Texas is back in action this afternoon, hosting a Top 10 opponent at the Drum. The Horns are coming off one of their most impressive performances of the season, a convincing road win in which they stifled the West Virginia offense and scored at will on the other end. UT’s defense held the Mountaineers to their lowest offensive efficiency mark of the season, allowing just 0.936 points per possession.

The Texas defense will need another strong performance this afternoon against an Iowa State squad that has the 26th-most efficient offense in the nation. The Cyclones get down the court in a hurry and find open shooters with just one or two passes, often scoring before their opponents even know what’s happened.

This game is an important opportunity for the Longhorns, who will likely be battling on the NCAA bubble all season long. In Joe Lunardi’s Thursday Bracketology update, UT was the last team left out of the field of 68. The bubble is just a bit smaller this season, as the formation of the American Athletic Conference means that there’s one less at-large bid available.

Texas is currently ranked 46th in the RPI, but are lacking any wins against teams ranked in the RPI Top 50. Thanks to North Carolina’s swoon in ACC play, the Tar Heels have slid to 53rd, leaving Texas with an 0-4 mark against the RPI Top 50.

Fortunately, the Big 12 is the top league as ranked by RPI, and the Horns will have an additional 10 chances to knock off a team in that important Top 50 group. Obviously, it’s easier to upset any team at home than on the road, and that’s especially true when talking about teams like Iowa State, Kansas State, and Kansas, who have tremendous home-court advantages. If the Horns want to finish at least .500 in league play and maintain an NCAA-worthy résumé, they will have to earn some wins at home against the Big 12’s top teams.

By the numbers

Iowa State’s aforementioned efficient offense is a quick-strike unit that can easily exploit even the smallest mistakes made by opposing defenses. The Cyclones play at the 16th-fastest tempo in Division I, and they boast the 7th-quickest offensive possessions, averaging just 14.7 seconds on the offensive end. Iowa State not only attacks in transition, but also repeatedly scores on the secondary break by finding open men when the defense does manage to stop the ball. The Cyclones are very disciplined when they run the floor, staying in their lanes and getting to spots where they can wait for open looks, or cutting to the rim on the weak side.

Defensively, Iowa State’s numbers are even better. The Cyclones have the 18th-most efficient defense in the country, allowing just 0.929 adjusted points per possession. They have a lot of length on the perimeter, which allows them to sag off and defend the interior, while still being able to close out on shooters for contested jumpers. As a result, Iowa State has a fantastic two-point defense and hardly ever sends opponents to the line. With the Cyclone D already set inside, driving guards have to pass it off, take a contested shot, or barrel forward and draw offensive fouls.

In Big 12 play, Iowa State’s defense has also started forcing mistakes. The Cyclones hardly ever forced turnovers in the non-conference slate, but are tops in the conference with a 23% defensive turnover percentage in four league games. That increase in turnovers has helped to offset a decrease in defensive rebounding, as the smaller Cyclone roster has given up more second chances now that they are battling the size of Big 12 teams.

Meet the Cyclones

An Iowa State name that most Big 12 fans will already know is that of Georges Niang (No. 31), a matchup nightmare that could best be described as a point forward. Although Niang doesn’t run the point, he has the ballhandling skills to do so, is an excellent passer, and can get to the rack by driving from the perimeter.

Niang doesn’t have the speed to blow by defenders, but he can pull opposing forwards away from the bucket, put the ball on the floor, and use smooth spin moves to beat them to the rim. When faced with smaller defenders, Coach Hoiberg loves to isolate him on the block, where Niang can easily score over both shoulders.

If Niang wasn’t already enough of a matchup problem for opponents, the Cyclones went and added graduate transfer DeAndre Kane (No. 50) to run the point. A 6’4″ guard, Kane has an aggressive streak that gets him to the rim repeatedly and makes him a handful on the glass. Kane always has a head of steam in transition, where his speed and strength make him tough to slow down. Even when he’s stopped on the break or on the drive, he makes excellent passes to set up teammates. And if opponents sag off to take away his driving ability, Kane can knock down the three, as his 35.9% success rate proves.

The former Marshall player has been putting up ridiculous numbers all season, but he has earned a lot of attention with his stats in Big 12 play. Through four games, Kane is averaging 22.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 steals. While Iowa State’s pace means that he has a few more possessions to earn those stats, the numbers are still staggering.

