Texas Tech Basketball: A look at what Mac McClung brings to Red Raiders

 Defensive Strengths

McClung’s post defense is very solid, and when bigger players get on the left or right block and try to bully him, he does a great job of standing his ground and using his athleticism to bother their shots. It can be difficult for shorter guards to make their presence felt when they are defending a player in the post who has a size advantage, but McClung does a great job of showing that he is not the kind of guard that other players can abuse in the post. He may not fight as hard as he should to front the opposing players, but he definitely makes them go into their bag of tricks, in order to get off the shot they want.

He also has good defensive instincts, and knows when it is a good idea to jump passing lanes (when a lackadaisical pass is thrown, and his man is stationary), and when to remain disciplined. Additionally, McClung is a good on-ball defender, who understands when he should press up on weak ball handlers, and when to respect players who have elite handles and/or are really quick.

He is not necessarily a player that is going to force his opponents to dribble off their feet or pester them to the point where they no longer want the ball in their hands, but he sits down, commits to staying low and on-balance, and does his best to keep his opponents in front of him.