THURSDAY'S SCORES
@#12 Texas Tech 72,
Tennessee State 57
Tennessee Tech 61, @Winthrop 58
#12 TEXAS TECH 72, TENNESSEE STATE 57
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Davide Moretti scored 13 of his 19 points after halftime, including all four of his 3-pointers, and No. 12 Texas Tech finally pulled away for a 72-57 win over Tennessee State on Thursday night.
Freshmen Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jahmi'us Ramsey each scored 13 points for the Red Raiders (4-0).
The Red Raiders were only up by 35-32 with just under 12 minutes left, and Tennessee State (3-2) had just missed a potential tying 3-pointer, before Moretti sparked the home team. The guard, the only returning starter after Tech went to the national championship game last season, had a pair of 3-pointers in a 10-3 run. Tech added 11 points in a row soon after that.
The Red Raiders, who never trailed, ended up leading by as many as 18 points late despite shooting only 34% (17 of 50 field goals).
Ravel Moody had 12 points to lead Tennessee State, which shot 35% (18 of 51). Wesley Harris and Shakem Johnson each scored 10 points.
Kyler Edwards added 10 points for Texas Tech, making up for his 1-of-11 shooting from the field by making all eight of his free throws. Chris Clark was scoreless while taking only one shot in 26 minutes, but he had 12 rebounds and four assists.
TENNESSEE TECH 61, WINTHROP 58
ROCK HILL, S.C. - A thrilling finish helped showcase the growth of the young Tennessee Tech men's basketball team Thursday night, as the Golden Eagles hung on late to defeat a strong Winthrop program on the road, 61-58.
Tech again depended on what has become the overlying strength of the team in recent games, a stout defense that held an Eagle offense averaging more than 72.6 points and nine made 3-pointers per game to just 58 and six, respectively. The purple and gold forced 17 turnovers in the affair, including 11 in the first half alone.
Winthrop, who earlier this season scored an upset victory of No. 18 St. Mary's, led by as many as six points in the first half, but it was the Golden Eagles that took the lead into the half, 28-24. Tech came out sizzling to start the second stanza, opening the final 20 minutes on an 18-6 run. With just under 11 minutes to play, however, the Eagles mounted a comeback.
Trailing by 16, Winthrop needed just four minutes to force six Golden Eagle turnovers and embark on its own 15-0 stretch to pull within just a single point and send Winthrop Coliseum into a frenzy. The youth-laden Tech team stepped up on offense and locked down on defense, never allowing the home team to take back the advantage.
Needing a bucket, junior forward Larry Kuimi found some room and maneuvered in for a clutch score. Back-to-back made jumpers by sophomore guard Hunter Vick turned it into a much-needed 6-0 run by the visitors, stretching the lead back to seven.
With two minutes to play, Winthrop sunk a pair of free throws to pull back to within two, but Tech would only bend, not break. Sophomore forward Amadou Sylla, who put forth a mammoth effort on the glass to the tune of nine boards, hit a big jumper to keep the Golden Eagles with some breathing room.
Again, the Eagles answered, this time with a fastbreak dunk with 48 seconds to play after Tech's final turnover of the contest. Trying to run the clock down and get a good shot, the Golden Eagle offense found what it was looking for in the hot-handed Vick. Freshman point guard Keishawn Davidson spotted Vick in the corner for an enormous triple to put the purple and gold on top by five with 19 to play.
Winthrop's Hunter Hale wasted little time in heaving up an NBA-range trey, burying the clutch shot with 11 seconds on the clock to pull back to within two. From that point on, it came down to free throws. Vick made two separate trips to the charity stripe, both with the added pressure of just a 1-and-1 attempt.
He calmly drained his first two before another Hale 3-pointer cut the lead to one with two seconds to play. Again, Vick visited the line. And again, Vick hit both tries, sealing the first road victory of the season for the Golden Eagles.
Tech hauled in nine huge offensive boards on the night, including seven big ones in the second half alone. Overall, the Golden Eagles outworked the Eagles on the glass 21-11 over the final 20 minutes.
In the first half, it was Allen pacing the Tech offense, scoring 11 of his 16 points over the opening 20 minutes. The second half turned it over to Vick and Sylla, who combined for 20 points over the final 20 minutes. Vick tied Allen with a game-high 16 points while Sylla added 13 points to his nine boards and two blocks.
Jr. Clay was a floor general on the night, dishing out a season-high nine assists. Allen and Williams chipped in five rebounds each on the night as well.
The win snapped a four-game skid by the Golden Eagles and ends the team's four-game road stretch on a high note headed into its final contest prior to a week-long break for Thanksgiving.