Freshman Matt Thomas (No. 21) had started every game this season before coming off the bench in Monday’s loss to Kansas. Thomas came to Ames with the reputation of a sharpshooter from his high school days in Wisconsin, but he has not taken too many shots in his first year at ISU. He’s only used 16% of the team’s shots when he’s on the floor, but is reliable enough as a spot-up guy, having knocked down 33% of his threes.

Sophomore Naz Long (No. 15) is the man who took Thomas’ starting spot on Monday night, and he’s the team’s only lights-out option from beyond the arc. Under Hoiberg, Iowa State has historically been a team that can bury you with threes, but this year’s team is only average with a 34.3% mark from long range. Long is the main reason that percentage isn’t worse, as he’s leading the team in both three-point attempts (72) and percentage (44.4%).

On the wing, senior Melvin Ejim (No. 3) is a good shooter and quick slasher who can be tough to stay in front of. His 35% three-point mark keeps defenders honest and helps him use head fakes to get space for drives to the lane or one-dribble pull-up jumpers just inside the arc. Ejim posted some phenomenal rebounding numbers as a junior, stats that were made even more impressive when considering he’s just 6’6″. This year, those numbers have been cut nearly in half, with Melvin’s rebounding percentages not even cracking the Top 500 on either end of the court.

Although Dustin Hogue (No. 22) is also 6’6″, his mindset is more consistent with that of a power forward. Hogue is always scrapping inside for boards, and his 22.6% defensive rebounding rate ranks him in the Top 100 nationally. He is also the team’s best offensive rebounder and boasts a nice shooting percentage because of how many easy looks he earns for himself with hard work on the glass. Even when he’s not getting second-change points, he has the skills to get good opportunities inside, despite being undersized.

The Iowa State bench is very short, with no options to back up Niang, Ejim, or Hogue. Freshman guard Monte Morris (No. 11) is the final player in the core, seven-man rotation, and he averages just over 22 minutes per game. Morris has speed and good handles, but can sometimes look a little too hyped-up and jittery when he’s trying to dribble penetrate. Morris also appears to have a pretty nice three-point stroke, but doesn’t have much of a sample size on which to judge. The freshman has made nearly 39% of his threes, but is averaging less than one make per game.

Keys to the game

1) Dominate the glass – Iowa State’s defense forces opponents into taking contested jumpers, which typically means a lot of missed shots. Texas has done a good job reclaiming their misses this year and turning those into points, while the Cyclones have struggled on the defensive glass in conference play. If the Longhorns aren’t exploiting that advantage and earning second chances against an ISU team that will force a lot of misses, they will have a hard time keeping up on the scoreboard today.

2) Knock down threes – With the Cyclones sagging into the paint and taking away Texas’ interior game, it means that the Longhorns are going to have to knock down their open threes. Oklahoma found a lot of success with the drive-and-kick in their win over Iowa State last Saturday. The Longhorns need to do the same this afternoon, with Damarcus Croaker and Martez Walker playing the role of spot-up shooter. Texas can also probably find some success with Jonathan Holmes and Connor Lammert utilizing their pick-and-pop skills.

3) Don’t over-penetrate – Javan Felix and Isaiah Taylor have both made their share of mistakes this season by driving against set defenses and getting themselves into trouble. While Texas will need both Felix and Taylor to be aggressive this afternoon, they have to be smart about reading what the defense is giving them. If not, it will result in senseless turnovers that will fuel Iowa State’s transition game.

4) Maintain poise – In Iowa State’s 14-0 start, eight of those wins came after the Cyclones dug out of a hole of at least seven points. Thanks to their ability to score in a hurry, it doesn’t take long for the Cyclones to steal momentum and erase deficits. The Longhorns are going to have to weather a few runs from Iowa State today if they want to pull off the upset, so they have to maintain composure when the Cyclones inevitably get on a roll.

