:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/6876877/157939809.0.jpg)
|
GAME INFORMATION |
||
|---|---|---|
 |
vs |
|
Iowa St. Cyclones (13-4, 3-1) |
Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-8, 1-4) |
|
|
January 23, 2013 @ 8:00 pm |
||
|
United Spirit Arena | Lubbock, TX |
||
|
TV: ESPNU | Radio: Affiliates | GameCast: FoxSports |
||
|
Probable Starters |
||
|
Korie Lucious (5-11/170) |
PG |
Josh Gray (6-1/175) |
|
Chris Babb (6-5/225) |
SG |
Dusty Hannahs (6-4/210) |
|
Will Clyburn (6-7/210) |
TG |
Jamal Williams, Jr. (6-4/190) |
|
Georges Niang (6-7/245) |
PF |
Jordan Tolbert (6-7/225) |
|
Melvin Ejim (6-6/230) |
C |
Dejan Kravic (6-11/240) |
SCOUTING THE CYCLONES
Iowa St. has the record that they do largely on the back of their offense, which is 6th in the country in scoring. They are also out-rebounding opponents despite a relatively short lineup. The Cyclones are 21st in the nation in rebound margin, at 7.8 boards a game. That is not something that I can fathom. The biggest reason why Iowa St. is so great at rebounding is that Ejim is 22nd in nation in total rebounds at 9.7 a game and Cyburn is 159th at 7.4 per game.
Iowa St. also does a terrific job of feeding each other as they are 12th in the nation in assists per game at 16.9. Lucious is 37th in the nation at 5.5 assists per game and is a former Michigan St. transfer that has really helped continue their recent success.
Last, but not least, ISU is 6th in the nation with 9.2 three-point field goals per game. They will be shooting the ball from all over the place and Tyrus McGee is shooting 45% from the three-point line as well as making almost three three-pointers per game.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
I'm really starting to run out of answers here. Texas Tech has one conference win against TCU, but has been throttled by 34 points twice (Baylor and Oklahoma St.) and been blown out by 18 points twice (Kansas and Oklahoma). Of the five conference games, only one has been remotely competitive at the end of the game. That's an average of 25 points a game. I thought after getting blown out to Baylor and losing to Kansas that Texas Tech would be able to keep some games close, but now I'm not so sure. I don't know if this is what we're going to get. For three straight games, Texas Tech has not been able to keep up in the second half scoring the ball and the defense isn't able to hold things together and keep opponents from scoring.
I'm really not sure how I go from here. Iowa St. should be able to take advantage of Texas Tech's 306th ranked three-point field goal defense or 276th ranked defense. I just don't know how Texas Tech can keep pace. I feel like I am writing this alternatively when Texas Tech faces a defensive minded team.