Scouting Report: No. 3 Seed Texas Tech Big Challenge for Hogs

Red Raiders present familiar problem for Calipari's red hot Razorbacks in Sweet 16

Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Darrion Williams reacts after a play against the Drake Bulldogs during the second half at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., on Saturday. / Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks will face two familiar problems when they line up against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Thursday in a Sweet 16 matchup of the NCAA Tournament.

First, the Razorbacks are a 10 seed facing the No. 3 seed in the West Region. Not a problem, perhaps, as the Hogs conquered that problem already when they upset the No. 2 seed St. John's, 75-66, Saturday.

Arkansas humbled the Red Storm's Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino and the Big East Conference Player of the Year R.J. Luis Jr., holding the second-team All-American to nine points on 3-of-17 shooting.

So, the Hogs are accustomed to facing higher seeds. They also did it Thursday when their first partner in the Big Dance was No. 7 seed Kansas that became Arkansas' first victim, 79-72.

Second problem the Hogs have seen before is a relentless inside attack. Texas Tech overpowered Drake in a 77-64 win Saturday.

Most of the damage in the paint was administered by J.T. Toppin, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound sophomore forward who's averaging 18.1 points and 9. 3 rebounds this season

Against the Bulldogs, he was even better with 25 points and 12 rebounds. He netted 19 points by halftime while making 9-of-10 shots to give the Red Raiders a 37-30 lead.

Texas Tech dominated the paint scoring 50-20 over the smaller Bulldogs who chose to shut down the Red Raiders' three-point attack.

Tech won its opening NCAA Tournament game, 82-72, over UNC Wilmington by making 13 shots from beyond the arc, but just 28% of its tourney record 46 attempts.

Guard Kerwin Walton, a 6-foot-5 senior who averages just 6.2 points, scored a career-high 27 points in that game while draining 8-of-19 from beyond the arc. He didn't shoot a two. Elijah Hawkins was 3-for-12 on treys, missing his only two shots from inside the arc.

Toppin had an efficient 12 points on eight shots to go with 11 boards while 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior forward Darrion Williams had 13.

Against Drake, Williams netted a season high 27 points while Hawkins, the 5-foot-10 point guard, added 16.

Arkansas Razorbacks center Jonas Aidoo (9) disrupts the shot of St. John's Red Storm guard RJ Luis Jr. during the first half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Saturday. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Obviously, the Hogs have to limit Tech both inside and outside, but they're far better equipped to handle the Red Raiders' big men, just as they fought it out with the burly St. John's paint prowlers.

All three Arkansas big men — 7-foot-2 Zvonimir Ivisic, 6-foot-11 Jonas Aidoo and 6-foot-10 Trevon Brazile — got in foul trouble Saturday, but Calipari managed the minutes well enough that veterans Aidoo and Brazile were on the floor at the end.

Meanwhile, the return from injury of Arkansas guard Boogie Fland and continued improvement by freshman guard Billy Richmond III allowed Calipari to spread minutes pretty evenly among his perimeter players. Only D.J. Wagner (34) and Brazile (30) played more than Richmond's 29 minutes.

For Texas Tech, Hawkins played all 40 minutes Thursday and 38 against Drake while Anderson logged 75 and the five starters all played at least 30 minutes in both games.

It's senseless to compare scores or match-ups, but it is interesting that Drake knocked off No. 6 seed Missouri, 67-57, after leading by seven at halftime. Drake then couldn't hang with Texas Tech, so the Red Raiders will obviously be tough for the Hogs.

Texas Tech finished second in the 16-team Big 12 Conference with a 15-5 record while Kansas was sixth at 11-9. The Houston Cougars, No. 1 seed in the Midwest, dominated the Big 12 with a 19-1 mark.

Arkansas (22-13) and Texas Tech (27-8) square off Thursday in San Francisco's Chase Center, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors.

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