Texas Tech Basketball: Biggest keys to upsetting Gonzaga in Elite Eight

By Brian Rauf | Mar 30, 2019

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders speaks to Jarrett Culver #23 during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional game against the Michigan Wolverines at Honda Center on March 28, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 24: (L-R) Davide Moretti #25, Tariq Owens #11, and Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrate their 78-58 victory over the Buffalo Bulls after their second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

2) Establish secondary scoring options

Texas Tech has a historically good defense and a projected top 10 pick in Jarrett Culver (more on him next). Those factors were enough to make the Red Raiders an NCAA Tournament team, but this team has gone to another level since losing to Kansas in early February become of the emergence of secondary scoring options.

Point guard Davide Moretti, in particular, has stepped his game up. After scoring double figures in only two of Texas Tech’s first 12 games, he has done so in 21 of their last 23 games. And, when he scores at least 14 points, the Red Raiders have only lost one game.

Grad transfer Matt Mooney hasn’t seen that kind of transformation but he has been much more consistent since that loss to Kansas. He has scored nine points or more in 12 of their last 13 games after failing to do so 10 times in their previous 22.

Tariq Owens, Brandone Francis, and Norense Odiase have stepped up their offensive games as well, providing Culver with plenty of support.

Gonzaga has as many weapons as anyone in the country and Culver can’t match them by himself. Moretti and Mooney (and others) are going to have to play well for the Red Raiders to win.

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