Postgame Notes: Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech

Well here we are again. Another Big 12 game, another one coming down to the last few possessions. With a strong 2nd half charge that found the Red Raiders from down 9 at halftime to up 3 with under a minute to go, I felt confident that we’d be heading into a favorable matchup against Kansas State sitting pretty good. Well, that ended up changing quickly.

With around 45 seconds left in the game, OSU star freshman Cade Cunningham pulled up for a 3 and was “fouled” by Kevin McCullar. In what was honestly the biggest turn point in the game, many including myself believed the call to be horrible, to put things lightly. Cunningham drained all 3 free throws and it was downhill from there, as the Red Raiders lost it in overtime. While that play alone was bad, there were many times where Tech just seemed out of sorts on offense. The ball was sticking way too much and guys were taking shots that did not need to be taken. This was especially apparent in the first half, where the Cowboys were able to build their 9 point halftime lead.

In terms of scoring within the team, the points were fairly evenly distributed, with McClung, Shannon and Edwards all finishing in double figures. The 2nd half was night and day from the 1st on the offensive end of the floor. Normally, we would be able to win games that way. But with an outside shooting team such as Oklahoma State, its hard to play catch up and come out with a win. I am glad we pride ourselves as being an incredible defensive team, but at some point we’re going to have to fix some inconsistencies on the other end of the floor. Though I’m sure playing time will definitely help, it’s still frustrating to see the same issues repeatedly pop up on offense.

Everybody, Chris Beard included, knew that the Big 12 was going to be a down right dog fight this year. For those of you that did not already know that, a game like this will definitely prove that straight. Tech played a pretty sloppy game in all honesty, and they were still right there at the end of things. Had we been able to play better offense in the first half, we would not have needed to carry a major comeback in the 2nd. Though this is one we’d like to have back, the Red Raiders will need to be prepared for a hungry Kansas State team. With losses to the likes of Drake and Fort Hays State, these guys will be coming in with absolutely nothing to lose. With that being said, it is still one that we should win. But especially now, it is one we NEED to win at this point. Even with a bottom tier team coming to town, be ready for another knock down, drag out Big 12 game.