Texas Tech Basketball: 3 Keys To A Red Raider Win vs. NC State (NCAA Tournament)

Intro the Red Raiders are set to return to the big dance and will face off against the ACC tournament champions in the first round of the NCAA tournament in the NC State wolf pack in today's video I break down the three keys to the game for the Red Raiders to move on to the round of 32 and year number one of Grant mccastlen and give the latest injury updates for Warren Washington and Darion Williams hey how's it going everybody it's RC Maxfield here for the back to2 podcast and if you haven't already be sure to like the video hit that subscribe button and turn on that notification Bell to stay in the know on Texas Tech men's basketball all tournament long we've got you really with everything you need whether that's injury updates the latest keys to the games games preview we'll be going live multiple times this week and well you can come hang out with us during the game we will have a live interactive scoreboard with me and special guest Austin Massie here on the channel to do play byplay keep you up to date of what's going on around the first round of the NCAA tournament and more so if you want to stay in the know on everything Texas techman basketball all year long not just during the tournament all year long we've got you covered with portal updates as well be sure to like the video hit that subscribe button and turn on that notification bell all right before we get into the injury updates Predict it! What’s your score prediction for Texas Tech vs. NC State? for the Red Raiders let me know your score prediction for NC State and Texas Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament up in Pittsburgh in the South Region because directions they don't apply in the first round of the NCAA tournament when when it comes to where you're actually playing if you were Texas Tech in NC State but let me know your score prediction down on the pin comment below all right before we get into the keys to the game let's get into the injury updates here I mentioned it Texas Tech MBB Injury Update in the preview video we've got a little bit more details now in terms of Warren Washington and Darion Williams potentially playing for the Red Raiders in the first round of the NCAA tournament Warren Washington he was out of a boot we talked about that in the preview video he has been practicing for 7 to 10 days now and he has a solid chance to play for Texas Tech what does that role look like TBD and he's got to go through warm-ups and make sure everything is good but he is headed in the right direction and has a chance to return to action for the Red Raiders for the first time in seven games and that would be absolutely pivotal regardless of how many minutes he can give Coach mccastlen in Texas Tech Darion Williams it sounds like the boot was precautionary that he was ing at the selection so there and well at the USA in lovec Texas in terms of that's what we've been told at the Scarlet black Insider that was precautionary he is going to be able to play at least that is the trajectory he is on right now so that could be huge for the Red Raiders to have two of their five starters back in the lineup in the first round of the NCAA tournament now I think it's even going to be more big as we move into the keys for the game the first key I have Texas Tech Key No.1 - P&R Offense here which is pick and roll offense NC state has multiple bigs that are really really good most notably you got DJ Burns I think everybody knows him at this point looks like he could play defensive tackle for Alabama or Georgia but Texas Tech can pull these bigs away and if you watch the film you can tell that guards do this quite a bit and this is where NC State struggles now obviously you see the davises of the world at North Carolina they did a good job of it but just go look at their tape throughout ACC play this is where teams thrive in terms of really picking apart the Wolfpack defense Wolfpack is known for their offense but defensively they have some really solid pieces but in the pick and roll they struggle okay I'm looking for Joe and pop off the bounce in the pick and roll with whether that's Warren whether that's RJ Darion whoever it may be to create easy opportunities not only at The Rim but also once that defense collapses and they see that well Joe or pop has won off of the bounce then you're going to have open looks on the outside for chance Kerwin even pop right you're going to have to do that if you are Texas Tech because they do have the advantage when it comes to size if it we're talking about the wolf pack here down low okay so that's one thing that I'm looking for for Texas Tech in the sense of the pick and roll and what they can do there in terms of capitalizing getting easier shots at the ring or more open looks on the outside now this one in terms of key number two is probably going to be Captain Obvious for Texas Tech Key No.2: Rebounding Battle a lot of people here but win the rebounding battle interesting stat here the correlation for Texas Tech winning recently you can just look on the glass the Red Raiders have won four of their last five games and they've won the rebounding battle in each of them okay I don't think that's a surprise what is a surprise is watching NC State and the size that they present they're not all that good of a rebounding team and that was really interesting to me watching the tape they have some good quality traits and I think that the potential is there but they haven't been consistent with it even in the ACC tournament where they won five games in five days they lost a couple of the games there in terms of the rebounding battle right obviously won all the games but they lost the rebounding battle when Texas Tech wins the rebounding battle their chances of winning go exponentially up okay so that's something that I'm watching for again you could potentially have Warren Washington back Robert Jennings Amel yahu have been playing phenomenal for what they are at this point in their Collegiate careers they have been a godsent for Texas Tech in that front Court during this stretch where they've been playing some of their best basketball of the of the Season excuse me outside of the Houston game okay because let's just face it that was a really bad game for the Red Raiders but that's one thing that I'm watching in the sense of the rebounding battle you don't need to win it by 10 15 but if you win it in your Texas Tech you have a much better chance of winning the basketball game overall all right this is this is a number I've said all year long here key number Key No.3: Offensive Efficiency/Shooting three 35% from three that's what you have to shoot if you're Texas Tech from three-point land now the reason I say that is this of their 12 big 12 victories including the BYU won in the NCAA tournament the Red Raiders have won eight of those games when they have shot 35% or better from three now one of those games was against Oklahoma State and they shot pretty close to it they also shot 33% in another game so relatively close right pop chance and Kerwin all seem to be headed in the right direction shooting wise mainly popping chance you remember during Big 12 Play there was about a five five six game stretch where it felt like pop and chance couldn't make a shot if they were standing on the beach if they were aiming it in the ocean it was that bad okay but they've gotten back on track and that is pivotal for the Red Raiders success going into this matchup with NC State a team that themselves can shoot the lights out of the ball specifically DJ horn who is shooting nearly 42% from three so if you have pop chance and Kerwin headed in the right direction hopefully Darion can be relatively close close to 100% in that regard the 35% number is a number to no for the Red Raiders in terms of just like rebounding it will exponentially increase their odds of winning this basketball game and having a chance to move on and potentially play either Kentucky or Oakland in the round of 32 so again my three keys to the game in this one pick and roll offense I want to see an aggressive Joe tucon because if you follow me on Twitter which you should it's right there by the way at rcnb 323 an aggressive Joe tucon is the best Joe tucon an aggressive pop isacs is the best pop ISAC specifically off the bounds if the Red Raiders win the rebounding battle they have a greater chance to win this game by quite a bit again four of their last five games they've won the they've won the game and then in each of those games they've won the rebounding battle that's no coincidence and then again my other stat 35% from three that is a key in this one because Texas Tech has 12 Big 12 wins on the year eight of them they shot 35% or higher and in two other victories they were at 33% so if they get close to 35 and right at 35 or higher again to the Moon in terms of their chances of winning all right one Subscribe for more 100% FREE Texas Tech videos more time let me hear your score prediction down on the pin comment down below and if you haven't already be sure to smash that subscribe button and smash that notification Bell and come hang out with me in Austin Massie on Thursday we'll have one other Live this week outside of the live stream for the game but you can come hang out with us during the game just have it open on your phone you got the game there on your TV it's a great way to interact with not only us but other Red Raiders and here what's going on live as Texas Tech well they're back in the NCAA tournament and year number one of Grant mccassen so if you want to stay in the know on Texas Tech men's basketball all season long better yet all year long including the NCAA tournament transfer portal and much much more you know what to do do these three things for me like the video hit that subscribe button and turn on that notification to join the largest group of Texas Tech fans on YouTube in the back to 12 podcast Channel