TEAM W L LAST WEEK THIS WEEK Kansas 2 0 W at Oklahoma, 90-83 W vs. Kansas State, 86-60 Mon at Iowa State Sat vs. Oklahoma State Iowa State 2 1 W vs. Baylor, 87-72 L at Oklahoma, 87-82 Mon vs. Kansas Sat at Texas Kansas State 2 1 W at TCU, 65-47 L at Kansas, 86-60 Tue vs. Oklahoma Sat vs. West Virginia West Virginia 2 1 W at Texas Tech, 89-86 (OT) L vs. Oklahoma State, 73-72 Mon vs. Texas Sat at Kansas State Oklahoma 2 1 L vs. Kansas, 90-83 W vs. Iowa State, 87-82 Tue at Kansas State Sat at Baylor Oklahoma State 2 1 W vs. Texas, 87-74 W at West Virginia, 73-72 Wed vs. TCU Sat at Kansas Baylor 1 1 L at Iowa State, 87-72 W vs. TCU, 88-62 Wed at Texas Tech Sat vs. Oklahoma Texas 1 2 L at Oklahoma State, 87-74 W vs. Texas Tech, 67-64 Mon at West Virginia Sat vs. Iowa State TCU 0 3 L vs. Kansas State, 65-47 L at Baylor, 88-62 Wed at Oklahoma State Sat vs Texas Tech Texas Tech 0 3 L vs. West Virginia, 89-86 (OT) L at Texas, 67-64 Wed vs. Baylor Sat at TCU

The big picture

The Kansas Jayhawks took care of one challenger to the throne in convincing fashion on Saturday, walloping their in-state rivals by 26 points. Although the victory sent a clear message as to who reigns supreme in the Sunflower State, Kansas will have to survive a tough eight-day stretch to claim the same dominance in the Big 12. Over their next three games, the Jayhawks will travel to Iowa State before hosting Oklahoma State and Baylor at raucous Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma remained just a half-game behind the Jayhawks by posting big wins in their Saturday games. The Cowboys needed a last-second three from Markel Brown to escape Morgantown with a victory, yet another reminder that every road win will be precious in a loaded Big 12 this season.

Oklahoma gave Iowa State the same memo in Norman, knocking the Cyclones from the ranks of the national unbeatens with an 87-82 win. The Sooners were given a dangerous five-game stretch to open conference play, but have so far navigated the minefields to a 2-1 start. Two tough road tests await OU at Kansas State and Baylor this week; survive those, and the Sooners will have proven to be legitimate contenders for a conference crown.

Weekday games

Texas at West Virginia; Monday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPNU)

LRT’s full preview of the Texas/West Virginia game is available here.

Kansas at Iowa State; Monday, 8 P.M. CT (ESPN)

Tonight, fans at Hilton Coliseum will have revenge on their minds as the Kansas Jayhawks visit the Iowa State Cyclones. Last year, the teams played a thrilling overtime classic that was ultimately won by KU, but the victory was overshadowed by a late game no-call that Cyclone fans won’t soon forget. With Iowa State ahead by two and just five seconds left in the game, Elijah Johnson collided with ISU’s Georges Niang while trying to drive to the hoop for a tying bucket. The play didn’t result in a whistle, although fans wanted a charge call. Instead it was Niang who was whistled when he held Johnson while trying to rebound the missed shot, and EJ sunk the ensuing free throws to force an extra period.

Two days later, the conference office “acknowledge[d] that officiating errors were made at the end of regulation.” The damage was obviously done by that point, and Kansas went on to share the league crown with Kansas State. Even though the result didn’t prevent Iowa State from competing for the title — they finished three games behind the Jayhawks and Wildcats — the memory still stings the Ames faithful. With Iowa State’s DeAndre Kane reportedly ready to play after injuring his ankle at the end of Saturday’s loss to OU, the Cyclones should give KU and the scorching-hot Wayne Selden quite a battle.

Oklahoma at Kansas State; Tuesday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPN2)

The Sooners were one of the surprise teams in the Big 12 during non-conference play, and they’ve continued to surprise in league play. Although OU couldn’t pull off the home upset against Kansas, they were able to hold serve against Iowa State and are now right in the middle of a very deep Big 12 pack.

Buddy Hield has emerged as an unstoppable force for the Sooners as Oklahoma’s opponents focus their energy on containing senior Cameron Clark. The sophomore from the Bahamas went medieval on Iowa State from long range, knocking down 6-of-12 during a 22-point performance. In three Big 12 contests, he’s averaging 20.7 points per game and finished just shy of a 62% effective field goal mark.

With Hield on fire and the Sooner offense clicking along at 1.177 adjusted points per possession, the stout Kansas State defense will have its hands full. The Wildcats currently boast the 13th-best defense in terms of adjusted efficiency, but their offense has lagged behind for much of the year. With newly-eligible freshman Jevon Thomas injecting a spark from the bench and Marcus Foster slicing through opposing defenses, Kansas State might finally be putting it together on that end of the court.

