In top-of-the-line school basketball video games of the 12 months, No. 12-ranked Texas Tech basketball survived a spirited upset bid from Arizona State with a wild 111-106 win in double extra time. Because of some massive time performs down the stretch, most notably by star massive man JT Toppin, the Pink Raiders stored tempo within the Huge 12 race as they pursue a convention championship within the common season.
After the sport, the place Texas Tech appeared down and out on a number of events, head coach Grant McCasland spoke on the largest distinction within the sport, through KTXT Sports activities.
“What an amazing school basketball sport,” McCasland mentioned. “The ambiance I at all times assume is the distinction in these wins. Simply the vitality on this constructing to get stops if you’re enjoying in opposition to an Arizona State group and Coach [Bobby] Hurley, man is that man good at getting his group to scrap and struggle and consider after they’ve had a tough season.”
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Texas Tech has been one of many hottest groups within the nation during the last couple of weeks, regardless of a highway loss to Arizona on Saturday stemming a few of that momentum. Earlier than that one, McCasland’s group had received seven video games in a row, together with wins over Houston and that very same Arizona group. The Pink Raiders have confirmed that they’ll compete with one of the best of one of the best, and now they’ve some extra momentum to construct off of transferring ahead.
Toppin was the unquestioned hero of the sport on Wednesday, as he completed with not solely one of the best sport of his profession however top-of-the-line video games within the historical past of the Huge 12. Together with his 41-point, 15-rebound explosion, Toppin joined Blake Griffin, Michael Beasley and Melvin Ejim as the one Huge 12 gamers to report 40 factors and 15 rebounds in a sport, per Jared Berson.
This Texas Tech basketball group was capable of get the win on this one regardless of not getting a ton of manufacturing on offense from star wing Likelihood McMillan. Toppin and Darrion Williams carried the day on offense for Texas Tech, which ought to give it loads of confidence on offense as not heads right into a lighter stretch of the schedule within the Huge 12.