Texas Tech Travels to Tulsa to Face Oral Roberts
December 21, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Jordan Tolbert is just the third freshman in the last 20 years to record three 20-point games for Tech.
Dec. 21, 2011
Texas Tech Notes | ORU Notes | Live Stats
TV: Fox College Sports
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network
THE OPENING TIP
• Texas Tech is coming off a convincing 87-59 win over Grambling State on Sunday. It was Tech's first game in 12 days. It was also its first home game in 28 days.
• Oral Roberts enters the game with the Red Raiders after stunning No. 8/9 Xavier, 64-42, in Cincinnati.
• The game is being televised by the Fox College Sports Central.
• The Red Raiders will return home after Christmas to host Cal State-Bakersfield (Dec. 27) and Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 30) to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule.
• This is the most games away from Lubbock in the pre-conference schedule (six total) since 2007-08, when the Red Raiders played seven, two road and five neutral site, away from Lubbock.
TEXAS TECH-ORU SERIES
• This is the eighth all-time meeting between Texas Tech and Oral Roberts. The Red Raiders lead the all-time series, 7-0. The first meeting took place in Lubbock on Feb. 15, 1993, when the Red Raiders won, 117-99. Texas Tech is 3-0 in games played in Tulsa, including a 100-98 overtime win the last time the Red Raiders went T-Town on Dec. 21, 2000.
TEXAS TECH vs. SUMMIT
• Texas Tech is 14-1-0 all-time against members from the Summit League, having only played UMKC, ORU, NDSU, South Dakota, SDSU and Western Illinois — IPFW (0-0), IUPUI (0-0), Missouri-Kansas City (1-1), North Dakota State (1-0), Oakland (0-0), Oral Roberts (7-0), South Dakota (2-0), South Dakota State (2-0), Southern Utah (0-0) and Western Illinois (1-0).
HITTING FOR 20
Since Texas Tech joined the Big 12 Conference at the beginning of the 1996-97 season, there have been 39 Red Raider players scored 20 points in a game at least once. In that group, 25 have performed the feat twice. The school's all-time leading scorer, Andre Emmett did it 55 times. In all, five of the school's top seven scorers have played in what we call the Big 12 Era. Here is a complete list of the 39 Red Raiders, who have compiled 369 20-point games at Texas Tech. Red Raider freshman Jordan Tolbert is the newest member with three 20-point games this season. He had 20 against Indiana State, added 27 against TCU and netted 22 against Grambling State. His 27 are the most by a Red Raider freshman on the road in the Big 12 Era, but John Roberson holds the freshman record with 28 against Northwestern State in 2007. Tolbert is one of 10 freshman to record a 20-point game at Texas Tech, but joins just Roberson (7) and Martin Zeno (3) as Red Raiders who have done it at least three times. Red Raider Ty Nurse also joined the list this year, when he went for 29 points against Troy in the season opener. Tolbert and Nurse are the Red Raiders' top two scorers this season.
FROM THE START
Last time out against Grambling State, the starting lineup was Ty Nurse, Javarez Willis, Luke Adams, Robert Lewandowski and Jordan Tolbert. It was the first time this season that lineup was used to start the game. It was the third different starting lineup this year. Willis, Lewandowski and Tolbert have started every game.
TOLBERT LEADS BY EXAMPLE
Jordan Tolbert is just a freshman, but his play has definitely not been that of a first-year player. Tolbert leads the team in points (14.0), rebounds (6.2), field goal percentage (.613), field goal attempts (80) and makes (49) and he ranks second on the team in free throw percentage (.778). The 6-7 freshman is ninth in the Big 12 Conference scoring and 10th in rebounds and ranks third in field goal percentage and 11th in free throw percentage. He is the leading freshman scorer in the league and is second in rebounding. Tolbert has scored in double figures six times this season, including a season-high 27 at TCU on Dec. 6. It was the most by a Tech freshman since John Roberson went for 28 against Northwestern State on Dec. 29, 2007. It is the second highest scoring mark by a Red Raider freshman in the Big 12 Era. He also netted 20 points against Indiana State at the Old Spice Classic and 22 against Grambling State. Tolbert has pulled down five rebounds in eight of nine games this season and had a season-best nine on two different occasions. He has recorded three 20-point games as a freshman, which has only been recorded two other times in the last 20 years at Texas Tech.
NURSE AN OFFENSIVE THREAT
Ty Nurse has the ability to be an offensive threat each time he steps on the floor. He has led the team is scoring three times this season and scored in double figures on four occasions. Nurse had a remarkable debut, chipping in 29 points. He has scored in seven of eight games this seasons. Nurse is second on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game, while chipping in 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He is an 88 percent foul shooter, connecting on 29 of 33 from the chaity strip this season. The Red Raiders are 5-2 when Nurse plays at least 22 minutes.
GOTCHER ADDS BALANCE
Toddrick Gotcher knows how to win. He saw his high school team win 91 percent of its games Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial. What he adds to the Red Raiders is a little of everything. He is third on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg), fourth in rebounding (4.4 rpg), first in assists (2.8), second in blocks (6), third in steals (4), and fourth in free throw percentage (.720). He has had three double-digit scoring games against North Texas (12), Wake Forest (10) and TCU (14). Gotcher has had five games with at least four rebounds and another three games with at least four assists.
WILLIS IS STABLE PRESENCE
Javarez Willis is one of three returning players from last year's squad who has started all nine games this season. Willis is fourth on the squad in scoring (7.2), leads in assists (2.8) and is third in free throw percentage (.762). He has recorded nine or more points five times this season and had a season high 15 against Troy and later tied that mark against Wake Forest. He has also dished out at least two assists in seven of nine games this season, while distributing four assists or more four times.