TCU at Oklahoma State; Wednesday, 7 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

Teams often have to avoid falling into the trap of looking ahead to huge games, but that probably won’t be a problem for Oklahoma State against TCU on Wednesday night. The Cowboys will face a massive test when they travel to Lawrence on Saturday, but should first get a chance to rest their small core rotation in an easy home game against TCU.

Baylor at Texas Tech; Wednesday, 8 P.M. CT (ESPNU)

While TCU is still the league doormat, Texas Tech is much improved, despite returning almost all of the team that went 3-15 in the Big 12 last year. Baylor still shouldn’t have major problems against the Red Raiders, but many league foes have been surprised in Lubbock over the last few years.

Tech has done very well on the offensive glass this season, but could find that difficult against a formidable Baylor front line. However, if the Red Raiders can manage to hold their own and extend some possessions with offensive boards, they might be able to keep things close enough to make it interesting down the stretch. With Baylor playing at a glacial pace of just 64.1 possessions per game, it certainly increases the odds that lesser teams can hang around for longer than expected.

The Big 12 was widely thought to be a three-team league before the season tipped off in November. Kansas and Oklahoma State were the clear-cut favorites, and in fact were tied atop the pre-season poll of the conference’s coaches. Baylor was predicted to be just a step behind them, with the rest of the league not expected to make much noise. The Mountaineers and Longhorns, who finished seventh and eighth in last year’s standings, were predicted to hold steady in those slots this year.

As it turns out, the league is much deeper and tougher than even its own coaches could have predicted. The top eight teams in the Big 12 are all ranked in the top 65 of Ken Pomeroy’s rankings, with three in the top twelve. Every road game is going to be tough to win, as Oklahoma State learned in Manhattan and Morgantown on the last two Saturdays.

Unfortunately, for the Longhorns, a road win against a favored team is essentially a must-have at this point. After losing their home conference opener to Oklahoma, Texas now has to steal one back on the road to stay in the hunt for a .500 league record. Tonight’s trip to West Virginia is one of their best opportunities to make up for that loss to the Sooners, but escaping the mountains with a win will still be a tall order.

By the numbers

Like Texas, West Virginia has bounced back well from a dismal campaign in 2012-13. The team’s 10-6 mark can be a bit misleading, as four of the losses came by five points or less, with a fifth coming in a 70-63 neutral-court decision against still-undefeated Wisconsin.

The Mountaineers have the nation’s 32nd best offense in terms of Pomeroy’s adjusted efficiency, scoring 1.137 points per possession, up significantly from last year’s 1.026 mark. They shoot the ball fairly well, but it’s their ball control and offensive rebounding numbers that make it so hard for opponents to keep them from scoring. West Virginia boasts the nation’s eighth-best turnover percentage, coughing it up on just 14% of their possessions. They also do a solid job extending possessions by reclaiming 34.9% of their missed shots, a stat that ranks 83rd in Division I.

West Virginia is also extremely dangerous from beyond the arc, knocking down nearly 40% of their threes on the season. They move the basketball very quickly and have a handful of quick, slashing guards who can drive and kick to wide-open teammates on the perimeter. Five different Mountaineers in the core rotation have made at least 37.5% of their long-range looks, with three of them north of the 40% mark.

Defensively, WVU is just a bit ahead of the national average, with most of their tempo-free statistics clustered around the mean. Their weakest defensive number is actually on the glass, where the Mountaineers allow opponents to win back 32.7% of their missed shots. For a Texas team that typically dominates on the offensive glass, that could mean a nice chunk of second-chance points.

Meet the Mountaineers

West Virginia has two of the league’s top five scorers, which is even more impressive when you consider that the team plays at only the fifth-fastest tempo in the ten team league, and they play considerably slower than the likes of OU, Texas, and Iowa State. Sophomore guard Eron Harris (No. 10) is second in the league with 18.1 points per game, and he’s doing it from all over the court.

Harris takes more than 28% of his team’s shots when he’s on the floor, and with an effective field goal percentage above 56%, it’s easy to see why. He can knock down the midrange jumper, has the speed and a quick first step to repeatedly get him to the rim, and he’s drilled nearly 43% of his three-pointers on the year.

