Tonight the Longhorns return home after a long break, hoping to continue the momentum they’ve created with back-to-back conference wins against Colorado and Oklahoma State. The opponent this time is Texas Tech, a team that has been up-and-down all season but notched an impressive home win over Texas A&M when they were ranked 9th in the country.

Since Rick Barnes joined the staff at Texas, the Longhorns have absolutely dominated the Red Raiders. Texas is 18-2 against Tech in the Barnes era, including wins in all nine home games. In this one, the Horns are favored by 11.5 points, and honestly there doesn’t seem to be much hope for the Techsters to snap the streak. Of course, the Aggie fans probably didn’t expect to stumble up in Lubbock, either…

By the numbers

Tech wins its games by playing solid defense, but unfortunately they often don’t score enough points to end up on top. Their defensive efficiency is ranked 30th in the country, and they are allowing 68 points per game to conference opponents, including the up-tempo Missouri Tigers.

The problem for Texas Tech is that they likely won’t be able to outscore the Horns, even if they execute on defense. Tech’s offense is centered around constant motion and screening, with most of their shots coming within 10-12 feet. Most of the teams who will beat Texas are ones who can take advantage of their poor three-point defense, but Knight’s system is not one that is built to do this.

One advantage of Knight’s motion offense is that it draws a ton of fouls, which could cause problems for a thin Texas bench. The Longhorns don’t have much depth, so if any of the core players get into foul trouble, significant minutes will have to come from the likes of Alexis Wangmene, Clint Chapman, and J.D. Lewis.

The Tech starters

There is a lack of a true leader on this team, but if you’re pressed to pick a go-to guy for Tech, it’s got to be Martin Zeno. The senior loves to attack off the dribble and has improved his scoring as the Red Raiders entered conference play. His mid-range game is solid, so the Horns will have more success if they can keep him to the perimeter.

Freshman John Roberson is making an early impact coming out of Plano. He’s an incredibly quick guard, so he fits well in Knight’s system. If Justin Mason is tasked with trying to shut down Zeno, the guard who is stuck with Roberson is going to have a tough assignment.

Damir Suljagic is the main man down low for Tech this season, but that’s not saying much. He can play good defense in the post, but shouldn’t draw too much attention with the ball. On a small team that struggles with rebounding, his height makes him one of their key players by default.

Against Mizzou, Alan Voskuil earned the starting nod despite having slow first halves in almost all of his games. Coach Knight has attributed this to a lack of effort on Voskuil’s part, but his talent is undeniable. He’s the leading three-point shooter in the Big 12, hitting over 50% of his attempts. He almost single-handedly defeated UTEP from behind the arc, and if Texas leaves him open from long range, he could be the difference tonight, too.

Charlie Burgess is having a bit of an off year for the Red Raiders, but is still a threat to score when he attacks the paint off the dribble. He’s the third attacking guard in Knight’s system, but at only 6’1″, he’s not a bad match-up for the Longhorn backcourt.

Off the bench

Sophomore Trevor Cook has earned some starts down low for Tech, but against an undersized Texas team, I don’t forsee Knight going with a big lineup. Forward Mike Singletary is only 6’5″, but can still post up and is developing nicely for Coach Knight. Esmir Rizvic missed most of last year’s conference season after OU’s Longar Longar went Bobby Brown on his eye socket and hasn’t seen a ton of minutes this season. He’s not a phenomenal rebounder, but if Tech is getting killed on the boards, he might be given some more playing time.

The big finish

Tonight’s contest is already a sellout, but the scalpers are lined up on Red River working their game. If you’re outside of Austin, check the affiliate list linked at the top of the page to see if it’s on in your area. Folks with ESPN Full Court can also pick up the game, while the Longhorn Radio Network will be broadcasting Craig Way’s play-by-play throughout the state.