#19 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders
United Spirit Arena – Lubbock, Texas
Saturday, February 8, 2014, 9:30 pm Eastern, TV: ESPNU
Opening Line: Oklahoma State -5 1/2
Current Line: Oklahoma State -6 1/2
Opening Total: 146 1/2
Current Total: 145 1/2
Opening Money Line: Oklahoma State -310 / Texas Tech +255
Current Money Line: Oklahoma State -290 / Texas Tech +240
The 16-6 Oklahoma State Cowboys have lost 4 of their last 5 games including 3 straight. The Cowboys are 4-5 in the Big 12 and are in seventh place in the conference. OSU looks to get back on track as they travel to the 11-11 Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Red Raiders are 3-6 in conference and in 8th place.
Oklahoma State leads the series against Texas Tech 38-15, but the series is tied 9-9 in Lubbock. Oklahoma State has won six straight games in the series, including 79-45 in Stillwater and 91-67 in Lubbock in last year’s two games. The Cowboys and Red Raiders will play in Stillwater February 22.
Oklahoma State is coached by Travis Ford. The Cowboys have losses to Memphis in a tournament in Orlando, at Kansas State, at Kansas, at Oklahoma, Baylor, and Iowa State 98-97 in triple overtime Monday night. OSU has key wins over Memphis at home, at South Florida, over Purdue and Butler in the tournament in Orlando, South Carolina in Stillwater, Louisiana Tech in Oklahoma City, Colorado in Las Vegas, Texas, West Virginia twice, and TCU. The Cowboys are 8-10 ATS and the total is 12-6 this season.
OSU is outscoring teams 84-69 this season. The Cowboys are #7 in scoring nationally. Oklahoma State shoots 47.7% from the field and 36.6% from 3 point range. The Cowboys are #31 in field goal percentage. OSU makes 71.5% of their free throws. Cowboy opponents are shooting 39.6% from the field and 31.6% from 3 point range. OSU is #28 in field goal defense nationally. The Cowboys are averaging 37.4 rebounds a game and allowing 34. OSU is #306 nationally out of 351 teams in rebounds allowed. Oklahoma State averages 14 assists, 7.9 steals, 5.5 blocks, and 10.6 turnovers per game, and opponents average 10.4 assists, 6.4 steals, 3.5 blocks, and 14.5 turnovers per game.
Oklahoma State has one of the best back-courts in the nation with Marcus Smart and Markel Brown. Smart is projected to be a top five NBA pick in June’s draft. He averages 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 steals a game. Brown averages 17 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. Forward Le’Bryan Nash averages 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Guard Phil Forte III averages 12.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. Guard-forward Brian Williams averages 7.8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1.1 steals per game. Guard Stevie Clark average5 6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals a game. He was kicked off the team after his second arrest in a month. Forward-center Kamari Murphy averages 6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Forward-Center Michael Cobbins is out for the season with a broken foot. He averages 4.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Texas Tech is coached by Tubby Smith. The Red Raiders have losses at Alabama, Pittsburgh in a tournament in Brooklyn, at Arizona, LSU, at Arizona State, Iowa State, West Virginia twice, at Texas, Oklahoma, and at Kansas State. Texas Tech has key wins over South Dakota State, Houston in Brooklyn, Texas-San Antonio, Baylor, and TCU twice. Texas Tech beat TCU 60-54 last Saturday in Lubbock to snap a three game losing streak. The Red Raiders are 11-8 ATS and the total is 5-12-1 this season.
Texas Tech is outscoring teams 72-69 this season. The Red Raiders are shooting 46.6% from the field and 32.7% from 3 point range. Texas Tech is #32 in free throw shooting nationally making 74.5% from the line. Red Raider opponents are shooting 43.2% from the field and 34.4% from 3 point range. Texas Tech averages 33.7 rebounds per game and opponents average 27.2 per game. The Red Raiders are #19 in rebounds allowed nationally. Texas Tech averages 12.3 assists, 11.9 turnovers, 5.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game. Opponents average 10.7 assists, 11.7 turnovers, 5.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game.
Forward Jaye Crockett averages 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1 steal per game. Forward Jordan Tolbert averages 11.1 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist per game. Guard Robert Turner averages 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Guard Dusty Hannahs averages 9.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Guard Toddrick Gotcher averages 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Forward Dejan Kravic averages 7.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Aaron Ross, Randy Onwuasor, Jamal Williams, Jr., and Kader Tapsoba will also get minutes in the rotation.
Oklahoma State is 4-9 ATS after allowing more than 90 points, 1-5 in Saturday games, 1-7 in road games, and against teams with winning home records, 0-4 overall and in Big 12 games. The Cowboys have covered 4 straight times against the Red Raiders and were favored in each of those contests.
Texas Tech is 6-1 ATS after failing to cover, 5-1 against teams with winning records, 5-2 overall and against Big 12 teams, and 1-4 at home. The last six games in Lubbock in this series have gone over the total.
Oklahoma State has lost 4 of their last 5 games, but to some very good teams. Even Baylor was ranked in the top ten at one point in the season. The Cowboys have owned the Red raiders recently, and I think OSU stops their three game skid with a trip to Austin to play Texas coming up this week.
