Texas Tech Basketball: Keys to crucial Big 12 matchup against Kansas
No. 3: Limit the role played by Ochai Agbaji
A freshman who removed his redshirt in wake of injuries, Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji has provided a massive lift down the stretch for the Jayhawks.
In his first two months of college basketball, Agbaji is averaging ten points per game, but his impact has stretched past just ten points. The freshman frequently makes big plays in big moments, and has shown the potential to go off in the biggest games.
Texas Tech cannot let that happen on Saturday night. Containing Dedric Lawson and other scorers will be hard enough, but if Agbaji slips through the cracks and shows out, the Red Raiders will struggle to keep pace.
In order to limit Agbaji, the Red Raiders will need the aforementioned guards Mooney and Moretti to step up guarding him on defense. In addition, Tariq Owens and Jarrett Culver will need to contribute to guarding the versatile Agbaji as well, who has shown the ability to score regardless of who is guarding him.
If Agbaji can be contained, it will seriously simplify the defense for the Red Raiders. They’ll be Abel to focus solely on Lawson and Devon Dotson, which is much easier once other supplementary scoring options such as Agbaji are kept quiet.
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If the Red Raiders can pull off the big win on their home court, it will go a big way in deciding the final Big 12 standings. A loss will make it a whole lot harder for Texas Tech to come all the way back in the few weeks left in the conference play season, so it goes without saying that Saturday night’s matchup is a must-win game.