The national championship is set between Texas Tech and Virginia, both in their first-ever national title games. Everything will be on the line as those two teams try to change the course of their programs with the first national championship for either school, but before that happens, let’s take a look at what led to the Red Raiders getting by Michigan State to earn the right to play Monday:
Defense, defense, defense
Every team that faces Texas Tech never seems to play its best game. Somehow, they all have poor shooting nights, can’t seem to get to the rim and settle for a lot of jumpers. Hm, I wonder why.
This is one of the best defensive teams I have seen in college in a long, long time. Dominant doesn’t even do it justice. It’s the perfect mix of scheme, length and ability that has this team stifling every offense that stands in its way. This team has now shut down the first, fifth, 16th and 25th-most efficient offenses in the country heading into the tournament, according to Bart Torvik’s T-Rank, an impressive run to say the least.
Tech did a masterful job on guard Cassius Winston, who desperately tried and largely failed to get into the middle all night long. He finished with 16 points, but six of those were free throws and he went 4-of-16 from the field, his worst shooting night since Feb. 17 against Ohio State and up there with his worst of the season.
The Red Raiders just about closed off the paint completely to the Spartans. Winston’s drives were contained, and there was virtually zero post play for any of the Michigan State bigs. Forwards Nick Ward, Kenny Goins and Xavier Tillman combined for 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting, and Goins failed to even register a point, the first time that’s happened since Feb. 9 against Minnesota and only the fourth time that’s happened this season. Forwards Tariq Owens and Norense Odiase were everywhere, particularly Owens, who hit the deck multiple times as he flew around to protect the rim.
This defense is something special. You don’t see a team that can defend like this very often. Enjoy it, because a defense this disciplined and dominant is unique.
Mooney’s explosion
There were portions of that second half where Michigan State was defending guard Matt Mooney as well as you could ask, and he was still scoring. He finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting and four triples, and plenty of those buckets were great offense beating great defense. Mooney has such a soft touch in the mid-range and around the rim, which creates tantalizing bounces around the iron that give his shots a better chance to roll in. His stroke from the perimeter was pure, and other than a heat check or two, he didn’t force anything.
A major issue for Texas Tech earlier in the season was finding scoring options other than guard Jarrett Culver. On the biggest stage, Culver had an uncharacteristically poor offensive night, and one of his teammates answered the call instead. This game was a perfect example of the transformation Tech has undergone this season and why this team is where it is.
The Spartans couldn’t push it like they would have wanted
How do you deal with an insane defense like Texas Tech’s? The best way is to not deal with it at all. If you push the ball in transition and get down the floor before your opposition can get set, you have a better chance at getting an open look.
This is normally a strength for Michigan State, with Winston’s excellent court vision, masterful ball handling and ability to almost always make the right decision. But Tech took that away from Michigan State, too.
The Red Raiders were back on defense before Michigan State could try to push in most cases. Texas Tech did a great job of keeping everything in front of them and forcing Michigan State to beat them off the bounce or shoot over them rather than run right by. The harassment of Winston affected his game, and if he’s not running at his peak, then neither is Michigan State. The Spartans weren’t able to take advantage because Texas Tech wouldn’t let them.
It’s one thing to play great half-court defense. It’s another to be deadly defending in transition, too. Not enough can be said about Tech’s defensive effort Saturday.
McQuaid’s injury couldn’t have helped
With about six minutes remaining in the game, guard Matt McQuaid seemed to step awkwardly before a shot and had to leave the game to get attention on his ankle. He reentered the game shortly after, but he didn’t appear the same. His team went on a run and cut the lead to one with 2:55 to go, then a Culver jumper increased the lead back to three.
A minute later, Tillman met Culver at the rim, and Michigan State was off to the races. In one of the rare situations in which Michigan State beat Texas Tech down the floor, guard Aaron Henry got to the rim and kicked as the defense collapsed to an open McQuaid in the corner beyond the three-point line. McQuaid is a 43.2 percent three-point shooter, and usually an open look from deep is near automatic for him.
But he missed, and it seemed the ankle he tweaked previously was still bothering him. Would he have made it if he wasn’t in pain? There’s no way of knowing. Would I bet on a healthy McQuaid missing that shot? No, I certainly wouldn’t.
Instead of tying the game at 54, Mooney grabbed the rebound, Tillman fouled Culver 20 seconds later, and it was the beginning of the end for the Spartans. Who knows what would have happened if McQuaid had hit that shot, and you can’t know that his apparent injury affected the shot. But either way, it was an unfortunate break for Michigan State and may have played a larger role in this one than discussed.
