First Half Cold Spell Hurts Trojans at No. 17 Texas Tech

Friday, December 4

Lubbock, Texas

8 p.m.

Troy University

1-2,0-0Sun Belt

Texas Tech

3-1,0-0Big 12

Troy

Texas Tech

First Half Cold Spell Hurts Trojans at No. 17 Texas Tech

12/4/2020 11:40:00 PM | Basketball (M)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Despite a quick start that saw Troy take an early first half lead, the Troy Trojans fell to the No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders, 80-46 Friday night at United Supermarkets Arena.

In the loss, freshman Kam Woods led all Troy (1-2) scoring 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Senior Nick Stampley contributed six points, eight rebounds and three steals in 25 minutes, while Zay Williams contributed seven points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting. Williams was limited to just 12 minutes due to foul trouble.

For the contest, Mac McClung led all scorers contributing 20 points in just 23 minutes of action, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-8 from behind the arc for Texas Tech. McClung scored 17 of his 20 in the first period.

Troy started the first Friday's contest quickly using a dunk from Williams and five quick points from Woods to take a 7-6 lead with 17:19 to play in the first half.

After a Kyler Edwards triple gave the home team a 12-7 advantage with 14:17 to play in the opening period, Stampley promptly added a layup 35 ticks later the cut the Troy deficit to just 12-9 with 13:44 to play.

The Trojans would go on to miss nine-of-10 and Texas Tech (3-1) countered with 13 of their next 16 to open a 43-20 lead with 3:03 to play in the opening period.

Just two minutes later the Tech lead had ballooned to 27 after a McClung layup. A Duke Miles floater with 51 ticks in the half proved to be the final points of the period, as TTU took a 47-22 advantage into the locker room.

After missing most of the first half, Williams returned for Troy in the second period, using an and-one to cut the Tech lead to 52-29 with 16 to play.

As they did all night, Texas Tech found an answer, using a quick 8-0 spurt to take a 60-29 advantage with 11:12 to play.

Down the stretch, Troy could get no closer than 27 (60-33, 10:05 to play) as Tech held on for the 80-46 victory.

Troy returns to action Sunday afternoon for a matchup at UAB. Tip-off from Birmingham is set for 2 p.m.

HEAD COACH SCOTT CROSS:
"Obviously, tonight was a tough game for us. Texas Tech is one of the best teams in the country and they showed it today. We knew they would be angry coming off their loss to Houston last weekend and coach Beard had them ready. This was a good learning experience for our guys and showed us just how the best-of-the-best play defense. We won't face a team that plays the kind of defense that Texas Tech does the rest of the year. We want to play a very similar style to how Texas Tech plays defensively. Now we just have to regroup and turn the page. We have an early flight tomorrow morning and we need to get our guys ready for a big game Sunday at UAB."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
• Troy out-rebounded the 17th-ranked Red Raiders 33-31.
• The Trojans had 14 offensive rebounds.
• Miles Mendes scored his first career points. He had four points and two assists in a career-best 20 minutes.
• Texas Tech shot 64.3 (18-of-28) from the field in the first half.
• Desmond Williams failed to score in a game for just the second time in 27 games. He shot 0-for-4 from the field.
• Woods also added five rebounds.
• Junior Rory Pantophlet scored a bucket and added four rebounds in nine minutes.
• Troy just 2-of-20 from downtown and 0-for-11 in the second half.
• After turning over the ball 15 times in the first half Troy had just seven in the second period.