Tuesday evening was a big opportunity for Texas Tech Basketball, which hosted No. 3 Illinois at home. With both teams missing their star big men, it was unknown what we’d see from either side. What we ended up seeing was the Red Raiders dominating, taking a 20-point halftime lead after a blitz of offense from the backcourt.
In the end, Illinois made a comeback attempt to make the game close late but Texas Tech held on for an 84-78 victory. It’s a win that’ll allow them to move up the rankings next week but for now, here’s a look at the biggest takeaways from their win.
1. Davis, DGL a quality backcourt duo
Both Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn averaged 20 ppg at their previous stops and are the lead guards for the Red Raiders. In their first true test, both players passed, scoring 13 points apiece in the first half to create that 20-point lead midway through and combining for 35 points overall. It’s not a guarantee that players from the mid-major ranks can play well after transferring up but after beating the No. 3 team, it’s clear that both of these transfers are more than qualified to run the offense.
2. Jamichael Stillwell holding his own down low
With JT Toppin still recovering from a torn ACL, it’s UCF transfer Stillwell that’s the lead big inside. As one of the best pure rebounders in the country, the 6’8 forward managed to produce 11 points and 13 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. While he did go 2/10 from the field, Stillwell’s rebounding and interior defense was all that was needed for the team to get the win.
3. Darrion Williams continues early season struggles
Williams was a star two years ago at Texas Tech and the hope was that he’d be at the same level returning. But through three games, he’s putting up just 3.7 ppg, shooting 2/15 from the field in 81 minutes. That includes going 0/5 from the field in 29 minutes. Thanks to Stillwell, Donovan Atwell and the guards, Williams doesn’t need to score as much this time around. But for Texas Tech Basketball to truly be a contender, they’re going to need a lot more from him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google