Where did McCasland say Texas Tech fell short against Razorbacks?
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LUBBOCK, Texas — The Texas Tech Red Raiders appeared to have Saturday's game against Arkansas in hand for much of the first half, but couldn't sustain enough momentum down the stretch to sneak out of Dallas victorious.
McCasland's team played with confidence, building a 10-point first half lead against a deep Razorbacks squad.
Reigning Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin along with sidekick Christian Anderson were electric combining for 56 points, and were most dangerous when running old school drag plays from the top of the key.
"I thought I saw it for a majority of the game," McCasland said, "when we were out there looking like, hey, we're gonna play this thing to win. And then it felt like we went through a phase where we were trying not to lose, and there was a lack of, really, grit."
Texas Tech's grit put pressure on a very athletic Arkansas team that predicates itself on energy from defense and scoring in transition.
Toppin and Anderson had early success derived from a familiar blueprint used in its double-digit comeback victory over the Razorbacks in last year's Sweet 16.
The Red Raiders pushed pace selectively, moved the ball with purpose and attacked mismatches inside. Toopin asserted himself early, with his effective low post game making 14-of-22 field goals, and cleaned the glass for 11 rebounds.
Anderson controlled the game from the perimeter by blending shot creation with playmaking. There were quite a few plays where he was able to put an Arkansas defender in a blender with sharp cuts and stops to create easier shots.
Both Toppin and Anderson were forced to play a full 40 minutes due to a limited rotation and proved costly down the stretch as Arkansas outscored Tech 30-18 over the final 10 minutes in the second half.
While Texas Tech's balanced attack helped open a double-digit lead in the first half, it didn't account for Arkansas to make its run late by leaning on a trio of 20-point scorers.
Areas to Address Moving Forward
For Texas Tech, this game provided clear evaluation of checkpoints moving forward.
Defensive rebounding remains a priority, especially against teams with similar size and athletic ability along its bench. Arkansas’ ability to extend possessions in the second half altered the flow of the game and limited Texas Tech’s opportunities to control tempo late.
Arkansas edged Texas Tech on the offensive boards in the second half 10-7, and doubled up the Red Raiders in second chance points 14-7.
Offensively, ball security and shot selection ought to be points of emphasis moving forward as Tech lost five of its seven turnovers in the second half. Although the Red Raiders generated quality looks early, they ultimately struggled to maintain rhythm once Arkansas increased defensive pressure.
McCasland believes that his shortened rotation played a role in his team's loss of edge against Arkansas. With only six players available Saturday, it limited how much tempo they could use against a dangerous Razorbacks team.
"Maybe it was just too many minutes being played, honestly, just looking like we weren't sure if we could give what we needed to give to get it done," McCasland said. "And I hate saying it that way, because it's lame, but felt like the truth.
"The guys looking out there like that haven't been a part of us, wondering how we win these games. How we win these games is you fight, you scrap, you go compete, you get deflections, you put two hands n the ball, you don't go put your head underneath the rim on a rebound, you hit somebody and go grab it. And I just felt like every momentum play in that last 10 minutes was all theirs."
Texas Tech will return to the hardwood at home Tuesday, Dec. 16 against Northern Colorado with tipoff set for 7 p.m. CT.
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Jacob is a contributor to Texas Tech and a seasoned journalist with over eight years of covering college football on digital platforms. He also contributes to Arkansas On SI and has previous writing experience at Saturday Down South and SB Nation. He is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University.
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