Point guard and former Dayton Flyer Juwan Staten (No. 3) is second on the team and fifth in the Big 12 in scoring. Like Harris, he can easily get to the rack, but his jump shot isn’t quite as reliable. Although Staten scores much more than most point guards, he still has excellent court vision and repeatedly sets up his teammates when his slashing ability draws defensive help. His impressive assist rate of 31.3% is currently ranked 65th in the nation.

Even though they often don’t need the help, West Virginia frequently springs its guards with high ball screens, which makes it even harder for opponents to keep up with Staten, Harris, and the like. Even if a team can rotate and provide help to cut off the driving lanes, West Virginia’s stable of great outside shooters is often waiting to drill a trey. One of those marksmen is Terry Henderson (No. 15), a 37.5% three-point shooter who has logged a pair of triples in each of his Big 12 games this year.

Inside, West Virginia is already seeing great production from freshman Devin Harris (No. 5), a begoggled 6’9″ kid out of Cincinnati. Harris is ranked 100th in Division I with a 22.6% defensive rebounding rate, and is ranked 202nd with an 11.4% mark on the offensive glass. He also has a sound midrange jumper and has no problem facing up opposing forwards and taking them off the bounce. Although he’s 6’9″, Harris looks more like a swingman when he has the ball in his hands near the arc, and his diverse skillset makes him a tough matchup that can spread the floor for his slashing teammates.

Rounding out the starting five is junior Kevin Noreen (No. 34), a glue guy whose contributions typically don’t show up on the stat sheet. He sets solid screens to free up the team’s shooters and driving guards, and he passes extremely well, especially out of the high post. His good cuts and quick passes are a big part of West Virginia’s success when they face a zone.

Off the bench, Puerto Rican product Gary Browne (No. 14) is the team’s primary option in the backcourt. He is yet another three-point threat for West Virginia, but is only playing about 20 minutes per game.

Browne isn’t the only international talent on the roster, as French-born Rémi Dibo (No. 0) arrived this season from Casper College in Wyoming. Dibo is another stretch four who has made nearly 42% of his threes. His decision-making could still use some work, as he sometimes tries to do too much with the ball and ends up turning it over.

Rounding out the rotation is freshman forward Nathan Adrian (No. 11). A fan favorite who played his high school ball in Morgantown, Adrian shows a lot of promise as another big who can play both inside and out. The freshman scraps for boards and has a nice jump shot, but with so much talent on the roster, he’s only averaging about 17 minutes per game.

Keys to the game

1) Crash the glass – On the year, West Virginia is 6-1 when outrebounding their opponents, with the lone loss coming on Saturday against Oklahoma State. Although the Mountaineers do a great job getting to the rack and knocking down threes, their ability to reclaim their misses makes them even more dangerous. Texas has done a solid job winning the rebounding battle in most of their games this year, so if they can take away that aspect of West Virginia’s offense and also get their own second chances, the Horns may be able to pull out a tough road win.

2) Attack in transition – West Virginia throws in a lot of different defensive looks, including an odd-front zone that gave the Horns trouble late in last year’s loss at Morgantown. With a young and inexperienced backcourt, that could give Texas some issues, especially considering the team’s tendency to go stagnant on the offensive end for extended stretches.

Fortunately, West Virginia has struggled at stopping the ball in transition and finding off-the-ball players on the break. The Longhorns already prefer to play an up-tempo game, but against the Mountaineers, that kind of approach is a necessity. Of course, with West Virginia taking very good care of the basketball, the Horns will need to constantly look up after defensive boards if they want to initiate the break.

3) Shut down dribble penetration – This is easier said than done, but if the Texas defense can communicate well and provide the help to limit West Virginia’s dribble penetration, the Mountaineers have shown that they will often settle for jumpers. The challenge doesn’t end with simply cutting off driving lanes, as good rotation will be key to prevent kickouts to WVU’s excellent shooters. Help defense and good rotation still won’t be enough on some possessions, thanks to West Virginia’s crisp ball movement, but that will hopefully provide enough stops to give Texas a chance in this one.

During last year’s rough 16-18 campaign, the Texas Longhorns could at least count on one thing — if they needed a win, Texas Tech or TCU was great to see next on the schedule. It’s been that way with the Red Raiders for quite some time, as the Longhorns have swept the season series in each of the last five years, and have never lost at home to Tech in Rick Barnes’ 15 years on the Forty Acres.

