On Tuesday night, Texas Tech erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and defeated TCU 82-81 in a contest for the final possession.
Here are three takeaways from Tech-TCU:
Red Raiders find solution to late rebound
As was the case with Ames and Fort Martin last weekend, Texas Tech once again fell short in the rebounding department. A game against the Horned Frogs in late January is worth it.
On Tuesday, the Red Raiders lost the rebound battle 49-36, with the Frogs scoring 21 points off those boards.
The Red Raiders, who were again without Warren Washington who suffered a leg injury in the win over Kansas, lacked presence at the bottom of the game and struggled to keep the team together until the end.
Tech got more physical in the final moments, setting the stage for a come-from-behind victory.
Key playmakers step up late
Tech stepped up its play late in the second half as Pop Isaacs and Joe Toussaint overcame a heavy shooting exchange, setting up each other with Chance McMillian to help erase a 10-point deficit.
Tech, which trailed for much of the second half, tied the game at 71-71 on Darrion Williams' dunk in the final two minutes. Williams also grabbed two key rebounds in the second half while playing with four fouls.
Critical free throws from Isaacs and Toussaint proved vital to the Red Raiders' hopes of a comeback.
What does this win mean for Tech's tournament hopes?
The Red Raiders earned their eighth win in the Big 12 and have a chance to solidify their NCAA Tournament hopes in the final five games of the regular season.
Many Big 12 teams believe a .500 record in conference play is the bar for a tournament appearance. The Red Raiders are one game away from reaching that mark and could do much better than nine conference wins.
The Tech team will visit UCF on Saturday before returning to host Texas, with trips to Stillwater and Morgantown still in the plans.
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