second half, while Aimaq had 12 of his 14 in the second half.
"Just putting the team first and everything is going to fall the way it's supposed to fall," Tyson said. "Just keep playing Texas Tech basketball, unselfish and everything will work its way out."
Tech had four double-figure scorers in the game with Pop Isaacs going off for 15 points and De'Vion Harmon adding 13. Isaacs returned after missing six straight games and has now scored in double figures in 13 games this season. He was 3-for-6 on 3-pointers and 6-for-10 from the field. Isaacs leads Tech with 50 3-pointers this season through the 20 games he's played.
Kevin Obanor finished the game with eight rebounds and four points, while Robert Jennings had six rebounds and three points. Tech finished the game with a 39-28 rebounding advantage, including a 15-10 offensive rebounding margin. Aimaq had five offensive rebounds, while Obanor, Tyson and Jennings had three each. Aimaq now has 42 double-doubles in his career after his first as a Red Raider.
"We didn't get to some of those 50-50 balls in Lubbock," Adams said. "We had a stat sheet to look at to remind us that they outrebounded us at the free throw line a lot more than we did, and we had more turnovers. Part of our goal today was not to be outrebounded, which we weren't, and fewer turnovers, which we did. Part of that is that they play so aggressive. So the bottom line for us was that we wanted to attack on both ends and make sure we didn't get out hustled."
The Red Raiders were 29-for-62 (46.8 percent) from the field and 14-for-19 from the free-throw line. Tyson's 27 points were the most by a Red Raider this season with Obanor having 26 against Kansas.
WVU was led by Erik Stevenson who matched Tyson with 27 points, while Kedrian Johnson had 20 points. Stevenson was 6-for-14 on 3-pointers in the game for the Mountaineers who were 11-for-28 on 3-pointers. Tech went 6-for-14. Tre Mitchell led WVU with nine rebounds but was held to three points on 1-for-6 shooting.
"Every coach in the country wants to play their best basketball in February going into March," Adams said. "We have further to go and further to grow because of our youth and with these injuries. Now, with having (freshman guard Pop) Isaacs back for the first game. A lot of it is that guys like Jaylon have been much more consistent. It was a quiet 27 points. You've got guys like Kevin Obanor who only took four shots, and he sacrificed a lot there and got some good rebounds. It's been a team effort, but it's also the most important thing that these guys are putting the team first and making individual sacrifices."
WVU took a 35-34 lead into halftime in an opening 20 minutes that saw 12 lead changes. Tyson led Tech with 14 points after going 6-for-8 from the field with one 3-pointer, while Obanor had four rebounds. Isaacs scored eight points in the first half after going 2-for-3 on 3-pointers and Harmon had scored six points. The Red Raiders were 14-for-29 from the field and 3-for-9 on 3-pointers. Obanor and Aimaq had both been limited to two points at the break. WVU was 13-for-28 from the field and 5-for-12 on 3-pointers. Johnson led WVU with 11 points and Stevenson had 10 going into the break. Tech's largest lead of the first half was two. WVU had had an 18-12 lead with 11:20 on the clock.
Texas Tech will now play against Oklahoma at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners won the first matchup, coming down to Lubbock and taking a 68-63 overtime decision back on January 7. The Red Raiders are now 1-6 on the road in Big 12 play with the win at WVU and trips to Norman and Kansas remaining.
"We're not dead yet," Adams said. "We're still breathing and looking forward to the next game."
GAME TRACKER & NOTES
Tech (15-12, 4-10 Big 12) has now won three straight conference games for the first time this season and secured its first road win in conference play with the win over WVU (15-12, 4-10 Big 12). There were 23 lead changes in the game that evened the season series after the Mountaineers had won 76-61 in Lubbock back on January 25. The Red Raiders dominated inside, finishing with a 42-18 scoring margin in the paint and with 11 more rebounds.
WVU led 35-34 at halftime and had a 63-55 lead before the Red Raiders went on a run that had them up 66-63 on a Tyson 3-pointer with six minutes to play. Tech was up four on an Aimaq putback with 4:20 remaining. In the final minute, Aimaq had two rebounds and made four free throws to seal the win.
"It shows a lot about us," Texas Tech coach Mark Adams said. "We're growing up. Getting some confidence and maturity. We were able to answer some of those shots that they made. In the past, we get down a little when adversity got the best of us before we could catch a breath and get back in the game. I think we're responding more quickly and more aggressively than we've done in the past."
Tyson finished the game with his career-high 27 points after going 11-for-015 from the field, including making 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. His previous career-high of 20 points came at Oklahoma State after two 19-point performances against Baylor. Aimaq scored the final eight points of the game for Tech and was 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. Tyson scored 13 of his 27 points in the second half, while Aimaq had 12 of his 14 in the second half.
"Just putting the team first and everything is going to fall the way it's supposed to fall," Tyson said. "Just keep playing Texas Tech basketball, unselfish and everything will work its way out."
Tech had four double-figure scorers in the game with Pop Isaacs going off for 15 points and De'Vion Harmon adding 13. Isaacs returned after missing six straight games and has now scored in double figures in 13 games this season. He was 3-for-6 on 3-pointers and 6-for-10 from the field. Isaacs leads Tech with 50 3-pointers this season through the 20 games he's played.
Kevin Obanor finished the game with eight rebounds and four points, while Robert Jennings had six rebounds and three points. Tech finished the game with a 39-28 rebounding advantage, including a 15-10 offensive rebounding margin. Aimaq had five offensive rebounds, while Obanor, Tyson and Jennings had three each. Aimaq now has 42 double-doubles in his career after his first as a Red Raider.
