Tuesday, January 25
Preview: Texas vs Texas Tech
Longhorn fans, watch this game closely. Tonight’s game against Texas Tech (11-4) will tell us a lot about what this group can do for the rest of the year. It’s a game that, with Tucker and Aldridge, we could have easily won two weeks ago, but as things stand today, will be a real battle. This year’s Tech team doesn’t feature Andre Emmett (finally), but they have three players who average 13 points or more per game. They lead the Big 12 in scoring, averaging nearly 83 points per game. They are well-coached, disciplined, and demand a good performance from their opponent if you hope to beat them.
For Texas, it’s time to show that they can win with the remaining squad. I expect Knight to spend a lot of energy making life difficult for Gibson, perhaps using some trapping or full court pressure to disrupt his ability to control the floor. This means Taylor and Harris are going to have to do a good job of hitting their open looks and taking advantage of open space on the court.
The Horns have been outrebounded in back to back games as well, which has to change if we expect to win. Wiggins was absolutely correct in his analysis of the weaknesses of our now-depleted front line, so it’s up to everyone on the floor to work hard for rebounds. Barnes has always impressed me with his ability to handle adversity and get wins when he needs them. Texas needs this one, and I expect them to pull it out, 77-71.--PB--
