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Texas Tech basketball's Chance McMillian's career game against Oklahoma a long time coming
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- Texas Tech basketball's Chance McMillian's career game against Oklahoma a long time coming
NORMAN, Okla. — Chance McMillian has been preparing his entire life for moments like Saturday afternoon with the Texas Tech basketball team .
The 6-foot-3 guard routinely broke his Fisher Price basketball rims as a youngster from dunking too furiously. When he'd get a replacement hoop, McMillian would break that one, too.
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In middle school, McMillian didn't have a basketball gym to go to. He settled for the local park, where the double-rimmed hoops were the only option. He'd continue to shoot late into the night, perfecting his shot placement for the nothing-but-net touch he displayed in 20th-ranked Texas Tech's 85-84 win over No. 11 Oklahoma.
McMillian admitted after his career-high 27-point, eight-rebound outing over the Sooners that he likes adversity. Thrives on it, really. The double rims made his shot what it is today, after all. And nothing drives him more than going into someone else's building, where the Red Raiders (16-3 overall, 5-1 Big 12) aren't expected to win, and doing something about it.
ABOUT THE GAME: Chance McMillian, No. 20 Texas Tech basketball fend off No. 11 Oklahoma: 3 takeaways
"Couldn't be happier for this guy," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said of McMillian after the road victory over OU. "Phenomenal teammate. Chance McMillian just really wants to win, and I thought this game showed that."
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If it weren't for McMillian, Texas Tech's designated sixth man, it's unlikely the Red Raiders would've even had a chance to leave the Lloyd Noble Center with the victory.
McMillian bought his teammates some time with his performance. The first-half highlight came off an alley-oop pass from Joe Toussaint in transition. McMillian rose up and threw it down over the Oklahoma defense, giving Tech an eight-point lead.
Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian (0) dunks the ball next to Oklahoma guards Rivaldo Soares (5) and Otega Oweh (3) as Texas Tech guard Joe Toussaint, lower right, looks on during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, in Norman, Okla.
But the Sooners stormed all the way back, even taking a 68-59 lead with 7:30 to play.
"Whenever we're down," McMillian said, "we don't panic at all. We just figure out a way to win this game. It's our togetherness."
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The Red Raiders have faced this situation multiple times already this season. Saturday was the team's third second-half comeback in the past four games. This margin (nine) was much better than the 16-point hole the Texas Tech faced a week prior to BYU, though the location — away from its home crowd — provided another challenge.
McMillian's teammates caught up with him eventually.
Joe Toussaint (14 points, six assists) hit a 3-pointer. Warren Washington (10 points, seven rebounds) got deep post position for a bucket. Then McMilian converted a three-point play to make it a one-point game with 3:54 on the clock.
As much as McMillian's offense kept the Red Raiders in the game, McCasland noted his senior guard's defense for pushing the envelope even further.
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Defense has been a big part of McMillian's growth in his first year with the Red Raiders. His footwork, body placement and ability to defend without fouling have been vital to Tech's eight-man rotation of players. It came up big in Tech's ability to shut down Oklahoma leading scorer Javian McCollum (2-of-11 for seven points), who went scoreless in the second half.
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"Pop Isaacs was guarding the ball," McCasland said. "Joe Toussaint was guarding the ball and they were able to put (McMillian) on the ball, and he's worked extremely hard. He just said he had a career-high in rebounds. It wasn't just his shot making, which was awesome. It was the way he competed today and today I thought helped us win this ball game."
Of course, McMillian is a bucket getter, and his 3 in the corner off a nifty pass from Isaacs (18 points, four assists) put the Red Raiders up for good with over a minute left.
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Oklahoma coach Porter Moser commended McMillian's career game, saying he looked locked in from the jump.
In his short time at Texas Tech, McMillian's two best games have both come on the road: hitting eight 3s for 24 points against Butler and Saturday against Oklahoma. That first performance came in a losing effort. McMillian made sure that didn't happen this time.
"I like adversity," McMillain said with a smile.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech basketball's Chance McMillian's career game a long time coming