FCS CENTRAL PICKS UP GAME
FCS Central has picked up the Texas Tech-Oral Roberts game for broadcast on Dec. 22. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. CT. This marks the 29th Red Raider game to be picked up for broadcast this season. Currently every game except the conference opener at Oklahoma State is slated for television.
CROCKETT LEADS WAY OFF BENCH
Jaye Crockett has become the key cog off the bench for the Red Raiders this season. After sitting out the opener, Crockett has averaged 6.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over the next eight games. He has had two double-digit scoring games - Stephen F. Austin (13) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (12) - and recorded five rebounds in five games this season, including nine against North Texas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. In the Corpus Christi game, Crocket led the team in points, rebounds and assists off the bench.
SHOOTING FOR AVERAGE
Texas Tech is third in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage through nine games, as the Red Raiders have hit on 49.2 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 did not shoot well at the Old Spice Classic, hitting just 43 percent or less against Indiana State, DePaul and Wake Forest. The Red Raiders hit 46.8 percent against TAMU-CC and connected on 54.5 percent from the field against TCU. Conversely, Texas Tech is holding its opponents to 38.2 percent this season. That mark ranks fifth in the Big 12.
LEWANDOWSKI STEPS UP REBOUNDING
Through the first four games of the season, senior Robert Lewandowski was averaging 3.5 rebounds per game. Since that time, the Kansas native has jumped that mark by two rebounds a game to 5.6 rebounds an outing over the last five games. He notched a season-high nine against TCU on Dec. 6. For the season, Lewandowski is averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. Lewandowski has 56 career starts in 103 career appearances for the Red Raiders. He is the lone senior on the squad.
NASH ADDS SPARK
Jaron Nash has been spark for the Red Raiders this season. The Waterloo, Iowa native has appeared in all nine games games off the bench. This season, Nash has chipped in 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds a game. He is one of nine Red Raiders averaging better than five points a game this season. Nash's big game came against Wake Forest, when he came off the bench to finish with a team-high 15 points on six of 13 shooting. He also had a team-best seven boards, two blocks and three steals. Nash is one of two players on the squad shooting better than 60 percent from the field, joining Jordan Tolbert. Nash and Tolbert are hitting 61.3 percent from the field.
PETTEWAY CHIPS IN
Freshman Terran Petteway had a career-high 13 points in the loss to DePaul at the Old Spice Classic. He made the most of his minutes, as he hit 4 of 6 from the field in 15 minutes of play and connected on 4 of 6 from the line. He had a big first half against Indiana State, chipping in nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. In three games at the Old Spice Classic, Petteway was second on the squad with 9.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. For the season, Petteway is averaging 6.0 points and 2.4 rebounds and outing.
LUKE STEPS UP IN A BIG WAY
Walk-on Luke Adams stepped onto the court against Grambling State not only playing in his second career game, but making his first career start. The freshman from Big Spring, Texas, who is legally deaf, connected on his first four shots of the game (all 3s) to spark a 27-2 Texas Tech run against the Tigers. In two games, the 5-9 walk-on has averaged 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals in 41 total minutes of play.
PLAYING TEN
For the seventh time in nine games this season, 10 Red Raiders entered the lineup. All 10 players who saw action for the Red Raiders scored against the Horned Frogs. It also marked the season debut for walk-on Clark Lammert.
UP AND DOWN FROM THREE
The Red Raiders 3-point shooting has been almost cyclical this season. The trend continued for Texas Tech from the 3-point line against TCU as the Red Raiders hit 2 of 8 from behind the arc. The Red Raiders have now hit 43 percent (Troy), 18.2 percent (North Texas), 54.5 percent (Stephen F. Austin), 22.2 percent (Indiana State), 50 percent (DePaul), 30 percent (Wake Forest), 44.4 percent (Texas A&M-CC), 25.0 percent (TCU) and 42.1 percent (Grambling State). For the season, the Red Raiders are 42 of 106 from beyond the arc (39.6 percent). Ty Nurse leads the way, hitting on 14 of 36 attempts (38.9 percent) from 3-point range.
ROTATING SCORING LEADERS
The rotating scoring leaders may have found some stabilization, as Jordan Tolbert's 22 points paced Texas Tech for the second straight game and the third time this season. Texas Tech has had six difference players lead the team in scoring in nine games. The Red Raiders have now been led in scoring by six different players this season - Jaye Crockett, Ty Nurse, Robert Lewandowski, Jordan Tolbert, Jaron Nash and Javarez Willis.
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.
PACKING THE STANDS
Dec. 18th's announced attendance against Grambling State was 8,171. Through four home contests, the Red Raiders are averaging 9,073 fans a game. Last season, Texas Tech averaged 8,513 fans a game. Texas Tech currently ranks fifth in the Big 12 in home attendance. The Red Raiders return home on Tuesday, Dec. 27 against Cal State-Bakersfield.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Texas Tech ranks 23rd nationally in field goal percentage (49.2), 39th in field goal percentage defense (39.2), 54th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.5) and 81st in free throw percentage (71.5). Jordan Tolbert ranks 18th in field goal percentage (61.3) and 223RD in free throw percentage (77.8). Ty Nurse ranks 44th in free throw percentage (87.9).
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 138 of 193 from the line (71.5 percent).
FROM THE FIELD
Texas Tech has now out-shot its opponent from the field in eight of nine games this season. In the last outing, Texas Tech was 48.5 percent from the field (32-66), while Grambling State was 30.4 percent from the field (17-56). DePaul is the only team to out-shoot the Red Raiders this season. The Blue Demons hit 46.6 percent from the field, whiel the Red Raiders connected on just 42.3 percent from the field. That was also the lowest shooting performance of the season for Texas Tech.
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 103 career games. Last season Lewandowski chipped in 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. This season, he is averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds.
