Texas Tech hosts UAPB In Second Round
December 19, 2014 | Men's Basketball
The Red Raiders look to run their winning streak to eight straight against UAPB in the second round of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic.
December 18, 2014
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech will look to stay perfect at home, as the Red Raiders host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 8 p.m. at United Supermarkets Arena on Friday in the second round of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic.
"Each time out we are looking to get better," said Texas Tech head coach Tubby Smith. "Last time out, we played as about as good as we can. We did a good job of sharing the ball and getting back on defense. Our goal is to continue to get better as we get closer to conference play."
Texas Tech is riding a seven-game winning streak and has won eight straight at home to open the season.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff is coming off of an overtime upset of Houston on Wednesday at Hofheinz Pavilion. UAPB's Marcel Mosley scored a career-high 33 points and was the only Lion in double figures on the night.
Texas Tech enters the game after securing a 101-39 win over South Carolina State in Lubbock. It was the fourth-largest win in program history in terms of scoring margin (+62).
Texas Tech is one of eight teams participating in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, joining Arkansas-Pine Bluff , Southern Utah, Abilene Christian, South Carolina State, Loyola Chicago, Houston and Boise State. The Red Raiders will play the opening rounds in Lubbock against South Carolina State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff , before heading to Sin City. The Red Raiders' trip to Las Vegas is only the fourth time in program history that Texas Tech has played in Las Vegas. The Red Raiders faced UNLV in Las Vegas in 1973 and 2005 and faced Fresno State as a part of the Las Vegas Shootout in 1996.
With its win over South Carolina State, Texas Tech improved to 8-1 on the season, marking the seventh time in program history that the Red Raiders had won at least eight of their first nine games. If Texas Tech were to top Arkansas-Pine Bluff , the Red Raiders would become just the seventh team in school history to start 9-1. The best start for Texas Tech without a loss was a 12-0 start to the 1929-30 season, while the best modern era start was during a 9-0 start in 2009-10. The best one-loss start came in 1995-96, when the Red Raiders ran the table after losing in the fi rst round of the Sun Bowl Classic to "Tiny" Earl Boykins and Eastern Michigan, 93-77.
In all, Texas Tech has played in 61 pre-conference tournaments and is now 89-92 all-time in the events. That includes 12 tournament titles, with the last one coming in 2009, when Texas Tech won the Dual In The Desert in Lubbock. In fact, it is the third tournament that Texas Tech has won in the Hub City, capturing the 1961 Red Raider Invitational and the 2002 Ford Red Raider Classic. With the win on Wednesday, Texas Tech is now 18-0 in pre-conference tournament game played in Lubbock and 16 in games played in United Supermarkets Arena. Tubby Smith has won three preseason tournament during his 24-year coaching career -- 2009 Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic, 2008 NABC Classic and 1996 Rainbow Classic.
After Friday's game, Texas Tech will travel to Las Vegas for the championship rounds of the Las Vegas Classic. The Red Raiders will face Loyola Chicago at 7 p.m. (CT) on Monday at the Orleans Arena. Texas Tech will then face either Boise State or Houston on Tuesday.