Second-half performance gives McConathy encouragement in loss at No. 11 Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech didn’t look like college basketball’s No. 11-ranked team in the first half Wednesday night against Northwestern State. The Red Raiders looked more like No. 1.

Texas Tech remained unbeaten, posting a 79-44 victory over the Demons, but NSU found some redemption while outscoring the hosts 34-26 during a solid second half performance.

By then there was no question about the outcome. TTU opened the game on a 20-2 run and led 53-10 at halftime, hitting 55 percent overall, sinking 8 of 18 3-pointers (averaging making just six per game), and going 9 of 11 on free throws. Meanwhile the Demons made only 4 of 27 shots, including just 1 of 10 behind the arch, and got to the line only once while committing 14 turnovers.

The second half followed an entirely different script. NSU didn’t shoot a lot better (35 percent overall, 3-9 on 3s) but was more aggressive, getting to the free throw line 21 times (making 13) and committing only five more turnovers against a team that ranks among NCAA statistical leaders in several defensive categories.

The Demons flipped a 24-13 rebounding deficit by winning 20-17 on the boards after halftime.

While the outcome pushed the Red Raiders to 9-0 and dropped NSU to 2-8, it ended a string of challenging games including visits to Houston, BYU, SMU, and 2018 Sweet 16 entry Texas A&M, and sent the Demons homeward with some positivity heading into a Saturday night 7:30 contest against Southern’s Jaguars in the Shreveport-Bossier Holiday Classic at Centenary’s Gold Dome.

“I was really pleased in the second half because we showed a lot of character and competed at a higher level,” said 20th-year NSU head coach Mike McConathy. “Texas Tech didn’t pull any punches and we just played much, much better. I was really happy with that effort, but conversely, I was very displeased with what happened in the first half.

“We didn’t press the issue, didn’t hustle, didn’t do much of anything in the first half. We had no energy defensively and Texas Tech shot well, better than normal, as a result.

“We looked like we started the game a little in awe of them. They’re undefeated, they’re 11th in the country, they were Elite Eight last March, and they’re so well coached, so good defensively, and very, very talented. They took full advantage. But our kids finally became aggressive and after halftime, we actually played pretty solidly against an excellent Texas Tech team.”

The Red Raiders lead the nation by allowing only 34 percent shooting aim and improved that with the Demons finishing at 25 percent. But NSU outscored fellow Southland Conference members Incarnate Word (37 points) and Southeastern Louisiana (40) in their visits to United Supermarket Arena earlier this season.

Texas Tech won its 44th straight non-conference home game with four double-digit scorers, led by 15 from Jarrett Culver in 23 minutes. Nine Red Raiders played 15 minutes or longer with four more getting 9-5 minutes.

NSU picked up 11 points, all after halftime, from senior guard DeAndre Love and nine points, six rebounds and two blocked shots, also all in the second half, by freshman center Dalin Williams. He played relatively close (183 miles) to his Stinnett, Texas, home and had almost two dozen family and friends in the stands.

In one three-possession sequence, Williams converted a three-point play, then got an offensive rebound and kicked out to Love for a 3-pointer, then blocked a shot and again snagged an offensive rebound and fed Love for a trey.

“Dalin gave us a big jolt of energy. He pursued everything. He had relentless effort and did all the little things,” said McConathy. “He made some things happen and it was a big, big plus for us.

“After halftime, DeAndre (shooting 4 of 6, 3 of 4 on 3-pointers) was the scorer we need him to be. We got some solid play from Brandon Hutton and C.J. Jones, and now we can hopefully build on the positives here and at Texas A&M as we go into our last three non-conference games.”

McConathy and staff used nine players between 12-26 minutes with four more getting between 3-7. True freshman point guard Brian White (ankle) was unable to play for the ninth time in 10 games.

After Saturday night’s game in Shreveport, the Demons are home next Tuesday night at 6:30 against Louisiana College.