Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Faces DePaul in Old Spice Classic
November 25, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Jordan Tolbert had 20 points and eight rebounds against Indiana State.
Nov. 25, 2011
Texas Tech Game Notes • DePaul Game Notes
THE OPENING TIP
• Texas Tech dropped its first game of the season in a 60-49 setback to Indiana State in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic.
• DePaul (2-1) enters the game after an 86-85 setback to Minnesota.
• The game is being televised by ESPNU. It is also available on ESPN3.com. Rich Hollenberg (Play-By-Play) and Tim Welsh (Analyst) are calling the action.
• A Texas Tech win put the Red Raiders in the Consolation Finals on Sunday at 2 p.m. Texas Tech will play at 11:30 a.m. with a loss.
TEXAS TECH-DEPAUL SERIES
• This marks the second meeting between Texas Tech and DePaul. DePaul leads the series, 1-0. The last time the two teams met was at the Suntory Ball Classic in Osaka, Japan in 1983. DePaul won, 50-47.
TEXAS TECH vs. BIG EAST
• Texas Tech is 3-11 all-time against schools currently in the Big East Conference —Cincinnati (0-1), DePaul (0-1), Georgetown (0-2), Marquette (0-1), Notre Dame (0-1), Pittsburgh (0-1), Providence (1-0), Seton Hall (1-0), St. John's (0-2), Syracuse (1-1) and West Virginia (0-1).
FROM THE START
Last time out against Indiana State, the starting lineup for the Red Raiders changed back to Ty Nurse, Javarez Willis, Toddrick Gotcher, Jordan Tolbert and Robert Lewandowski. Kevin Wagner started in place of Ty Nurse for the Stephen F. Austin game.
TOLBERT STEPS UP
Jordan Tolbert came up big for the Red Raiders against Indiana State, as the 6-7 freshman connected on 8 of 13 shots from the field and 4 of 4 from the line for a career-high 20 points. He also pulled down a career-best eight rebounds. Both led the way for the Red Raiders. Tolbert is second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.0 rpg).
PETTEWAY CHIPS IN
Freshman Terran Petteway had a big first half against Indiana State, chipping in nine point on 4-of-6 shooting and sparking a 12-2 run and tying the game at 22-22. Ironically, Petteway shot the ball just once in the second half and finsihed with nine points in the game -- still a career best for the freshman on the young season.
CROCKETT ADDS DEPTH
After missing the first two exhibition games and the season opener, Texas Tech sophomore Jaye Crockett has come off the bench first in each of the last three games. Against North Texas, he came off the bench to hit his first three shots of the game. Crockett was the first player off the bench for the Red Raiders to start the first and the second half. Crockett finished the game with nine points and nine rebounds. Against Stephen F. Austin, It was much the same, as Crockett was the first off the bench for Tech and finished the game with 13 points, seven boards and three assists. In the Indiana State game, Crockett played 30 minutes, pulling down five board, while adding four points and two assists.
UP AND DOWN FROM THREE
The trend continued for Texas Tech from the 3-point line on Thursday, as Texas Tech connected on just 22.2 percent from the arc. The Red Raiders have now hit 43 percent (Troy), 18.2 percent (North Texas), 54.5 percent (Stephen F. Austin) and 22.2 percent (Indiana State). For the season, the Red Raiders are 20 of 50 from beyond the arc (50 percent). Javarez Willis leads the way, hitting on 5 of 12 attempts (41.7 percent) from 3-point range.
NURSE AN OFFENSE THREAT
Ty Nurse has led the Red Raiders in scoring three of the first four games. Heading into the Old Spice Classic, he ranked sixth in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (53.6 percent), first in free throws made (21), third in free throw attempts (22) and percentage (95.5). Nurse had a Texas Tech newcomer best 29 in the opener and added 15 against North Texas and 14 against Stephen F. Austin. Nurse has currently made 13 consecutive free throws and is 21 of 22 on the season.
PLAYING TEN
For the second time this season, 10 Red Raiders entered the lineup and played at least eight minutes. Three players -- Ty Nurse (33), Jordan Tolbert (31) and Jaye Crockett (30) -- played 30 minutes in the game. For the season, six players are averaging better than 20 minutes of playing time a game.
