Texas Tech holds off late Richmond rally 79-72 (Dec 17, 2016)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Zach Smith had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Devon Thomas added a career-high 17 points and Texas Tech held off Richmond 79-72 on Saturday for the Red Raiders' first true road win of the season.
Richmond trailed 52-49 with 13:10 remaining but didn't score again until Khwan Fore made a 3-pointer at the 5:28 mark to get within 14 points. The Spiders got as close as five points with 11.3 seconds left when Fore made a layup in traffic. He didn't convert the 3-point play but Kwesi Abakah grabbed the offensive rebound before ShawnDre' Jones was called for traveling near the 3-point line.
Aaron Ross sealed it at the line with 6.7 seconds left.
Ross finished with 13 points for Texas Tech (10-1), which won its seventh straight. Justin Gray had 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Thomas' previous high was 11 points.
Fore tied a career-high with 19 points and had seven assists for Richmond (5-5). De'Monte Buckingham made three of the Spiders' 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 16 points, and Jones added four 3s and 14 points.
Texas Tech guard Keenan Evans was fouled away from the basket with 1:02 left and hit two free throws for a 10-point lead. Those makes were the start of six straight for the Red Raiders, who hit 9 of 12 down the stretch.
Jones kept Richmond in it by hitting a pull-up 3-pointer in transition with 57 seconds left and making another 3 on Richmond's next possession to get within 72-66.
But Texas Tech answered after both of Jones' makes. Gray threw a length-of-the-floor pass to Thomas for an open layup and Thomas made two free throws with 47.1 seconds left for an eight-point lead.
Texas Tech was 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the first half and made 14 of 21 in the second.
''Texas Tech is obviously a very good team and very athletic,'' Richmond coach Chris Mooney said. ''I thought we competed and did some things very well, but just not enough to beat a team at that level.''
BIG PICTURE
Texas Tech: Prior to the game, Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said: ''Not only for this game against Richmond but for the rest of the season, we're going to have to show in Big 12 play the ability to compete on the backboards.'' The Red Raiders dominated the glass against the Spiders, 41-28, including 16 on the offensive end.
Richmond: The Spiders got gritty performances from their underclassmen. Fore, a sophomore, and Buckingham, a freshman, combined for 35 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech: hosts Longwood on Wednesday night.
Richmond: plays at James Madison on Tuesday night.
