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Chance McMillian, No. 20 Texas Tech basketball fend off No. 11 Oklahoma: 3 takeaways
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- Chance McMillian, No. 20 Texas Tech basketball fend off No. 11 Oklahoma: 3 takeaways
NORMAN, Okla. — For the second game in a row, a career performance from a guard helped 20th-ranked Texas Tech basketball team make a second-half comeback, this time toppling No. 11 Oklahoma 85-84 in the Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Raiders (16-4, 5-1) got 27 points from Chance McMillian while Pop Isaacs had a couple clutch buckets and free throws down the stretch. Oklahoma led 68-59 with 7:30 left in regulation
Texas Tech guard Kerwin Walton (24) lays up the ball in the first half during an NCAA basketball game between University of Oklahoma (OU) and Texas Tech at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
Uneven first half for Texas Tech basketball
The first nine and last four minutes of the first half were the Red Raiders at their best for the most part. It was the middle section that proved costly.
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Texas Tech jumped out to a 17-9 lead with efficient offense and good defensive rotations. Oklahoma had six turnovers in the first nine minutes.
The Sooners, though, rebounded. Clamping down on defense and finding their stroke from the outside, Oklahoma outscored Tech 19-4 to flip the game. With four minutes left and momentum not on their side, the Red Raiders got back on track with a 12-6 spurt to close the half down 34-33.
Isaacs made his first 3-pointer of the game but the Red Raiders missed their next eight shots from beyond the arc during Oklahoma's run. McMillian drilled a 3 from the top of the key to help spark the turnaround a tad.
Chance McMillian keeps Tech in it
While everyone else struggled from the field through 26 minutes of play, McMillian was the saving grace for the Red Raiders.
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McMillian hit six of his first eight shot attempts, including a 3-of-4 mark from 3, for 15 points to get Texas Tech a 49-47 lead with 13:49 to play. He also provided a major boost on the boards, corralling five of them (three offensive). Without his shooting touch, it's unlikely the Red Raiders get back into the game at all.
Down the stretch they go
The Red Raiders seem to love drama. Three of their last four games have been decided in the final few minutes of the second half, including Saturday's contest.
Oklahoma went up 68-59 before the red Raiders came back to tied the game 73-all with 2:45 left.
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Isaacs had a couple big layups, Joe Toussaint added one and McMillian's 3 in the corner off a nifty pass from Isaacs send the Red Raiders home with the win.
What's next?
The Red Raiders remain on the road for their next contest as they head to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs on Tuesday. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN2. Texas Tech will return home next Saturday to host Cincinnati at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: No. 20 Texas Tech basketball fends off No. 11 Oklahoma: 3 takeaways
