Texas Tech up against 'winning DNA' when Oral Roberts visits

Field Level Media|published: Mon 11th December, 20:31 2023

Texas Tech's guard Chance McMillian (0) shoots the ball against Omaha in a non-conference basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena. credits: Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

After discovering some newfound momentum thanks to a big win last week, Texas Tech will look to keep rolling on Tuesday when it faces Oral Roberts in Lubbock, Texas.

The Red Raiders (6-2) barreled past Omaha 87-58 on Wednesday to extend their nonconference home winning streak to 25 games. Kerwin Walton led Texas Tech with a career-high 22 points, while Joe Toussaint chipped in 20.

The Golden Eagles figure to be a stiffer test with a first-year coach who is familiar with bringing a team to West Texas. Oral Roberts is 4-4 under first-year coach Russell Springmann, a longtime assistant at Texas under Rick Barnes.

Springmann was an assistant to Paul Mills at ORU for five seasons (2018-23), serving on staff for the team that made the Sweet 16 in 2021 and last season's squad that went 30-5.

"Oral Roberts is a team that knows how to win," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "They went undefeated in conference play last year and have a lot of continuity in their program. You can tell they have a winning DNA."

Issac McBride is Oral Roberts' leading scorer with 20 points per game. He was held to just five points in Saturday's 110-51 blowout of Ozark Christian, but seven other Golden Eagles scored in double figures. Kareem Thompson led the way with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"I thought the best thing was how unselfish our team was," Springmann told the Tulsa World after the victory. "I thought guys played the way that we want them to play."

DeShang Weaver (13.3 points per game), Jailen Bedford (13.0) and Elijah Lawrence (13.0) are also reliable weapons for a team averaging 76.5 points per game.

"Their offense is really clicking with a really good spacing plan and put you in a lot of tough spots," McCasland said of the Golden Eagles. "Our defense will have to be tremendous against them."

And Texas Tech will have to try to contain Oral Roberts with a shuffled deck.

Starting forward Devan Cambridge suffered a season-ending knee injury against Omaha. He averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in eight games this season.

Toussaint leads the Red Raiders with 15.6 points per game.

—Field Level Media

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