Texas Tech Knocks Off the #6 Kansas Jayhawks in Blowout Fashion
Lubbock, TX– The Red Raiders held true at home, pulling off a major upset over the #6 Kansas Jayhawks, 79-50. After being ranked last week at #23, the driven passionate home crowd played a huge role at the United Supermarkets Center. In the hopes of taking down a ranked opponent, the energy was brought up a notch. In Grant McCasland’s first year in charge for Texas Tech, he perfected a game plan wire to wire in this Big 12 contest. Guard Darrion Williams led the charge with 30 points and 11 rebounds, shooting a perfect 12/12 from the field. Warren Washington added a tally of 11 points and six rebounds to go along with Williams’ career night.
In a first half that mainly consisted of defense, the Red Raiders held the Jayhawks to 28 points on 35% shooting. The masterclass of a start for the home squad was formed from playing Kansas’ All-American Hunter Dickinson to a tee, holding him with only two points at the break going 1/6. Texas Tech made a living from behind the arch in the first half, with Iowa transfer Joe Toussaint being a spark with his two three-pointers to cap off Tech’s scoring run. Bill Self saw his team down at halftime for the first time since heading to Iowa State in late January. Looking ahead, the task on the road tonight would be a large mountain to climb.
Coming out of the break, Nevada transfer Darrion Williams continued to stay hot with his perimeter shooting. In his night of perfection, he started out the gate with two deep baseline jumpers, to bring him to 4/4 from downtown. Kansas was on the ropes early in the half when they started to collapse. Hunter Dickinson was held to one of his worst performances of the year with only five points, three coming in the second half. The only bright side for Kansas came from the Australian freshman Johnny Furphy who recorded 13 points and seven rebounds to lead his team.
The key moment in this one was late in the second half when an offensive foul was called against Kansas, triggering Bill Self to get a technical. That technical then led to a second one immediately after, causing him to get an ejection. The double technical was out of frustration all night for Bill Self, where his team could not produce. Texas Tech with the four shots would then creep out to a twenty-point lead and it was an insufferable amount for the Jayhawks to overcome. A rout was on the horizon when the benches were emptied late in the game, and the party in Lubbock started.
Texas Tech (18-6) now rises in the conference standings to the three spot and get to seven Big 12 wins at (7-4). They look ahead to a pivotal Saturday matchup against the #10 Cyclones of Iowa State on the road. A perfect week can see the Raiders make a case for a top-15 ranking in that top-of-the-conference showdown. Kansas (19-6) however takes a hit away from home, falling to (7-5) in the league. The Jayhawks’ road trip does not get any easier this weekend, as they go to Norman to take on the #25 Oklahoma Sooners. Throughout the year in the best conference in all of college basketball, every game is amplified.
