MINNEAPOLIS—Has there ever been a better defensive team than Texas Tech in the modern history of the NCAA tournament.
Georgetown with Patrick Ewing in 1984?
Maybe. But it is open for discussion.
The Red Raiders suffocated off Big Ten co-champion Michigan State, 61-51, here last night to advance to the NCAA tournament championship against Virginia Monday night at the U.S. Bank Stadium.
Don’t act so surprised.
Earlier in this tournament, Texas Tech limited Michigan to just 16 points in the first half of a West Region Sweet 16 victory, then limited high scoring top seed Gonzaga, which had been averaging 90 points to just 69 points on 41 percent shooting in the Elite Eight.
They sucked the oxygen out of the Spartans with their man to man defense, limiting them to 21 points in the first half, 31.9 percent shooting for the game and only 29.2 percent from the three in this vast football arena. “I want to give a lot of credit to Texas Tech,’’ Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “On our national championship rings, there’s a PPTPW—Players Play. Tough Players Win.’ Very seldom in my career have we kind of gotten beaten up, and tonight was one of those nights.’’
No wonder Chris Beard, a Bob Knight disciple who worked as an assistant under the General for seven years at Texas Tech, has won all these national Coach of the Year awards.
“I told our guys all week our plan was not to out-tough Michigan State,’’ he said. “It was just to match their toughness and I think we did that tonight. I think we played just as tough as them.
Tech, which is making its first appearance ever in the Final Four, is a team on a mission. And last night, it was guard Matt Mooney, one of three fifth year starters on a Big 12 team that had to replace eight players from last season, leading the way.
Mooney, a post graduate transfer who started his career at Air Force and was a two-time All Summit League player at South Dakota, led the Red Raiders with 22 points on 8 of 16 shooting, taking the game over in the second half in this vast football stadium.
“It’s different for sure,’’ Mooney said. “We got here a couple days early, got used to it. I had a great shoot around today and the basket just got big for me. All week I’ve seen this verse, Joshua 1:9, coming up all the time. It’s “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lordy your God is with you where ever you go.; I felt that verse tonight. I felt He was out there playing with us on the floor. The basket just got big and my teammates found me.
“I’m living the dream right now.’’
Tech’s star Jarrett Culver put the Spartans away after they rallied from a 50-38 deficit and drew within 52-51 on an Aaron Henry layup with 2:55 to play. Culver, who shot 0 for 6 and only scored one point in the first half, made a jumper, a free throw and a three-point jumper from the top of the circle as Tech expanded its lead to 58-51 with 1:01 to play. Michigan State, which got 16 points from Cassius Winston, had nothing left in the tank.
The CBS cameras made it a point to focus in on former Texas Tech and current Kansas City Chiefs’ star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was in the stands watching this brave new world unfold for Texas Tech basketball. Don’t sell this team short against ACC regular season champion Virginia.
“Why not us?’’ Beard said. “We’ve got good players. We’ve got a great university. We play in arguably the best league in the country. We won the Big 12 regular season title. We’re a good team. We’ve got good players.
“I’ve only been the head coach of Texas Tech for three years. History is something you respect and study, but when you’re in athletics and you’re in competition, it’s the team at hand. Last year we lost to Villanova, the eventual national champion, in the Elite Eight, so this year, I think we’re back on this stage. “I think we deserve to be here, as do a lot of other teams. You’ve got to be fortunate, but we made it. I’m looking forward to coaching this team Monday night.”
