Texas Tech Basketball: 2019-20 keys for home win over Kentucky Wildcats

1. Don’t get dominated inside the arc

Once again, Kentucky does not beat teams via three-pointers. They rank right around the bottom nationally in terms of shots attempted and made from long range, making just one total in the 89-point effort against Georgia. Immanuel Quickley and forward Nate Sestina are the only ones who represent any kind of threat from deep and prefer overall to drive and operate down lown.

Considering how Texas Tech is set up this season, they probably prefer teams to try to beat them from deep. They have only one player in their rotation bigger than 6’6 in 6’8 forward TJ Holyfield, with 6’6 point-center Chris Clarke always having do deal with mismatches down low. The lack of frontcourt for the Red Raiders makes foul trouble a real issue each game, although this team has done a good job at avoiding such trouble in most games.

Texas Tech will have an issue with Nick Richards, a 6’11 forward who leads the Wildcats with 13.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg. He’s been on a run of late and will get plenty of touches. Sestina and EJ Montgomery also will have an advantage inside, along with the Kentucky guards like Hagans looking to go inside and make plays. The guards for the Red Raiders will have to do a great job with penetration defense to help out their forwards while making three-pointers of their own to offset what happens inside.