Post by phantom on Nov 24, 2007 16:26:00 GMT -5
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alan Voskuil scored a career-high 28 points and Texas Tech saved its best game of the young season for its most difficult opponent.
Tech led most of the way in a 73-63 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga to advance to Saturday's championship of the Great Alaska Shootout.
"Any time you come to a tournament of any kind, your objective is to have a shot at playing in the championship game and now we have that," Tech head coach Bob Knight said. "In that regard, we're pleased to have that opportunity."
Gonzaga held a 26-21 advantage at 7:04 of the first half, but Voskuil hit one of his five 3-pointers, D'Walyn Roberts added a pair of free throws and Charlie Burgess nailed his first 3-pointer of the season as the Red Raiders grabbed the lead for good (29-26) with 5:36 remaining in the first half.
VoskuilThe Red Raiders (4-1) won despite committing 19 turnovers and with the Bulldogs holding leading scorer Martin Zeno to just two points (and 0 of 5 from the field).
Tech's opponent in all five games this season has committed at least 19 turnovers. The first three opponents had at least 20 and both opponents in the Shootout finished with 19.
A night after freshman Mike Singletary gave an impressive performance, fellow classmate D'Walyn Roberts stepped up against the Zags.
Roberts, a 6-foot-7 forward, played well on both ends of the floor. After not playing in Tech's season opener, Roberts has steadily improved and thus received more playing time. He set modest highs in minutes played (14) and points (9) in the Red Raiders' 74-47 win over Alaska Anchorage in the opener of the Shootout.
Roberts surpassed both those marks against the Zags, scoring 11 points -- in the first half -- and finished with 23 minutes played.
"I think D'Walyn Roberts played exceptionally well in the first half," Knight said."... We didn't get out of Singletary what we did (Thursday) night, but I thought Burgess came off the bench and played really well."
Burgess entered the game in a severe scoring drought. He was a combined 0 for 10 from the field in his last three games and 0 for 9 for the season from 3-point range. After his 3-pointer gave Tech the lead for good, he added a pair of free throws and a jumper to cap off seven consecutive points.
Voskuil added another 3-pointer after a Gonzaga basket to give Tech a 36-28 advantage.
The Red Raiders held a 41-31 lead at halftime, but both teams came out of the locker rooms playing sloppy.
Gonzaga (4-1) committed turnovers on seven of its first eight possessions, but the Red Raiders missed eight of their first nine field goals in the first five minutes.
"That's where this team's got to understand," Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. "We've got to make a change after that second turnover. We were getting stops at the other end. ... We were just serving it into the net and Texas Tech was just being solid."
Tech increased its lead to as many as 17 (48-31) before the Zags made a couple of runs late in the second half.
Senior David Pendergraft took control late and scored 8 of 11 points to draw Gonzaga to 64-57 with 4:15 left in the second half.
Voskuil hit a reverse layup, then split a pair of free throws to get Tech back up by double digits.
The Zags made a final run two minutes later to get the deficit down to six, but freshman John Roberson made four free throws to seal the victory.
Tech held a 22-11 rebounding edge at halftime -- led by five from Zeno -- and finished the game outrebounding the Zags, 35-29.
"It was just a sound beating. They beat us in every facet of the game," Few said. "I can't point to one thing that they didn't do a better job than us. ... I think their energy and desire and approach showed there. ... They wanted it a lot more than us tonight."
Jeff.Walker@lubbockonline.com 766-8736
Patrick.Gonzales@lubbockonline.com 766-8735
The men can do it too!
Tech led most of the way in a 73-63 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga to advance to Saturday's championship of the Great Alaska Shootout.
"Any time you come to a tournament of any kind, your objective is to have a shot at playing in the championship game and now we have that," Tech head coach Bob Knight said. "In that regard, we're pleased to have that opportunity."
Gonzaga held a 26-21 advantage at 7:04 of the first half, but Voskuil hit one of his five 3-pointers, D'Walyn Roberts added a pair of free throws and Charlie Burgess nailed his first 3-pointer of the season as the Red Raiders grabbed the lead for good (29-26) with 5:36 remaining in the first half.
VoskuilThe Red Raiders (4-1) won despite committing 19 turnovers and with the Bulldogs holding leading scorer Martin Zeno to just two points (and 0 of 5 from the field).
Tech's opponent in all five games this season has committed at least 19 turnovers. The first three opponents had at least 20 and both opponents in the Shootout finished with 19.
A night after freshman Mike Singletary gave an impressive performance, fellow classmate D'Walyn Roberts stepped up against the Zags.
Roberts, a 6-foot-7 forward, played well on both ends of the floor. After not playing in Tech's season opener, Roberts has steadily improved and thus received more playing time. He set modest highs in minutes played (14) and points (9) in the Red Raiders' 74-47 win over Alaska Anchorage in the opener of the Shootout.
Roberts surpassed both those marks against the Zags, scoring 11 points -- in the first half -- and finished with 23 minutes played.
"I think D'Walyn Roberts played exceptionally well in the first half," Knight said."... We didn't get out of Singletary what we did (Thursday) night, but I thought Burgess came off the bench and played really well."
Burgess entered the game in a severe scoring drought. He was a combined 0 for 10 from the field in his last three games and 0 for 9 for the season from 3-point range. After his 3-pointer gave Tech the lead for good, he added a pair of free throws and a jumper to cap off seven consecutive points.
Voskuil added another 3-pointer after a Gonzaga basket to give Tech a 36-28 advantage.
The Red Raiders held a 41-31 lead at halftime, but both teams came out of the locker rooms playing sloppy.
Gonzaga (4-1) committed turnovers on seven of its first eight possessions, but the Red Raiders missed eight of their first nine field goals in the first five minutes.
"That's where this team's got to understand," Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. "We've got to make a change after that second turnover. We were getting stops at the other end. ... We were just serving it into the net and Texas Tech was just being solid."
Tech increased its lead to as many as 17 (48-31) before the Zags made a couple of runs late in the second half.
Senior David Pendergraft took control late and scored 8 of 11 points to draw Gonzaga to 64-57 with 4:15 left in the second half.
Voskuil hit a reverse layup, then split a pair of free throws to get Tech back up by double digits.
The Zags made a final run two minutes later to get the deficit down to six, but freshman John Roberson made four free throws to seal the victory.
Tech held a 22-11 rebounding edge at halftime -- led by five from Zeno -- and finished the game outrebounding the Zags, 35-29.
"It was just a sound beating. They beat us in every facet of the game," Few said. "I can't point to one thing that they didn't do a better job than us. ... I think their energy and desire and approach showed there. ... They wanted it a lot more than us tonight."
Jeff.Walker@lubbockonline.com 766-8736
Patrick.Gonzales@lubbockonline.com 766-8735
The men can do it too!
