Texas Tech Basketball: 5 takeaways from 0-6 start to Big 12 play

AMES, IA - JANUARY 10: Head coach Mark Adams of the Texas Tech Red Raiders coaches from the bench in the first half of play at Hilton Coliseum on January 10, 2023 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa State Cyclones won 84-50 over the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images) /

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Baylor Bears guard Keyonte George Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Jaylon Tyson Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Texas Tech’s defense has been anything but elite

The strength of the Red Raiders under both Chris Beard and Coach Adams has been on the defensive end in recent years. And they haven’t been good, they’ve been great, up there at the level of a Virginia or Houston. This time around, they’ve been “okay”. Not truly bad where it’s noticeable but definitely nothing that has scared opposing offenses.

And the injury to Aimaq can’t really be blamed for this, as Batcho has been a perfectly fine interior defender in the first half of the season. The defense may have suffered a bit when he had to sit on the bench but the perimeter defense has been the bigger problem.

In conference play, Texas Tech ranks in the bottom 2 in three-point shooting. They allowed Baylor to go 11/29 from three-point range and in the 84-50 loss to Iowa State, saw the Cyclones go 11-22 from deep. One potential reason is that the backcourt is smaller than normal, with both Isaacs and DeVion Harmon listed at 6’2. It’s different from last year’s lineups that included the 6’6 Terrence Shannon and Kevin McCullar on defense.

When you have a defense that’s just okay and an offense that’s also okay, you have an okay team. And that is not good enough to win games in the Big 12.

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