Longhorns down Red Raiders in Lubbock

Tuesday, February 27

Lubbock, Texas

8 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

19-9,8-7Big 12

Texas

18-10,7-8Big 12

Texas

Texas Tech

February 27, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Press Conference Season Stats Box Score

By: Wes Bloomquist

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech and Texas split their regular-season series against each other after the Longhorns came into Lubbock to earn an 81-69 win on Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena.

The Red Raiders (19-9, 8-7 Big 12) are now 14-2 at home this season after being out-rebounded by a 44-30 margin while the Longhorns (18-10, 7-8 Big 12) evened their conference road record at 4-4. It was the fifth sell-out of the season and third straight with the capacity of 15,098 fans in attendance. Tech opened Big 12 play with a 78-67 win in Austin on January 6 to start the season series but had a three-game home winning streak over UT snapped with the loss.

"I'm embarrassed for our team and felt like Texas just got after us at the beginning of the game and beat us," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "I mean, they physically dominated the game. I didn't do a good enough job coaching to give us an advantage. The game got away from us by trying to do too much offensively and trying to get it back in one or two possessions. Feeling the pressure of this game I thought got to us."

Texas Tech now embarks on a two-game road trip where it plays West Virginia at 5 p.m. on Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia before taking on Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Pop Isaacs led Tech with 17 points, while Darrion Williams had 16 points and eight rebounds. Joe Toussaint added 13 points and a team-high five assists and Chance McMillian returned to provide 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Kerwin Walton was 2-for-4 on 3-pointers and finished with six points. Warren Washington missed the game with a foot injury, his third missed game in the past four. Williams has now scored in double-figures in seven straight games and Isaacs has led the team in 12 games this season. The Red Raiders finished the game 7-for-22 (31.8%) on 3-pointers and were 21-for-59 (35.6%) from the field. The team was 20-for-26 at the free-throw line.

"I think you look in the mirror and you tell the truth," McCasland said. "When you look back at it, I've been a part of a lot of disappointing losses, but we ended the season and found a way to win championships. When you look back at those it can propel you forward. It's all part of the process. It's one game in the Big 12, even though it's significant to all of us, me included, but that's how we're going to approach it. We're going to get better because of it. We're going to own it and give Texas credit because they beat us and did it because they were more physical and played better."

Dylan Disu led Texas with 21 points and six rebounds, while Max Abmas had 18 points and Chendall Weaver scored 15. The Longhorns scored 32 of their 81 points in the paint and finished the game 24-for-30 at the free-throw line to overcome shooting just 5-for-22 on 3-pointers. Tech forced 12 turnovers but couldn't overcome the rebounding margin.

Texas took a 47-23 lead into halftime after shooting 60 percent from the field and the Red Raiders at just 24.2 percent, including going 1-for-10 on 3-pointers. The 24-point halftime deficit was the largest of the season with the team trailing BYU by 16 before coming back to win. Toussaint led Tech with six points at the break while Williams had five rebounds and four points. Walton and McMillian had three points each. Disu led Texas with 12 points and Abmas had 11 after a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Jennings scored Tech's first basket with a layup after Texas had scored the first six points of the game. Texas then went on an 8-0 run to lead 14-4 before Isaacs hit a pair of free throws. Walton hit Tech's first 3-pointer of the game to cut UT's lead to 17-9 midway through the first half after the Red Raiders had started 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. The 3-pointer started an 8-0 run with a Williams putback, Yalaho free throw and layup before Weaver hit the second of two free throws to make it 20-14 with seven minutes until halftime. The Longhorns would respond though, taking a 30-15 lead with a Disu dunk capping a 6-0 run before a jumper by Toussaint. Disu would push UT's lead to 32-17 and it was 35-17 with an Abmas 3-pointer with three minutes until the break. UT took its first 20-point lead with Disu making another jumper to get to 12 points. It was the 12th game the Red Raiders trailed at halftime.

Isaacs made a 3-pointer and layup coming out of halftime for his first baskets of the game after going 0-for-10 from the field in the first half. The Longhorns quickly responded though and were on an 8-0 run to take a 57-28 lead on a Disu putback just three minutes into the second half. Another Isaacs 3-pointer gave him 10 points and trimmed the UT lead to 57-33. Walton made his first 3-pointer to cut the lead to 67-45 before Isaacs drove in for a layup and free throw to get it to 19. Williams would hit a 3 that was followed by an Isaacs layup for a 71-55 score with seven to play. Williams brought it to 73-58 with another 3-pointer but the comeback attempt never gained significant momentum.

Texas Tech has one home game remaining when it hosts Baylor on Saturday, March 9 in the regular-season finale.