It hasn’t taken too long for Tubby Smith to get things turned around in Lubbock, however. Tech has had some good pieces on the roster over the last few years, but has never been able to put it together for more than an upset here or there. This season, Smith’s Red Raiders have held their own against some tough competition and look primed to surprise some unsuspecting foes in Big 12 play.

For a Texas team that is sitting at 0-2 in league play, becoming Tech’s first conference victim would be disastrous. The Longhorns were one of Joe Lunardi’s “Last Four Byes” in the January 2nd version of his bracket, meaning that Texas was just ahead of the group slotted to play in the First Four in Dayton. After a frustrating loss to Oklahoma and a road defeat to Oklahoma State, UT has slid into the “First Four Out” category. To even stay in the conversation, the Horns must take care of business at home against the teams at the bottom of the Big 12 table.

By the numbers

Through 15 games, the Red Raider offense is scoring an adjusted 1.099 points per game, ranking them 65th in the country. That number is a marked improvement over the last two seasons for Tech, as they were ranked 205th last season and 307th two years ago. What’s most impressive about the quick and massive turnaround is that there are five Red Raiders on this year’s squad who were here for both of those awful seasons, and two contributing sophomores who part of last year’s offensively-challenged team.

Granted, the season is only halfway through, but to date, the Red Raiders have increased their adjusted offense efficiency numbers by more than 11%. So how did Tech’s core rotation suddenly learn how to score? First and foremost, the team is making a concerted effort to get the ball into the lane for easier looks. Tech is averaging 38.5 points per game in the paint, which equates to nearly 52% of their scoring.

In addition, they crash the glass with a purpose. This season, the Red Raiders are ranked 25th in the nation when it comes to reclaiming their own misses, snagging 38% of their offensive rebounding opportunities. Part of that success is already baked into those points-in-the-paint numbers, as tip-ins and putbacks obviously count as both an offensive board and points in the paint. However, the commitment to getting the ball inside and attacking the glass has given the Red Raiders an identity as a tougher team and it’s resulted in a much better offense.

Defensively, Tech’s stats are nothing to write home about. Although they’ve improved their adjusted defensive efficiency numbers by 0.4 points per possession over last year, their stats still only hover around the national median. You can hear and see Tech’s improvement on the court, as they now communicate clearly and play better team defense, but they still need more work to achieve consistent results.

Meet the Red Raiders

Tech’s leading scorer is senior Jaye Crockett (No. 30), who is enjoying more freedom as a wing player this year. In the past, he was mostly used as an undersized forward, and that experience makes him even more dangerous in his new role. Crockett is great attacking the basket from the perimeter, has a great midrange game, and can still post up to get his points inside. Although he’s 31% from beyond the arc this season, he’s hit 3-of-6 in his two Big 12 games, which keeps defenses honest when he’s hanging out around the arc.

Crockett’s fellow senior in the starting five is seven-footer Dejan Kravic (No. 11). Although the big man has a nice midrange jumper and a pretty good hook shot, he’s not a huge part of the offensive gameplan. Unsurprisingly, he’s a solid offensive rebounder, having grabbed more than 10% of his offensive rebounding chances so far this year.

Joining Crockett and Kravic in the frontcourt is junior Jordan Tolbert (No. 32), who has posted three double-doubles through 15 games. His offensive and defensive rebounding rates of 11.8% and 20.1% are both tops on the team. Like Crockett, Tolbert does have the ability to drive from the perimeter, but he is not nearly as smooth in that regard and prefers to hang out around the rim. He has a great set of post moves, especially a very quick spin move that leaves defenders flat-footed. In addition, Tolbert is a quality shot blocker and runs the floor well on the rare occasions when Tech gets out in transition.

Shooting guard Toddrick Gotcher (No. 20) has a nice jumper, although he tends to be a very streaky shooter and doesn’t use many possessions. He’s hit nearly 42% of his three-point attempts on the season, but is barely averaging two attempts per game. Instead, like most of the Red Raiders, Gotcher prefers to put the ball on the floor and attack with the bounce. Most importantly, the sophomore is a strong perimeter defender, a skill that is huge on a team which has struggled to slow down opposing guards this year.

