Texas Tech basketball got revenge from last season's football blunder in Laramie, downing Wyoming by a massive margin, 96-49, Monday night at the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock.
Here are the initial takeaways from the action...
Hawkins, Anderson make Texas Tech debuts
It might have taken two games, but the Red Raiders were finally able to experience the joys of having a point guard on the floor again, doubly, in fact.
After missing Tech’s first two contests with lower body injuries, both Minnesota transfer Elijah Hawkins and Oak Hill true freshman Christian Anderson donned the scarlet and black against Wyoming.
The impact of both was felt immediately on both ends of the floor. Hawkins brought a new flair and tempo to the offense that had yet to be seen, while Anderson contributed 9 points as an efficient operator in his own right.
Where their impacts were felt the most, however, was perhaps on the defensive side of the court. Both Hawkins and Anderson proved to be active defenders and their contributions help aid the steady flow of rotations that kept fresh legs on the court at all times.
Defense takes significant step forward
Scoring the ball will likely never be this Texas Tech team’s biggest issue this season. The Red Raiders are hard-wired to score at all three levels behind a bevy of guards who can score on the perimeter, a big in Jadyn Toppin who has a soft hook down low and a guy like Darrion Williams who can will himself to score anywhere.
Defensive is where the cracks have appeared, but Wednesday’s action was a step in the right direction for the Red Raiders.
Through a combination of Wyoming’s lack of a true flow on offense and a revitalized aggressiveness from the Red Raiders, the Cowboys were dysfunctional in Lubbock.
To end the first half of action, Wyoming had turned the ball over nearly as many times as it had gotten a shot up, giving away possession 17 times and chunking up an attempt 19.
What made the difference was Hawkins and Anderson being available for Tech, with Grant McCasland and his staff able to mix up lineups and get a true feel for what the team looks like in game settings.
Toppin records first Red Raider double-double
Jadyn Toppin is the kind of player who elevates a team’s ceiling when the calendar turns to the third month of the year.
The sophomore had already turned in a pair of stellar performances, but followed those up with his first double-double in a Texas Tech jersey against the Cowboys. Toppin ended the first half with 16 points and 8 rebounds, snagging the mark early in the second half of action.
The Dallas native’s strongest asset is his left-handed hook shot, a mix of both his finesse and ability to move defenders in the paint.
In all, Toppin finished with 24 points on 10-for-15 shooting and 12 points, looking dominant again down low.
Tech moves to 3-0, look to conclude homestand v. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
After a lackluster showing against Northwestern State that was more so the by-product of a lack of bodies, the Red Raiders finally got a taste of what this team’s true self looks like.
To say getting Hawkins and Anderson back is significant would be an understatement.
A 23-4 run across five minutes near the end of the second half put the game even further out of reach than it had been and the Red Raiders cruised onto victory No. 3.
Up next on the slate is the last of Tech’s four-game homestand, welcoming Arkansas-Pine Bluff to the confines of the 806. After that, the Red Raiders will travel to Brooklyn to take part in the Legend’s Classic against St. Joe’s, with a matchup against old conference foe Texas in the realm of possibilities.
