3 Keys To A Cowboy Upset Over Texas Tech

The toughest stretch of basketball is finally here.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys open up their conference schedule with No.15 Texas Tech and are set to get a taste of what Big 12 basketball is all about. The Cowboys come into this matchup 12-1, but have not seen a team of the Red Raiders' caliber all season.

Texas Tech, on the other hand, is 10-3, but all of its losses were to ranked opponents. The Red Raiders also have proven their talent with a win over, at the time, No.3 Duke.

According to ESPN analytics, the Cowboys only have a 13.9% chance to upset Texas Tech, but this isn’t just any Cowboy basketball team. The Pokes truly have the capability to pull out a win in their first Big 12 game of the season, but they’ll have to play their best basketball and play to their strengths.

Here are three keys to a Cowboy upset over Texas Tech.

1. Win the turnover battle

Oklahoma State has made a name for itself by playing fast, but the Pokes can’t play too fast against the Red Raiders. Taking care of the basketball will be imperative in the opening conference bout due to how well Texas Tech limits turnovers.

The Red Raiders average 10.3 turnovers a game compared to the Cowboys' 13.2. They made Duke turn the ball over 11 times in their bout earlier in the year and scored 17 points off of those turnovers. Already being the underdog, the Cowboys can not afford to allow extra points off turnovers and will have to be more careful than ever with the ball.

2. Limit the three

Texas Tech relies heavily on shooting from beyond the arc. The Red Raiders average more than 10 three-pointers made per game, ranking No.18 in the nation. They do this pretty efficiently, as they are shooting 37.3% from deep this season.

Christian Anderson leads the charge for Texas Tech, as the guard has made 44 threes this year and is shooting 43.6% from beyond the arc. Oklahoma State’s 7.5 made three pointers per game isn’t enough to keep up with the Red Raiders, and the Cowboys can not try to play someone else’s game. OSU will have to make sure the Red Raiders don’t get hot from deep, or it could be a long game.

3. Stop JT Toppin

It’s a tall task, but to beat Texas Tech, JT Toppin must be contained. The Red Raider forward is averaging a double-double with 21 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He’s also been a menace on the defensive side of the ball with 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals a game.

To disrupt him, Toppin must be smothered when he has the ball. He’s averaging 2.7 turnovers a game, and early turnovers could take the big man out of his rhythm. Limiting Toppin’s productivity would be a big thorn in the Red Raiders’ side and could give OSU the upper hand.