Grading the Red Raiders | Florida A&M Rattlers 56, Texas Tech Red Raiders 70

Really getting worried you guys. Surprisingly, I'm getting worried with a 14 point win where the game wasn't really a problem for 3/4 of the game. I'm not normally that sort of person. But last night, the Red Raiders turned the ball over 21 times. I thought that perhaps this is a situation where there were 15 turnovers in the first half and the team settled down in the second half, but not really. There were 11 turnovers in the first half and 10 in the second half. This team just doesn't understand the concept of being careful with the ball.

By Seth C Jan 1, 2013, 5:43am CST

GRADING THE RED RAIDERS
Florida A&M 56, Texas Tech 70 | Boxscore | Quotes

This team is averaging 14 turnovers a game, which is 231st in the nation. Just cutting down on 5 turnovers a game would make this team one of the more careful teams in the nation. Whether it's Josh Gray or Daylen Robinson or Jaye Crockett, they're just not being careful with the ball. Gray is trying to make the fancy pass and he needs to realize that he's not there just yet. Maybe next year, but Gray trying to thread the needle over and over is troubling.

QUOTES

Here's head coach Chris Walker, who recognizes that turnovers are a problem, and I'm happy that he recognizes and it makes me think that he is preaching this to the team. It takes time and I understand that:

As far as the game is concerned we just have to continue to work and continue to mature and to start the game off with a little more fire, teams have made three's the last four games against us to get us in a hole and they didn't make three's against us this time but now turnovers rear their ugly head and that's the constant battle that you try and fight everyday with a team of players that have not played at this level and they just have to understand that every game we have to come out with fire and come out and defend and take care of the ball and we can't do it one game and not the next game and then all of the sudden we pick it up and turn it on and I have to continue to press upon them is they have to be a little more consistent, which they are trying, and the good thing about these guys is it's aggressive mistakes, they're trying and not trying to do things wrong and trying to do what we say to do and a tipped pass here and hustle play there we sometimes come up a little short, but I will say this about these guys they never lack effort and we just have to play smarter down the stretch and we just have to understand that now we are facing the most difficult task of going on the road in the Big 12 and I expect us to come out and after a couple of days of practice to go to Fort Worth and give it all we've got.

GRADE	POSITION
C+	BACKCOURT
Probably too tough of a game with a "C+" grade, but I hate the danged turnovers. Probably letting it get to me too much. Let's talk about the good things. Josh Gray and Trency Jackson both had really nice games (other than the turnovers) as neither player shot too much. Jackson and Gray both led the team in scoring with 10 points, Gray had 4 assists, 5 turnovers and 4 steals. Gray does fill up the stat sheet and that's a good thing. Dusty Hannahs had 8 points, made half of this three-point shots and didn't do much else, but that's okay. I didn't see Jamal Williams at all this game, and am curious about his situation. Daylen Robinson should be better, but he seemingly takes ill-advised shots and really struggles with his decision making at times. He really has the potential to be so much better. Ty Nurse didn't hurt this team and he saw Williams' minutes. Meanwhile, I struggle as to why Toddrick Gother doesn't see more minuges. In just 7 minutes, he scored 6 points, got to the line 4 times and made all 4 free throws and didn't turn the ball over.
B	FRONTCOURT
For once, the post players didn't lead this team in scoring or even have a player in double-figures. Pretty amazing and good to see how consistent this group has been over the course of the year. Just that yesterday wasn't their day. But what this group did do was out-rebound FAMU by 5. Dejan Kravic had 8 points, 8 boards, 1 turnover and 2 blocks. Jordan Tolbert had 9 points, 10 boards, 3 turnovers and 2 blocks. Jaye Crockett had 5 points, 7 boards, 5 turnovers and 2 steals. And last, but not least, Kader Tapsoba had 8 points, 3 boards, and 3 blocks. This group did an excellent job of getting those more difficult stats and really rebounded the ball well. Tapsoba should never shoot a shot outside of 4 feet.
C+	COACHING
Some of the good things is that this team made 84.4% of their free throws. Great to see this team concentrate and make 27 of 32 free throw shots. That's the reason why this team was never in doubt, was because Texas Tech just didn't miss from the free throw line. I don't know how good the team defense was as FAMU just liked to shoot early and often in their possession. I should mention that FAMU was just 32.3% from the field, so credit should be given. From a management standpoint, I really like what Hannahs brings to the starting lineup. I thought it was interesting that Walker seemed to substitute the starting five in the second half and I liked the energy that this second five brought to the floor.