Big 12 Tournament - First Round

(9) Texas Tech 82, (8) Colorado 67

This was one of those tournament games in which the lower-seeded team won, to the surprise of absolutely no one.

Colorado somehow snuck out the No. 8 spot in the 2010 Big 12 Tournament, but the ninth-seeded Red Raiders from Texas Tech have had more postseason experience and a higher national profile in recent years. The lads from Lubbock, Tex., felt at home on Wednesday afternoon in a neutral-court envrionment, while the bewildered Buffaloes were... well... Buffaloed. Everything Colorado did, Texas Tech did better.

Colorado's defense was actually pretty solid, despite the 82-point total posted by Tech. Coach Jeff Bzdelik's CU squad forced 17 Red Raider turnovers, a reality that should coincide with a win at best, and a very even ballgame at worst. However, for all the takeaways Colorado gained inside Kansas City's gleaming new Sprint Center, the Buffs did a little more giving.

Charity begins not just at the foul line, but with ballhandling, and CU didn't do much of it. Colorado gave up the ball 19 times and allowed Texas Tech to get several cheap baskets in transition. This was just one instance in which CU's efforts were eclipsed by coach Pat Knight's club from the Lone Star State.

On the matter of field goal shooting, Texas Tech hit for a higher percentage (49 to 43). Tech hit threes at a better rate (42 to 35 percent). Foul shots? Colorado attempted 21 and made 15 - not bad. Texas Tech, though, earned 30 shots and made 23.

One of the biggest keys to the Red Raiders' 15-point triumph was their bench. Tech outscored Colorado on the pine, 30-9, as reserve forward Brad Reese tallied 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Tournament basketball - especially in the early rounds, when teams need to advance while also saving something in the tank for the following day - demands a good bench, and Tech got that on Wednesday. The Red Raiders should now be appreciably fresh as they move on to the quarterfinals on Thursday.

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Beyond the particulars of this game, the importance of the result is that Tech moved to 17-14 on the season and likely solidified an NIT bid, while the Buffs - who dropped to 15-16 - got knocked out of that event and must now wait to see if they will be offered a bid in the CIT or CBI tournaments.

And you thought that 8-9 games in conference tournaments really didn't mean all that much.

What's Next

Texas Tech moves on to play top-seeded Kansas in Thursday's first quarterfinal. The Red Raiders will need to get 30 more bench points against a deep Kansas team that, on the first day of its own journey through the Big 12 Tournament, might be a little rusty early on. KU hasn't played since Saturday, so the Jayhawks - as good as they are - will still be missing the normal rhythm athletes generally prefer. Texas Tech has gotten its juices flowing by playing one game in this tournament, so if Pat Knight's team is to make noise against KU, it has to start strong and then manage a lead for the duration of the game.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer