McClung lifts No. 15 Texas Tech past No. 4 Texas, 79-77

Mac McClung made an extended jumper with 3 seconds left and No. 15 Texas Tech rallied to beat No. 4 Texas 79-77 on Wednesday evening, ending the Longhorns’ excellent begin within the Big 12.

Texas (10-2, 4-1) led nearly your complete recreation and a blistering begin in opposition to one of many high defensive groups within the nation had the Longhorns in management earlier than a sloppy end and a few late Texas Tech 3-pointers snatched the win for the Red Raiders (11-3, 4-2).

McClung’s shot was initially dominated a 3-pointer earlier than a video overview. Texas had a remaining likelihood, however Matt Coleman’s desperation 3-pointer by no means got here near the basket. Coleman additionally missed a shot in visitors for the lead with 17 seconds left.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in Mac,” Texas Tech coach Chris Beard stated. “He has the courage to take those shots.”

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McClung completed with 22 factors. Andrew Jones had 20 for Texas, however scored simply two factors after halftime because the Red Raiders shut him down. Jericho Sims added 16 for Texas, however was simply 6 of 14 on free throws, with two key misses late.

Texas led 77-73 after Courtney Ramey’s 3-pointer with 1:40 to play. McClung then made two free throws, Sims missed two free throws for Texas earlier than the Red Raiders tied it when Ramey received sloppy passing the ball inbounds, creating a simple tying layup for Tech’s Terrence Shannon. McClung then buried his lengthy shot from the proper wing.

“Our guys scrapped. They really did,” Beard stated.

Texas Tech has roughed up the Longhorns in recent times with six wins in seven matchups, together with three in a row in Austin. The newest was tense from the beginning. Both groups have been whistled for technical fouls within the first half.

The final time these groups have been speculated to play, they have been pulled off the courtroom throughout warmups on the 2020 Big 12 match within the early levels of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, it was considered as a pivotal recreation for Texas coach Shaka Smart, who was going through intense hypothesis that he might be fired.

Smart has this system rotated this season and the sounds of Texas Tech gamers celebrating their win echoed by way of the Frank Erwin Center, which was empty of followers due to the pandemic.

“They came in here and were two points better than us,” Smart stated. “They deserve to celebrate that.”

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders gave up 48 factors within the first half, then clamped down on Jones defensively, permitting him only one shot in 16 minutes. It was a pivotal flip that saved the Longhorns inside vary for a comeback after falling behind by 10. “I thought in the second half, they really were the aggressors,” Smart stated.

Texas: The Longhorns lastly had a recreation when it could not discover the large shot late. Texas was 4-0 in video games determined by three factors or much less coming in. Just a couple of days earlier, Jones had made the game-winning 3-pointer within the remaining seconds to beat West Virginia on the street.

BIG TURNOVER

The pivotal play was the miscue by two of Texas’ greatest, most skilled gamers. After drawing an offensive foul on Texas Tech with 45 seconds left, Texas had the ball and the lead. Then got here Ramey’s errant move to Coleman, which was picked off Coleman’s fingers by the Red Raiders’ Kyler Edwards. A fast move to Shannon for a wide-open layup tied it.

“We’d all like to have that play back,” Smart stated. “You put the ball in these guys’ fingers as a result of these guys have made so many good performs. I’ll proceed to place the ball in these guys’ fingers.

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