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GAME INFORMATION |
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vs |
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North Carolina A&T Aggies (5-7, 0-1) |
Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-4, 0-0) |
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December 28, 2012 @ 6:00 pm |
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United Spirit Arena | Lubbock, TX |
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TV: FOX Sports Southwest Plus | Radio: Affiliates | GameCast: FoxSports |
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Probable Starters |
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Lamont Middleton (6-3/205) |
PG |
Josh Gray (6-1/175) |
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Jean Louisme (6-4/180) |
SG |
Dusty Hannahs (6-4/210) |
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Adrian Powell (6-6/188) |
TG |
Jamal Williams, Jr. (6-4/190) |
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Austin Witter (6-8/195) |
PF |
Jaye Crockett (6-7/200) |
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Bruce Beckford (6-7/215) |
C |
Jordan Tolbert (6-7/225) |
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
I never would have thought that Nort Carolina A&T was the Aggies with that logo.
The Aggies have a significantly better RPI, better strength of schedule, but a losing record. Just to get an idea as to who the Aggies have played in terms of better opponents, they've played Cincinnati and lost by over 50 points, lost to Iowa St. by almost 19 points and lost to Seton Hall by 11 points. I can't tell who their best win is, maybe just the other night, as they beat Eastern Kentucky by 11 points.
NCAT is a pretty balanced team as Middleton is the team's leading scorer and best assist player, but it is only Middleton and Powell who average in double figures. This is another smaller team as they don't have a player taller than 6-7 on the roster. You would think that rather than not play Kravic and Tapsoba that they would get even more time rather than less. Crockett and Tolbert had better watch Beckford and Witter. Beckford is tenacious on the offensive glass and Witter already has 32 blocks on the year.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
I'm really ready for Texas Tech to show they are the more dominant team from a physicality standpoint. Texas Tech is having trouble with players like Beckford and Witter in that they are skinny jumping jacks that Texas Tech has a difficult time boxing out. Kravic and Tapsoba should be licking their chops at the prospect of playing a team that's significantly smaller and Walker should be ready to play these taller players that NCAT should have a more difficult time matching up against.
I don't know that this is going to happen.
Against Arizona St., Walker finally changed the starting lineup and started Hannahs and Crockett. Hannahs was good in the first half, but faded in the second half. Crockett was good and he'll be good whether he starts or comes off the bench. I would expect that Walker sticks with this lineup and at least gives Hannahs more than a one game opportunity to prove he can do this. I get the feeling that Walker is more of a long-term guy and he's also probably trying to motivate Jackson and possibly Williams. They need to start filling that statsheet in some form or fashion.
Last but not least, Gray and Daylen Robinson have to be more careful. They are leading the team in turnovers, Gray with 29 and Robinson with 27. I get that they handle the ball and I get that Gray is a freshman, but they both have to start growing up and holding on to those possessions.
GAME DAY LINKS
