Texas Tech still undefeated after 93-63 win over N. Colorado
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Jarrett Culver had 20 points and six assists, reserve guard Kyler Edwards scored 19 on 7-of-7 shooting and Texas Tech stayed unbeaten with a 93-62 victory against Northern Colorado on Saturday.
Edwards made a layup midway through the second half that capped an 18-4 spurt that pushed Texas Tech (6-0) to a 25-point lead. Four different players made a 3-pointer during a 3-minute span early in that run.
Deshawn Coprew added 13 points and Brandon Francis 11 off the bench for Texas Tech. Edwards and that duo helped the Red Raiders bench produce 51 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
"We're a team with depth," Tech coach Chris Beard said. "We've got a nine-, 10-man rotation right now and have some guys not in rotation who are close. "We have a lot of players on our roster we have confidence in. You've got to have a team full of guys filling roles."
Jordan Davis had 16 of his 26 points in the first half for UNC (3-1), which had averaged 101 points in its first three games. Bodie Hume added 11 points.
"I thought our defense was good," Coprew said. "We went out there and played hard and executed and made them not drive the ball and shoot from outside."
While Texas Tech's shooting touch warmed up, the Bears went the other way. The Red Raiders shot 61 percent overall (37 of 61) and 63 percent on 3-pointers (10 of 16).
Northern Colorado made only one of 10 attempts from 3-point range in the first 13 minutes after halftime and wound up at 35 percent (19 of 55) overall.
"They're a good team and control the tempo very well," Northern Colorado coach Jeff Linder said. "When you get down, you're really got to scratch and claw, and they made it hard for us after they got the lead stretched back out because they were making so many shots."
BIG PICTURE
Northern Colorado: The Bears absorbed their first loss this season but showed nice energy and grit against a Big 12 Conference foe that came in with a lot of confidence.
Texas Tech: The victory put a bow on an impressive three-victory Thanksgiving week as the Red Raiders continue to gel as a tough defensive team with some nice offensive diversity. Texas Tech opened the week with wins on consecutive nights against Southern Cal and Nebraska in Kansas City.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
While Tech's bench scored 51 points, most of that came from Edwards, Francis and Coprew. That trio combined to make 18 of 21 field goals, including all six 3-pointers they tried.
TIP-INS: Northern Colorado shot 48 percent from inside the 3-point arc (15 of 31). . The Bears shot 29 free throws to only 12 for Tech and also outrebounded the Raiders 36-30. ... Tech went the first 12 minutes of the game without a turnover and committed only six in the game. ... The Red Raiders have won 42 consecutive non-conference home games, including all 23 played under Beard.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado gets closer to home when it plays at Denver on Wednesday night.
Tech waits a week before playing Memphis part of the Hoophall Invitational next Saturday in Miami.
