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Oklahoma Sooners MBB | 3 Questions The Texas Tech Red Raiders Must Answer To Secure A Win

By Rich DeCray
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Currently sitting at the bottom of the pack, the Texas Tech Red Raiders possess the ability to shake up league play. Looking for proof? Last week TTU caught fire from beyond the arc downing one of the best teams in the country, Iowa State. Now, looking to erase a poor start, the Red Raiders travel to Norman hoping to carry a bit of momentum. How can the visiting team pull of the upset?

Owning The Glass

Last season, the Red Raiders hit the road with a losing conference record. While many gave them little or no chance in Norman, Texas Tech secured a win by owning the glass. By the time the final buzzer sounded, a 36-29 rebound advantage was seized as the Sooners walked away defeated. Oklahoma returns four starters from that squad which continues to thrive on rebounds and fast break opportunities. Assuming TTU can slow down the effort to get out and run by crashing the boards effectively, this game could be close than many anticipate. Do they have the talent to do so this season?

Smith vs Kruger

These two coaches have faced each other before meeting up in Big XII play. While at Kentucky, Tubby Smith denied Lon Kruger and the Florida Gators twice. However, Smith remains 1-3 against the Sooners with the single win coming a year ago. On the other side of the court, Kruger boasts a less than impressive 4-7 record against the Red Raiders. Although road wins are tough to come by, can Smith get the best of Kruger once again?

Scoring

Consistent scoring output combined with solid defense has been the key to winning on the road in the Big XII. Unfortunately for Texas Tech, Devaugntah Williams remains the only player averaging double-digit scoring each night and is coming off a career outing. The freshman guard cannot carry the load by himself against top tier opponents. Against the Cyclones, help came from bench player Toddrick Gotcher as three scored 13+ points. Can they repeat the performance against an Oklahoma squad averaging 72.5 points per game?

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