SHOOTING FOR AVERAGE
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage through three games, as the Red Raiders have hit on 52.4 percent of its shots from the field. Texas Tech shot 61.1 percent from the field (33 of 54) against Troy in the opener, which eclipses the highest percentage of any game last season. The highest percentage last season was 58.8 percent (30-of-51) against Delaware State on Jan. 4. In the second game of the season against North Texas, Texas Tech was just 22 of 49 (44.9 percent), but rebounded against Stephen F. Austin. Against the Lumberjacks, The Red Raiders connected on their first six shots of the game to take a 15-5 lead. Texas Tech connected on 14 of 17 shots from the field in the first half (82.4 percent) and hit four of five 3-pointers (80 percent). The Red Raiders finished the game hitting 62.9 percent from the field. It is the best shooting performance by Tech in the last three years, eclipsing the 62.1 percent the Red Raiders shot against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 22, 2008. The Red Raiders shot a season-low 42.9 percent against Indiana State (42.9 percent).
PACKING THE STANDS
Nov. 20th's announced attendance was 9,420. Through three games, the Red Raiders are averaging 9,374 fans a game. Last season, Texas Tech averaged 8,513 fans a game. The Red Raiders return home on Sunday, Dec. 18 against Grambling State.
RED RAIDERS BEGIN 86TH SEASON
Texas Tech opened its 86th season of play Nov. 11 with a 90-85 win over Troy. The Red Raiders are 60-26 in season openers. Texas Tech has won 12 straight season openers. The last time the Red Raiders lost a season opener was No. 19, 1999, when Texas Tech fell to Indiana, 68-60, in the inaugural game in the United Spirit Arena.
MEMORABLE DEBUT
Ty Nurse's 29 points against Troy is the most by a Red Raider since Mike Singletary had 33 against Iowa State on Jan. 26 last season. It is also the most points in a season opener by a Texas Tech player since Curtis Marshall had 30 against UNC-Ashville in 2004 and Andy Ellis had 30 against Indiana in 1999. It is also the most points in a newcomer debut in the Red Raider Big 12 Era.
LEWANDOWSKI'S STREAK ENDS
Robert Lewandowski fouled out with 5:01 to play in the game against Stephen F. Austin. It snapped a 33-game scoring streak for the senior. The last time Lewandowski did not score in a game was March 23, 2010, in the National Invitation Tournament against Ole Miss. Lewandowski started a new scoring streak against Indiana State, finishing the day with two points and two rebounds.
FROM THE LINE
Texas Tech shot 92 percent from the free throw line (23 of 25) against North Texas. It is the highest output since connecting on 23 of 24 last season against TCU (95.8 percent). The Red Raiders connected on nine consecutive free throws over the final 3:04 to secure the victory. For the season, Texas Tech is 37-of-49 from the line (75.5 percent). Last season, the Red Raiders were 72.9 percent from the charity stripe.
BALL CONTROL
Texas Tech averaged 29 turnovers in two exhibitions games and have reduced that number to 19.3 through the first four games of the season. The Red Raiders had a season-low 18 turnovers against Indiana State, including just six in the second half against the Sycamores.
A CLASS OF ONE
Robert Lewandowski is the lone senior on the squad this season and one of just three returning players from last year's team. He has played in 97 career games. Last season Lewandowski chipped in 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. This season, he is averaging 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
TWO SOPHOMORES RETURN
Sophomores Jaye Crockett and Javarez Willis are the other two returning players from last year's squad. Crockett played in all 32 games last season, contributing 4.8 points and 3.0 rebounds as a freshman. Willis saw action in 27 games last season, chipping in 3.6 points and 1.5 assists. Crockett is averaging 8.7 points and a team-best 7.0 rebounds off the bench, while Willis addes 7.0 points and 2.8 rebounds as a starter.
NEW FACES ABOUND
The Red Raiders have a complete new look for the new season, as Billy Gillispie and his staff have completed a roster complete with 12 new faces to go along with the three returners. The newcomers include eight freshmen, one sophomore and three juniors.
A LOOK AT THE OLD SPICE CLASSIC FIELD
The field for the 2011 Old Spice Classic enters the tournament 21-5 on the young season — Arizona State (1-2), Fairfield (2-2), Dayton (2-1), DePaul (2-0), Indiana State (4-0), Minnesota (4-0), Texas Tech (3-0) and Wake Forest (3-0). The top half of the bracket, which features Texas Tech, Indiana State, DePaul and Minnesota is a combined 13-0. With the Loss to Indiana State, Texas Tech now faces DePaul. The only meeting with DePaul came in 1983 at the Suntory Ball Classic in Japan. The Red Raiders will either face Arizona State or Wake Forest in the next round. Arizona State and Texas Tech have faced off 41 times, with the Red Raiders holding a slim 22-19 advantage. The two were conference foes in the old Border Conference in the 1930s through the 1950s. The last time the two met was 1988, when the Sun Devils won 83-68 in Tempe. The last meeting with Wake Forest came in the 2005 Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament Third Place game, where the Demon Deacons won 78-75 in double overtime.
