One Eye-Opening Stat Explains How Texas Tech Dominated Akron
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Texas Tech men's basketball had one eye-opening stat that explained how the Red Raiders dominated in their 91-71 win over Akron Friday.
The team shot 70 percent from the field in the second half with true freshman Jaylen Petty scoring 24 points with four assists. Sophomore guard Christian Anderson also hit several key shots when the Zips were closing the gap.
The final score is by no means reflective of the battle between the Red Raiders and Akron as Tech couldn't separate from their opponent until they made a 15-2 run late in the second half.
Texas Tech shot better than 70% from the field in the second half.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 20, 2026
Jaylen Petty was outstanding. 24 points, 4 assists, he and Christian Anderson hit a bunch of big shots when Akron was closing the gap. https://t.co/2O7F6KPCMj
The Red Raiders and Zips are considered two of the most elite three-point shooting teams in the country. As they went head to head in the round of 64, only one would prove to be victorious.
Although they were the higher seed, here were several concerns for Texas Tech entering the matchup since the Red Raiders would be without All-American big man JT Toppin.
However, Texas Tech found a way to score without Toppin and it was from beyond the arc. The Red Raiders went 11-for-20, while Akron went 5-for-19.
Best Quotes From Texas Tech After Win Over Akron
"Tremendous respect for Coach (John) Groce for a great season," Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland said. "What an awesome team they have. One of the most fun teams I've ever scouted. The way they can put pressure on you with the way they score, their pace, their next action ability. We challenged our team to get better defensively and to finish with rebounds. We felt if we could take away rhythm 3s and rebound, we could win. We got some great contributions from different guys."
Senior guard Donovan Atwell sent a warning to the NCAA Tournament as the victory over Akron proved the Red Raiders could still go through March without Toppin, despite entering the matchup on a three-game losing streak.
"This says that we have resolve. We know that people need to step up. I've been saying it all year, we have so many threats offensively and defensively," Atwell said. "We had multiple guys in double figures tonight. It's going to keep happening. That's going to be hard for team to stop us, especially in transition.
"We're a tough team to beat."
Tech had five-players record double-digits in scoring, but that was spearheaded by a surprise player in Petty. The freshman exuded confidence in his teammates and their success in the NCAA Tournament.
"We all wanna win, and that's the plan. We're not done," Petty said after posting a career-high 24 points on the biggest stage he's ever played on.
Now, the Red Raiders are set to face No. 4 seed Alabama Sunday in the round of 32. Texas Tech reached the Elite Eight with Toppin last season, how far can they go without him?
According to Texas Tech players, they plan on going far.
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Valentina Martinez is an On SI writer. She has in depth knowledge of the college sports community and has covered professional sports extensively. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and covered Sun Devil Football, Men's Basketball, Baseball, Women's Volleyball and Softball.