What does Texas Tech basketball's win over Texas A&M really mean? | Giese
DENTON — Maybe we should have more charity games if they're going to be this entertaining.
Sunday's Compete 4 Cause exhibition basketball game between Texas Tech and Texas A&M meant nothing. Well, not nothing, but close to nothing.
The Red Raiders don't get to add a one to the win column after their 89-84 triumph in the Super Pit. Nor do the 15th-ranked Aggies have to put a digit on the wrong side of their record. Both teams were 0-0 when they woke up Monday, and that's just the way it is.
That doesn't mean the game lacked any sort of bottom line. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
The nitty gritty: 3 takeaways from Texas Tech basketball's 89-84 exhibition win over Texas A&M
For months, Tech fans — and media, and coaches recruiting against them — have wondered just how slow Grant McCasland's Red Raiders would be on offense. After all, McCasland's North Texas teams were among the slowest-paced programs in the country, and sometimes the slowest. No matter how many times McCasland told everyone his new team would not play the same style as his old bunch, few listened. They wanted to see it for themselves.
Well, 5,024 in attendance got to see it. Since the exhibition wasn't broadcasted, other Tech fans will just have to take my Golden Goose promise: the Red Raiders can, and will, play fast when the situation calls for it.
The eye-popping number came in fast-break points, of which the Red Raiders turned in 28 — McCasland questioned the legitimacy of that stat, but the number still stands.
Pop Isaacs did what McCasland has expected the sophomore guard to do since he took the job. The Las Vegas native caught fire in the first half and, when he wasn't on the bench with foul trouble, poured in 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting, hitting 6 of 10 from 3-point range and 6 of 9 attempts at the free throw line. This included the go-ahead shot and forcing a turnover on the other end of the floor in the final minute.
Ball movement, at times, was a thing of beauty. Joe Toussaint (seven assists) is the pass-first point guard who can perfectly complement scoring guards such as Isaacs and Chance McMillian (17 points). Devan Cambridge and Darrion Williams, both 6-foot-6, each being able to play the 5 in smaller lineups is an added bonus if and when — like Sunday — Warren Washington finds himself in foul trouble.
In all, the game had the feel of an early February conference game. Between the energy of the building, the intensity of the play and the caliber of talent on the floor, it's a shame a game like this doesn't count.
More: 'Chemistry is everything' to Texas Tech basketball newbies Warren Washington, Devan Cambridge
McCasland, though, wasn't thrilled with his team's performance. No good coach is truly happy after a win.
"I told them I'm really excited because of the way we got after it," McCasland said. "Our guys played hard no matter what the score was, but as far as execution and what we wanted to do, it wasn't very good. We got a long way to go in regards to how we wanted to guard and what we want to do defensively."
Defense, normally Tech's bread and butter, was a thorn in the Red Raiders' side last season. They registered their lowest defensive efficiency since the 2015-16 season and allowed the most points per game since 2012-13. Giving up 84 points to the Aggies, to McCasland, isn't going to cut it.
There was also a lack of physicality, particularly in the post.
"I thought they exposed us, honestly, in a lot of ways," McCasland said. He lamented the Aggies grabbing 17 offensive rebounds, 12 of which came in the second half. There was also foul trouble that eliminated Washington and Williams down the stretch.
Tech also favored the 3-point shot, though it paid off. The Red Raiders shot 34 3s in the game (hitting 14 of them), compared to 22 shots inside the arc. Meanwhile, Texas A&M had 23 attempts from 3-point range and 59 overall shots for the game.
The disparity in shot selections was a reason the Aggies were able to live at the free-throw line (22 attempts in the second half), while the Red Raiders had to shuffle lineups because of foul trouble. Four players finished with at least four fouls, while Williams and Washington fouled out.
Washington's fifth infraction came with 2:47 left and forced the Red Raiders to finish with a closing lineup of Isaacs, McMillian, Toussaint, Cambridge and Lamar Washington — who picked up his fourth with 11:57 remaining. Lamar Washington, though, avoided his fifth foul and played the rest of the way.
That five-man group turned a three-point deficit into a five-point win.
So, what, if anything, did the exhibition mean?
There's a recipe in place. Some of the ingredients were on full display against Texas A&M. Others require a trip to the store for a fresher batch.
The game may not have counted. It did matter, though.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: What does Texas Tech basketball's win over Texas A&M really mean? | Giese