Rounding out the starting five is new point guard Robert Turner (No. 14). A juco transfer from New Mexico JC, Turner was the first signee of the Tubby Smith era, and his ability to slash to the rim has opened things up for his teammates. Turner averages more than nine points per game, but his 20.4% assist rate is key to Tech’s success inside. He repeatedly draws defensive attention with his quick drives, and is able to hang in the air long enough to get opponents off the ground before he whips passes around them to his waiting teammates on the blocks. In two Big 12 games, Turner has posted a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Sharpshooter Dusty Hannahs (No. 2) is currently coming off the bench, but his recent play has certainly earned him some extra playing time. Although Hannahs’ 35.7% three-point mark is second-best on the team, he is the only frequent long-range scorer on a Tech team that gets less than 20% of its points from beyond the arc. In Big 12 play, Hannahs has improved his game by showing a scrappiness inside that has led to boards and second-chance points. As a result, he’s averaged 15 points in the team’s two conference games.

Keys to the game

1) Pack in the defense – With Tech struggling to score from long range, there’s no reason why the Longhorns shouldn’t clog the lane against the Red Raiders tonight. Texas Tech’s game plan is always to feed the bigs on the block and generate opportunities with their slashing guards and wings. As long as the Longhorns have someone closely shadowing Hannahs during his time on the court, there’s little danger in sagging off with their other four defenders and turning Tech into a jump-shooting team.

2) Clean up the glass – Of course, if the Horns are forcing the Red Raiders into taking contested jumpers, they will need to actually follow up those defensive stops with timely boards. Tech has been fantastic all season on the offensive glass, but the Longhorns have been equally good on the defensive boards.

Texas found out firsthand how important it is to box out on the defensive boards in last Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma. On that night, the Horns allowed the Sooners to reclaim 46% of their missed shots and score 19 second-chance points. If Texas has a similarly poor performance against a good offensive rebounding Red Raider unit tonight, the Longhorns will be flirting with disaster.

3) Aggressive guard play – One weakness for Tech has been perimeter defense by the guards, as Big 12 opponents have repeatedly attacked the rim with little resistance from the Red Raiders. The Longhorns need to exploit this not only for the easy points, but also to take advantage of Tech’s lack of depth in the backcourt.

Beyond Turner, Hannahs, and Gotcher, Texas Tech’s best option is inexperienced freshman Randy Onwuasor (No. 1), who has a hideous turnover rate of more than 30%. Luke Adams (No. 13) has also been used sparingly at the point when Turner is in foul trouble, but he is averaging just four minutes per game in 10 appearances. If the Texas guards make it a point to slash to the rim tonight, they’ll be rewarded with some easy hoops and trips to the line, and will also force Tubby to get creative with his lineups.

TEAM W L THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK Iowa State 2 0 W vs. Baylor, 87-72 Sat at Oklahoma Mon vs. Kansas Sat at Texas Kansas State 2 0 W at TCU, 65-47 Sat at Kansas Tue vs. Oklahoma Sat vs. West Virginia West Virginia 2 0 W at Texas Tech, 89-86 (OT) Sat vs. Oklahoma State Mon vs. Texas Sat at Kansas State Kansas 1 0 W at Oklahoma, 90-83 Sat vs. Kansas State Mon at Iowa State Sat vs. Oklahoma State Oklahoma 1 1 L vs. Kansas, 90-83 Sat vs. Iowa State Tue at Kansas State Sat at Baylor Oklahoma State 1 1 W vs. Texas, 87-74 Sat at West Virginia Wed vs. TCU Sat at Kansas Baylor 0 1 L at Iowa State, 87-72 Sat vs. TCU Wed at Texas Tech Sat vs. Oklahoma TCU 0 2 L vs. Kansas State, 65-47 Sat at Baylor Wed at Oklahoma State Sat vs Texas Tech Texas 0 2 L at Oklahoma State, 87-74 Sat vs. Texas Tech Mon at West Virginia Sat vs. Iowa State Texas Tech 0 2 L vs. West Virginia, 89-86 (OT) Sat at Texas Wed vs. Baylor Sat at TCU

The big picture

There were no shocking results in the midweek games to shake up the standings, although Iowa State made an emphatic statement to those who doubted their undefeated start. The Cyclones thumped Baylor, 87-72, to keep the Bears winless at Hilton Coliseum through 12 all-time visits. DeAndre Kane had a historic performance, scoring 30 points while dishing out nine dimes, swiping five steals, and grabbing eight boards. Kane was just the fourth Division I player to achieve those numbers in a single game.

