Texas Tech got the upper hand against its Big 12-Big East Battle opponent, taking down DePaul, 76-62, at the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock Wednesday.
Here are my takeaways from the action...
Game of runs
Basketball is commonly known as a game of runs and Wednesday’s contest was no different than that. The Red Raiders came out guns blazing, opening the night on a 14-0 run anchored by a pair of layups from Fede Federiko and three points the hard way from Darrion Williams.
On the ropes, the Blue Demons resorted to what they know best: the three-point shot. DePaul found itself on a 17-2 run later in the half to tie the game at 21 apiece and put itself back into a competitive position. The lead changed four times in the first half, alone.
By intermission, the Red Raiders did find themselves with a lead courtesy of Chance McMillian’s put-back layup to close the half, 38-37. The Blue Demons attempted 29 total shots in the opening round, 21 coming from beyond the three point arc.
Defense comes alive in second half
Tech has seen effective three-point shooting teams before this season, the concept is not completely foreign after a matchup like Saint Joseph’s. DePaul was a different breed, however, one with an offensive prowess that has not been tested against the Red Raiders to this point in the year.
The Blue Demons’ ball movement was a thing of beauty in the first half and it led to them running circles around an at-times confused Tech defense.
The Red Raiders emerged from the tunnel with a vengeance and it paid off in a massive way. By midway through the second half, DePaul had scored nine points and the defense led to even more rapid offense for the Red Raiders.
Points in the paint prevail
When they were missing their star forward who has been an engine down low this season, expecting the Red Raiders to dominate the paint was something of the imagination.
With Jadyn (JT) Toppin sidelined due to a lower leg injury, Fede Federiko was given the starting nod and made his mark with the opportunity in hand. Federiko got the ball rolling for Tech with a couple of layups in the early going.
Having relied on the three-ball perhaps a bit too much at some points this season, it was a show of adaptability from the Tech side as it finished with 36 points in the painted region.
Compared to that of 24 from DePaul in the same category, it is safe to say the Red Raiders dominated down low.
McMillian giving Red Raiders a viable “Big 3” look
Heading into the season, it seemed Tech’s success would be predicated around the abilities of Darrion Williams and JT Toppin in a tandem dynamic.
Sure, the role players on any basketball team are important, but at the end of the day, role players are role players. Stars win big games.
One of a small number of returners from the squad a season ago, Chance McMillian was poised to be given the platform to ascend himself as an even more valuable role player.
Quietly, this season, he is becoming one of the Red Raiders’ most consistent options. McMillian poured in a season-high 22 points against the Blue Demons, marking the seventh time he’s scored in double figures this season.
He did it on an effective 8-for-14 from the field, 2-for-5 from the three, and a perfect 4-for-4 at the charity stripe. While the shine will still ultimately surround Williams and Toppin, McMillian’s consistent emergence is a bright spot for these Red Raiders.
