One of the greatest traits an athlete can possess is simply being ready when their number is called. People react differently when they’re asked to do more for a team than they’re accustomed to. Some thrive in the role while others crumble under the pressure.

With Terrence Shannon Jr missing Saturday’s game due to a back injury, the Red Raiders needed Adonis Arms to show up and be a factor. He stepped up to the task in a big way and was instrumental in Texas Tech’s, 76-50, victory over Mississippi State.

“I just think that’s a part of me,” Arms said. “When adversity hits just be ready. Ever since I was little, I never really had it my way. I always had to grind it out and find a way and continue to work.

“I want TJ to be back, and I want him to play, but when he’s out that’s just another opportunity for me to just go in and play the game that I love.”

Arms led all scorers with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and added 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. He scored 7 of the team’s first 8 points and tied his season high in scoring and assists at halftime with 15 points and 5 assists.

The athleticism of Arms was on full display again on Saturday, and he made big plays on both ends of the court. Adams said he was proud but not surprised with how Arms played against the Bulldogs.

“I was so proud of him,” Adams noted. “He (Arms) came in and gave us a spark from the very beginning. He showed a lot of confidence, made some big plays, and got us going. We’ve seen him show signs of greatness, and I think we saw that again tonight.

“I think when you talk about Adonis, you start with his size and athleticism. He’s a big guard and gives teams problems because of his length, and his ability to get off the floor quickly.

“He’s got a jump shot that is hard to contest or block and with that athleticism he can certainly finish at the basket. He also sees the floor well and is one of our best passers. These are things we’ve been saying all year about him, and it’s great to see him have such a good performance.”

Saturday’s game was a prime example of how dangerous the Red Raiders can be when they’re clicking on both ends of the court. Texas Tech had their most efficient offensive performance of the season, shooting 61.7 percent from the field against the Bulldogs. The Red Raiders also tied a season high with 20 assists, their highest total since the opening night game against North Florida.

“You’re always excited when you can share the ball and spread the points around,” Adams noted. “It makes it difficult for opponents to scout you and focus in on just one or two guys. You look down our lineup, and we have a lot of guys who can score in double figures. Nearly the entire team can, and we have a lot of firepower coming off the bench.”

The Texas Tech defense was back at it again and held Mississippi State to their lowest scoring total of the season. The Bulldogs had only 8 assists and turned the ball over 22 times. MSU finished the game with a .36 assist-to-turnover ratio. The 22 turnovers forced was the third most for the Red Raider defense this season. Iverson Molinar, one of the top offensive players in the SEC, was held to his second lowest scoring total of the year with 12 points.

“We had so much respect for Molinar that we backed off him a little bit and just tried to stay in front of him,” Adams said. “He’s an excellent driver and just gets into the paint anytime he wants. We were trying to stay in the gaps and double team him, that was one of our focus points.

“We just wanted to make sure we kept our hands up and make them earn everything they get. I thought we showed a lot of discipline. Sharing the ball, the discipline, the teamwork, and our attention to defense made it a really good game for us.”