Today’s games

Iowa State at Oklahoma; Saturday, 11 A.M. CT (ESPNU)

The Cyclones have a dangerous game this morning as they take on the Sooners in Norman. If both teams can actually wake up for the early tip, it’s going to be an exciting, high-scoring affair. Oklahoma’s 74.3 adjusted possessions per game is the 10th-quickest pace in D-I hoops, while Iowa State is currently the 27th-fastest team with 72.2 adjusted possessions per game, according to Ken Pomeroy. The two teams are also both in the Top 11 nationally when it comes to adjusted offensive efficiency, so the scoreboard operator at Lloyd-Noble will likely have a sore finger in the morning. Pomeroy predicts a 91-86 final score in favor of Iowa State.

With that many points expected, the game could come down to who can get a few stops late in the game. For Oklahoma, the challenge will be figuring out how to limit the damage from a pair of matchup nightmares in Kane and Georges Niang. The Sooners do match up better with Iowa State than most teams, mirroring their smaller lineup that lacks a true center.

Cameron Clark will presumably draw the tough cover of Niang, as Spangler lacks the footspeed to keep up with a forward that can stretch the floor. Even if Clark can handle that challenge, though, the Sooner backcourt will have a very tough time with the big, strong point guard. Look for Coach Hoiberg to exploit that advantage by posting up Kane and letting him work on the smaller OU guards.

TCU at Baylor; Saturday, 12:30 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

The Bears have a prime opportunity to bounce back from their conference-opening loss to the Cyclones as they host TCU this afternoon before traveling to Lubbock on Wednesday night. Although the game is a mismatch on paper, Baylor has to take better care of the basketball if it hopes to avoid a catastrophic upset at home. The Bears have struggled all year with turnovers, but are coming off a horrible performance in Ames where they coughed it up on nearly 26% of their possessions. With Baylor averaging only 64 possessions per game — an adjusted tempo that ranks 329th out of 351 D-I teams — making mistakes that often could keep an overmatched TCU team in the game.

The Frogs, meanwhile, have shown improvement following the return of forward Amric Fields. After missing the first three games of the season recovering from knee surgery, Fields broke his hand in the Great Alaska Shootout and missed another four contests. Since his return, the junior has averaged more than 17 points and nearly seven boards in three games. If TCU wants to have any kind of a shot this afternoon, they’ll need a monster game from Fields and freshman center Karviar Shepherd against the huge Baylor front line.

Kansas State at Kansas; Saturday, 1 P.M. CT (ESPN)

The Wildcats quietly took care of business in Fort Worth on Tuesday night, avoiding a letdown performance against TCU just two days after their big upset of Oklahoma State. The defending co-champs of the Big 12 now boast a 10-game winning streak as they head to Lawrence to square off against their most-hated rivals and the squad with whom they shared last year’s title. History is against the Wildcats, however, as they have won only twice in the last 18 meetings of the Sunflower State rivalry, and have not won at Phog Allen since 2006.

Although the Jayhawks faced one of the nation’s toughest non-conference slates, the four losses they have endured are unacceptable in the eyes of demanding KU fans. Kansas certainly has some issues to work on, namely finding someone who will step up in crunch time, and learning how to hang on to the basketball. Bill Self teams always improve from November to March, and this year’s Jayhawk team is one that nobody will want to face in the field of 68. Just don’t try telling that to the Jayhawk faithful if they happen to lose this afternoon.

Oklahoma State at West Virginia; Saturday, 3 P.M. CT (Big 12 Network/ESPN Full Court/ESPN3)

West Virginia comes into this game with the nation’s 26th-best three-point percentage, having knocked down almost 40% of their looks this season. That long-range attack will certainly be tested this afternoon against an Oklahoma State team that uses a ton of pressure on the perimeter and has frustrated opponents to the tune of a 28.8% mark beyond the arc. Although the Cowboys are clearly the better team on paper, road wins are always tough to earn in conference, so this one could come down to who imposes their will on the perimeter.

It’s also worth noting that Oklahoma State is coming off a win against Texas in which the team posted a free-throw rate of 102%, meaning that they actually tried more free throws than field goals. Their guards are quick and have earned a ton of free throws all year thanks to their aggressive play and the new rules emphasis, but they can’t get frustrated this afternoon if they don’t get the calls they are used to. Most refs tend to enjoy living, and if they whistle a physical West Virginia defense for every touch foul, it might be tough for the three-man crew to make it out of the mountains intact.

Texas Tech at Texas; Saturday, 7 P.M. CT (LHN)

LRT’s full preview of the Texas Tech/Texas game will be available later today.