Texas Tech tipped off basketball season with a doubleheader at United Supermarkets Arena. The Lady Raiders notched a 69-49 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the No. 25 Red Raiders beat Northwestern State 73-49.
Both teams showed great potential while also leaving plenty of room to improve. Here are our main takeaways from both games.
Women’s basketball
After a slow start left Tech trailing 16-6, the Lady Raiders went on a 24-3 run to seize an 11-point halftime lead. In the second half, the Lady Raiders built on their lead and cruised to a 69-49 win.
One of the key contributors in the victory was newcomer Bailey Maupin. The freshman guard scored nine points in nine minutes while adding three rebounds and a steal. Maupin would finish her collegiate debut with 11 points, three rebounds and a steal.
Maupin wasn’t the only newcomer making contributions. Katie Farrell, a graduate transfer from UT-Arlington, stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals. Center Jazmaine Lewis, a junior transfer from Houston, notched 11 points and seven rebounds.
As for the returning players, senior forward Bryn Gerlich dropped in a couple second-half 3-pointers, and sophomore guard Rhyle McKinney scored 11 points while shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Center Ella Tofaeono grabbed two rebounds and scored six points inside the paint.
Overall, it was a good day for the Lady Raiders. The newcomers showed out, and the returning players showed improvement from last season. If team chemistry continues to improve, this could be the deepest roster Tech has had under head coach Krista Gerlich.
Men’s basketball
The Red Raiders opened the first period shooting a scorching hot 3-of-4 from 3-point range. The early barrage of threes set the tone for the entire game, a 73-49 drubbing of Northwestern State.
The 2022 Red Raiders have an entirely new roster: all but three players are incoming freshmen or transfers.
The newcomers contributed early and often. Freshman guard Pop Isaacs, a four-star recruit from Las Vegas, scored his first collegiate points on a pair of first-half threes. Isaacs finished with six points, three rebounds and two assists.
Isaacs wasn’t the only Red Raider lighting it up from beyond the arc; Texas transfer Jaylon Tyson hit multiple shots from deep on his way to an eight-point night. The sophomore guard also racked up five rebounds in his Texas Tech debut.
For the returning players, sophomore Daniel Batcho appears to have taken his game to a brand-new level. The big man secured his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in his first career start. Forward Kevin Obanor finished with nine points, three rebounds and two assists.
It was a great first outing for the new-look Red Raiders. The new players made huge contributions on the floor, and the returning players appear to have taken a leap forward.
It is just one game against Northwestern State, but Tech fans should be encouraged by the performance. The addition of scorers like Tyson and Isaacs have elevated Tech’s scoring prowess. Paired with head coach Mark Adams’ stingy defensive scheme, the Red Raiders have a formula that could take them deep into March.
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