Gonzaga Basketball: Early predictions for games against top 2021-22 opponents
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Jerry Colangelo Classic)
December 18th in Phoenix, Arizona
When head coach Chris Beard left for Texas and star guard and leading scorer Mac McClung left for the NBA Draft, it looked as if it was a start of a massive rebuilding effort for the Red Raiders, at least for the upcoming season.
But credit to new head coach Mark Adams for the roster construction this offseason. They were able to bring back three of the top five scorers, including sophomore wing Terrence Shannon, as well as big man Marcus Santos-Silva and guard Kevin MCCullar, who’ll likely be the team’s starting point guard next season.
What’ll determine how good Texas Tech is next season is which, if any, of the incoming transfers has a major impact for them. There are eight in total, with just sharpshooter Sardaar Calhoun (Florida State) the only one coming from a power conference. But there is some real potential with this group, including 20 ppg scoring guard Davion Warren (Hampton), 6’6 double-digit scoring guard Adonis Arms (Winthrop), and combo guard from Louisiana Mylik Wilson.
In the backcourt, Bryson Williams is a 6’9 low-post scorer from UTEP, while Kevin Obanor was one of the stars from the NCAA Tournament for Oral Roberts, scoring 70 points in three postseason games. He averaged nearly 20 ppg and 10 rpg while shooting over 46% from three-point range and is one of the most efficient players in the country.
How will this game play out?
It’s important to note that this game will be over a month after the start of the season, so Texas Tech should have worked out its rotation and overall pecking order for this game. They do offer some potential mismatches, as Holmgren will have to guard with Shannon or Obanor on the perimeter. And while he may be a couple of inches shorter, Santos-Silva is physical and tough enough to at least make things difficult for Timme inside.
For the Red Raiders to have a shot at an upset, they’ll need Obanor and Calhoun to have a big night from deep. But it’s also going to be the ultimate test for McCullar, who’ll have to defend the likes of Nembhard, Sallis, and Bolton, while also providing offense as well. Look for a spirited effort from the Big 12 program but to eventually come up short.