Expect defense to rule when Texas Tech-South Carolina collide (Jan 27, 2018)
One of the early games in the Big 12/SEC Challenge has a chance to be the most compelling matchup of the day when No. 14 Texas Tech travels to play South Carolina on Saturday in Columbia, S.C.
The Gamecocks (13-7), fresh off a 77-72 victory on the road against No. 20 Florida, can add another bullet-point win to their NCAA Tournament credential as they host the Red Raiders.
Or Texas Tech (16-4) can make a case for getting back in to the Top 10 and add to its already long list of RPI Top 100 victories.
Throw in that South Carolina coach Frank Martin and Texas Tech coach Chris Beard are good friends, and the two programs got a look at each other when both played in the Under Armour Reunion at Madison Square Garden in November in New York, and it equals a rich brew of subplots.
Not that the coaches relish seeing each other at this time of year.
"I talked to coach Martin this morning and both of us kind of shared the view that we weren't enjoying playing against each other," Beard said during a Thursday news conference. "But it's a great game for college basketball. I think everybody in the Big 12 and SEC appreciates this platform. The timing's not great for either of us because we're in the middle of our conference grind. But I think it's just good for college basketball."
Oddly, the Big 12/SEC Challenge arrived this season with no Top 25 head-to-head matchups on the bill. Kentucky at West Virginia is slotted in prime time, but the Wildcats fell out of the Top 25 this week after being ranked for 68 straight weeks.
Trae Young and Oklahoma at Alabama and the Red Raiders versus the Gamecocks could steal the show before the Wildcats and Mountaineers tip off.
The Big 12 and SEC split their annual matchup last season, 5-5. That snapped the Big 12's three-year streak of winning the challenge. Texas Tech won its matchup at home against LSU last season 77-64. This is South Carolina's first time playing in the Challenge since it defeated Auburn, 75-49, in Columbia in 2014.
Martin is confident his team will hold serve for the SEC again.
"I'm hoping we play well; I think we will," Martin said on his radio show on Thursday. "I'm hoping the crowd is absolutely nuts. And obviously I hope that by 2:30 I'm in a real, real good mood."
Besides being friends, there are good reasons for Beard and Martin to dread facing each other. Both teams play tough defense and both seemed to find their offensive rhythm earlier in the week.
The South Carolina duo of forward Chris Silva and guard Wesley Myers combined for 40 points in the win over Florida. The Gamecocks also nailed 11 of 21 3-pointers.
Texas Tech erupted for 50 points in the second half of its victory over Oklahoma State on Tuesday. Keenan Evans and Jarrett Culver hit 7 of 11 from beyond the arc as they combined for 51.
Beard and Martin can at least take comfort in the fact that this showcase game will help both teams' strength of schedules, while their NCAA Tournament futures will be decided by their performances down the stretch in conference play.
