WHERE: United Supermarkets Arena

WHEN: 1:00 PM, Tuesday

WATCH IT ON: ESPN +

SERIES HISTORY: This will be the first ever matchup between Texas Tech and Alabama State on the hardwood.

CURRENT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK ODDS: Texas Tech -30 (OVER/UNDER): 135

The Hornets have a 2-10 record this season and were picked to finish eighth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Preseason Poll.

ASU has faced a pair of nationally ranked Big 12 opponents this season in No. 8 Iowa State and No. 17 Texas. They lost both matchups but were able to hold the two teams to only 68 points.

Alabama State’s Maurice (Mo) Williams is in his second season at the helm for the Hornets and has a 6-24 record as head coach. Williams spent 13 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 before retiring in 2017. Williams spent two years as an assistant at Cal State Northridge before being named ASU’s head man in 2020.

Associate head coach Trey Johnson will coach the Hornets in their game against the Red Raiders with Williams remaining at home for the birth of his child.

ASU has strong ties to the state of Texas on their roster. Gerald Liddell (Cibolo Steele High School), Juan Reyna (Duncanville High School), Ashton McClelland (Cypress Ranch High School), E.J. Clark (McKinney High School), and Isaiah Range (Cedar Hill High School) are all from the Lone Star State.

The Hornets have used seven different starting lineup combinations in their 12 games this season.

Alabama State went 4-14 last year and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times in school history. Their last tourney appearance came in 2011. The Hornets have an 0-9 record all-time against the current teams in the Big 12 Conference.

ASU is ranked 337th in the KenPom college basketball ratings for adjusted efficiency margin. They’re 350th in offensive efficiency and 269th in defensive efficiency.

The junior from Cibolo, Texas, transferred to Alabama State after spending the last three seasons at the University of Texas. Liddell currently leads the Hornets in points, assists, and steals per game. He’s the only player on the roster to average double-digit scoring, putting up 10.9 points per game. Liddell is second on the team in three-point percentage, shooting 43.5 percent from behind the arc. He’s a solid all-around defensive player, averaging 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per contest.

The redshirt sophomore led Alabama State in minutes played and was second on the team in scoring a season ago. Strawbridge is third on the team in scoring this year at 8.5 points per game and is second on the team in rebounds, averaging 4.7 boards per contest. He’s an all-around balanced player and does a lot of things well. Strawbridge is tied for the team lead in assists and is second on the team in steals, averaging 1.1 per game.

The sophomore is showing continued improvement in year two after playing in only 13 games a season ago. O’Neal leads the team in rebounding this year, averaging 5.0 boards per game and is seventh in scoring with 8.2 points per contest. He provides Alabama State with solid rim protection on the defensive end and is leading the Hornets with 1.4 blocks per game. O’Neal recorded three or more blocks eight times last season and recorded five blocks twice.

We’re down to one game on the non-conference schedule with Alabama State heading to Lubbock for the final tune up before Texas Tech kicks off Big 12 play. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Red Raiders and their brand of defense appears to be a matchup nightmare for ASU on paper. Alabama State is 349th out of 350 Division I teams in turnovers per game, and the Red Raiders are 49th in turnovers forced. Assist-to-turnover ratio is one of the best ways to measure how efficient a team is on the offensive end of the floor, and ASU is a bottom five team in the country (346th) in that statistical category as well. Texas Tech’s ability to stress teams with their defense should play right into their hands in this matchup. The Hornets have struggled on offense this season, and they haven’t fared much better on the defensive end. Alabama State is 339th in points per game allowed, and the Red Raiders should give them fits with their offense. ASU is undersized in the post, so this could be a good matchup for Bryson Williams to get back on track scoring the basketball. With 10 of the Hornets 14 players being listed as guards, the Red Raiders will look to be aggressive in attacking the paint.