Preview: Texas Tech

Vitals

Tip: 1:00 PM
Location: Stillwater, OK
TV: ESPN2
Online Stream: here
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Online radio: here
Announcers: Mark Neely and Fran Fraschilla
Line: Cowboys -18

Records

Cowboys – 11-4 (1-2)
Raiders – 8-7 (1-3)

Best win

Cowboys – NC State (KenPom: #27)
Raiders – North Carolina A&T (KenPom: #221)

Worst loss

Cowboys – Virginia Tech (KenPom: #139)
Raiders – McNeese St. (KenPom: #314)

KenPom rank

Cowboys – #22
Raiders – #249

Data nerds

[table id=81 /]

Adj. efficiency – Points per 100 possessions (adjusted for quality of opponent and site of game).
Adj. tempo – Possessions per game (adjusted for schedule and pace of other team).
Effective FG % – Takes into account extra value of 3s.

Three things to watch

I don’t really care about Tech, all I care about is how OSU looks today. They have a big stretch coming up — at Baylor, home against WVU, home against Iowa State, at KU, home for Baylor — and they need to use today as a momentum starter for those games.

1. Nash? – I’ve written it over and over again, but he has to go inside, get to the line, destroy inferior opponents. He’s refused so far — other than that egregious and-one dunk against OU when he started down a student section that was in the process of leaving because its team was up so big. I don’t know why I keep buying back into him but I do…

2. Let’s run – Tech loves to run so let’s acquiesce. This team is so fun when its running, ooping, trapping, etc. Not so much when its setting up halfcourt sets. Plus Tech is one of the worst turnover teams in the Big 12 (239th in the country) so force the issue and get me some Markel YouTube clips.

3. Cobbins is key – The guard play is fine, obviously. But to make any kind of noise in the Big 12 or Big Dance OSU is going to have to start getting something (ANYTHING) offensively from the Cobbins/Jurick/Murphy three-headed goblin (definitely not worthy of being called a three-headed monster). Cobbins is your best bet here and today would be a good day to get that jump-started.

Prediction

KyPort: Cowboys 74-60
KenPom: Cowboys 80-57