"We didn't get to some of those 50-50 balls in Lubbock," Adams said. "We had a stat sheet to look at to remind us that they outrebounded us at the free throw line a lot more than we did, and we had more turnovers. Part of our goal today was not to be outrebounded, which we weren't, and fewer turnovers, which we did. Part of that is that they play so aggressive. So the bottom line for us was that we wanted to attack on both ends and make sure we didn't get out hustled."
The Red Raiders were 29-for-62 (46.8 percent) from the field and 14-for-19 from the free-throw line. Tyson's 27 points were the most by a Red Raider this season with Obanor having 26 against Kansas.
WVU was led by Erik Stevenson who matched Tyson with 27 points, while Kedrian Johnson had 20 points. Stevenson was 6-for-14 on 3-pointers in the game for the Mountaineers who were 11-for-28 on 3-pointers. Tech went 6-for-14. Tre Mitchell led WVU with nine rebounds but was held to three points on 1-for-6 shooting.
"Every coach in the country wants to play their best basketball in February going into March," Adams said. "We have further to go and further to grow because of our youth and with these injuries. Now, with having (freshman guard Pop) Isaacs back for the first game. A lot of it is that guys like Jaylon have been much more consistent. It was a quiet 27 points. You've got guys like Kevin Obanor who only took four shots, and he sacrificed a lot there and got some good rebounds. It's been a team effort, but it's also the most important thing that these guys are putting the team first and making individual sacrifices."
WVU took a 35-34 lead into halftime in an opening 20 minutes that saw 12 lead changes. Tyson led Tech with 14 points after going 6-for-8 from the field with one 3-pointer, while Obanor had four rebounds. Isaacs scored eight points in the first half after going 2-for-3 on 3-pointers and Harmon had scored six points. The Red Raiders were 14-for-29 from the field and 3-for-9 on 3-pointers. Obanor and Aimaq had both been limited to two points at the break. WVU was 13-for-28 from the field and 5-for-12 on 3-pointers. Johnson led WVU with 11 points and Stevenson had 10 going into the break. Tech's largest lead of the first half was two. WVU had had an 18-12 lead with 11:20 on the clock.
Texas Tech will now play against Oklahoma at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners won the first matchup, coming down to Lubbock and taking a 68-63 overtime decision back on January 7. The Red Raiders are now 1-6 on the road in Big 12 play with the win at WVU and trips to Norman and Kansas remaining.
"We're not dead yet," Adams said. "We're still breathing and looking forward to the next game."
GAME TRACKER & NOTES
- Tech began the game with the starting lineup of Obanor, Aimaq, Tyson, Harmon and Walton for the second game in a row (second over)
- WVU won the tip but committed a turnovers on its opening possession… Aimaq committed an offensive foul on Tech's first trip down the court
- WVU took a 3-0 lead on a Stevenson 3-pointer for the first points of the game… Tyson scored Tech's first points, a jumper just inside the arc in front of the WVU bench
- Isaacs hit Tech's first 3-pointer of the game for a 7-6 lead (16:45) on his second trip down the court
- Tyson would make his first 3-pointer of the game to cut WVU's lead to 11-10 six minutes into the game… He had five points and Tech was 2-for-3 on 3-pointers to start the game
- Tech took a 19-18 lead after a Tyson steal led to a Harmon fastbreak layup with 9:33 on the clock…WVU had a 23-21 lead with seven minutes remaining in the first half with the game having already seen six lead games 13 minutes in
- Tyson got into double figures with a layup and free throw, giving him 12 points and Tech a 30-29 lead with 3:20 to play until halftime… Tyson had started the game 5-for-7 from the field
- A steal by Fisher on defense led to a Tyson layup to give Tech a 34-33 lead with 28 seconds to play before WVU regained the lead with a Johnson layup with three seconds remaining
- Tech took its larges lead of the game at 40-37 with a Harmon steal and dunk following a pair of Aimaq free throws to open the second half… The basket got Harmon into double figures – the ninth straight game
- Isaacs hit his first 3-pointer of the second half and third of the game to give Tech a 45-43 lead… Isaacs had 11 points and Tech was 4-for-10 on 3-pointers with the shot coming on an in-bounds play at the shot-clock buzzer
- Tyson gave Tech a 48-47 lead (12:30) with a fastbreak layup off an assist from Aimaq… He had 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting
- Tyson hit his second 3-pointer of the game and had 22 points with a shot that gave Tech a 53-50 lead (11:37)… It was the 21st lead change of the game
- WVU took a 59-53 with Stevenson hitting back-to-back 3-pointers… He had 24 points and was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers after the shots that forced a Tech timeout with 9:43 on the clock
- Obanor stopped an 11-0 run by WVU with a layup to make it 61-55… A Tyson dunk and then a Jennings putback made it a 63-61 game
- Tech tied the game at 63-63 with an Isaacs fastbreak layup off an assist from Harmon… WVU had a 63-55 lead before the 8-0 run by Tech tied it with 6:30 remaining
- Tyson gave Tech a 66-63 lead with a 3-pointer (6:01)… It gave him 27 points and made Tech 6-for-14 on 3-pointers… Stevenson responded on the other end with his sixth 3-pointer
- Aimaq gave Tech a 74-71 lead (2:21) with a hook shot off the glass… He had 10 points to become the fourth Tech scorer in double figures
- Aimaq pushed the lead to 76-72 (0:35) with two free throws… He was 8-for-8 at the line and had 12 points after the pair of free throws to push the lead to four
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— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 18, 2023
Team Stats
TTU
WVU
FG%
.468
.435
3FG%
.429
.393
FT%
.737
.778
RB
39
28
TO
12
14
STL
9
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
11
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
10
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
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