The Texas Tech Red Raiders snuck past the Kansas State Wildcats 69-62 with three players scoring in double digits.

Junior guard Davide Moretti lead the charge with 18 points, four assists and two rebounds, while freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey followed with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists, and sophomore Kyler Edwards was able to overcome a slow shooting start to finish with 14 points.

Moretti called this game a must-win especially after the tough loss to Oklahoma State last Saturday.

“Our backs were against the wall,” Moretti said, “and we knew we had to play our best game because Kansas State is – in this league, every team is good, and we knew that. I think they did a pretty good job in preparation. I think we did two days of practice really hard, and we were locked in the last two days, and I think it showed up on the court.”

Redshirt freshman guard Kevin McCullar had a solid night in his first career start posting nine points, a team-high six rebounds and an assist. Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard talked about McCullar and him deserving to be in the position.

“We always change our starting lineup, from time to time,” Beard said. “Simply stated, (McCullar) earned the right to start in the game. Big thing about Mac is that he plays defense. This isn’t rocket science; younger guys out there are trying to learn how to play. You guard, and once a coach trusts that you’re going to play defense, there’s a role for you in every team. So, Mac’s a competitive guy. He’s one of our better defenders, and his confidence is growing, and his offensive games are starting to open up. Tonight, the story was he deserved the opportunity to start because of the way he’s been playing, and most specifically, the guy plays defense.”

Moretti was encouraging on the great night the young redshirt freshman had.

“He’s giving his energy,” Moretti said. “That’s the biggest thing that we got to have from him. He had four steals, he played great defense, he only had like two turnovers. That’s his role, and I think he did a pretty good job.”

Replacing freshman guard Terrence Shannon Jr., Beard said it was not because Shannon is still banged up or even did anything wrong.

“Got through the concussion protocol,” Beard said. “Just trying to get his rhythm back. Tonight, we went with some other people down the stretch, but it’s nothing about what he did or didn’t do. Mac deserved the opportunity to start in the game, and we went with some guys down the stretch. Those are coaches decisions, but there’s no story TJ Shannon didn’t do or did wrong or anything like that.”

Late in the second half just when Kansas State was about to tie the game up with a Cartier Diarra steal, Diarra tried to put extra spice on the potential game-tying bucket. That ultimately ended in a missed windmill dunk what Moretti turned into a five-point swing.

Beard said those plays happen in basketball and the crowd really helped in the momentum swing.

“One play never is the difference in a game,” Beard started, “but I recognize our crowd really responding in that moment. It was an opportunity to get some momentum, and that’s what a home-court advantage is. Our crowd calls (Kansas State) to call two timeouts tonight that they wouldn’t have. The crowd would’ve been going, and then you get yourself in a close game. That’s a real advantage. So, it was a big game, it was a big play in the game. Thought (Moretti) had the courage to take that big shot afterwards and thought our crowd did a great job embracing that moment.”

Although Moretti hit that big shot, he struggled a little more than usual shooting as well as made a couple of mistakes, and Beard said he is one of most experience college basketball players.

“He’s just played a lot of basketball,” Beard said. “So, it’s what you expect from a guy like that is to have the poise to make the plays. Thought he did a good job tonight – he struggled, made a couple mistakes in a row or plays that he could’ve played better, and we took him out, kind of gave him his last rest in game. I just said, ‘Okay, that’s over. We understand where we’re at right now.’ That’s when you go back in there and play your best and play on your own terms, and I thought he did that. He played his best basketball when it mattered most late in the game, and that’s what players do.”

Texas Tech will hit the road again this weekend to Iowa State. That game will be a 5 p.m. tip as the Cyclones are coming off a 91-71 routing from the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks.