Texas Tech 2/24 7:00 ESPN2

[GoBearcats31]

The Bearcats, riding a 4-game winning streak, will face another ranked opponent on the road in Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders were upset by Arizona State last Tuesday, in a game in which star and potential 1st team AA JT Toppin suffered a season-ending injury. Texas Tech bounced back with a 100-72 win versus Kansas State over the weekend. TT is a top 20 team on KenPom and in the NET, but hard to gauge them without its star (who led the team with 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game).

The Red Raiders' top players are:
Christian Anderson (19.1 points, 7.7 assists)
Donovan Atwell (13.0 points)
LeJuan Watts (12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds)
Jaylen Petty (9.0 points)

Three of those four are guards, while the other is only 6'6 -- which makes for an interesting matchup with UC running Baba Miller and Moustapha Thiam out there.

6'11 sophomore Luke Bamgboye was inserted to the starting lineup on Saturday and posted 12 and 6 in 21 minutes. The top two contributors off the bench versus Kansas State, combining for 30 minutes, were 6'11 and 6'8.


Win this game and the bracketology/bubble watch thread will be coming back.


UPDATE: Texas Tech is 16th in the AP Top 25

[KevMan1976]

Since it would seem that it worked for me Saturday, I'm going to say. . .

Bearcats win 72-69.

[GoBearcats31]

UC opens as just a 5.5 point underdog


Tomorrow, 8-6 UCF goes to 8-6 BYU (winner gets sole possession of 6th place, loser drops to 8-7 and would be tied with any winners of UC, WVU, TCU)

7-7 WVU plays at Oklahoma State
7-7 TCU hosts Arizona State
7-7 UC has the hardest game among them, TCU, WVU -- could end the night any where from 7th (tied) to back in 10th

[swilsonsp4]

For comparison, here are the relevant KenPom rankings & betting lines:

UC (46) @ TTU (16) ... TTU -5.5
UCF (49) @ BYU (21) ... BYU -10.5
WV (59) @ OSU (73) ... OSU -1.5
ASU (63) @ TCU (50) ... TCU - 6.5

The game tonight (UH @ KU), as well as two tomorrow night (AZ @ Baylor; ISU @ UT), will have no impact on UC's standings (at least for now).

[BearKatz]

I definetly do not want to jinx the Cats tonight! But if they can somehow pulloff another upset at TT. I would guess that puts them on the Bubble watch?

[leo from jersey]

so far ok except the early foul on Baba

[BearKatz]

so far ok except the early foul on Baba

That early foul needs to be watched. James & Thomas on fire early.

[BearKatz]

T.T. is apparently not going to let Thiam beat them!

[Rufus]

I just love how Celestine refuses to work for a shot. Instead he just stands around perimeter looking to get passed to. There's no chance of him getting rebounds when he's almost on the opposing teams bench

[BearKatz]

I know we're NOT boxing out underneath the boards and TT is getting easy second chance pts.

[leo from jersey]

Is Tyler hurt

[BearKatz]

CWM should have called a TO a minute earlier! You can see the game starting to slip away!

[BearKatz]

Lack of REBOUNDING absolutely Killing the Cats!

[London 'Cat]

UC scores 2 points from 5:04 until halftime. TT scores 15 in that same period. Terrible defense and even worse offense.

[Bearcat9796]

mou got tired, stopped working for a good shot, rushed everything, day day D non existent, all not working hard enough for boards, ur not got shoot 90% all night like 1st 8 min...everyone kinda panicking when they could've executed