OU struggles in loss at Texas Tech
BY Staff Reports
Sunday, February 12, 2012
2/12/12 at 7:57 AM
LUBBOCK, Texas – Big nights from Javarez Willis and Robert Lewandowski, combined with a pitiful night in general for Oklahoma, helped Texas Tech to its first Big 12 Conference win of the season Saturday, 65-47 over the Sooners.
Willis, the Red Raiders guard who came in averaging seven points a game, poured in a career-high 21. Twelve came in the first half as Tech rallied from an early deficit to take a 25-22 lead into the locker room.
Lewandowski, a forward who also averages seven, caught fire from there. He scored 14 in the second half as the 8-16, 1-11 Red Raiders won in shockingly easy fashion.
Tech shot 56 percent in the second half against man-to-man, zone and pressure defenses that were equally inept. The Red Raiders fumbled the ball around on several possession, and yet turned the ball over just seven times.
Somehow, OU was just as bad offensively.
The Sooners shot 33 percent and made 2-of-14 3-pointers. Steven Pledger, who came in averaging 18 points, scored a season-low four points after missing all four of his 3-point tries. Carl Blair missed all five of his.
The only Sooner to score in double figures was forward Andrew Fitzgerald. He went 7-of-16 and finished with 14 points.
"Not much good on either side of the ball," coach Lon Kruger said to open a quick postgame radio interview on the Sooner Network. "We can't accept going out and not competing harder."
A series midway through the second half typified the night for OU.
Right after the Sooners went zone for the first time, guard Ty Nurse bombed in a long 3-pointer to give the Red Raiders their first double-digit lead of the game, 45-35.
Point guard Sam Grooms threw the ball away on OU's ensuing possession. Then Cameron Clark fumbled away a rebound after Tech's missed shot. Romero Osby lost his dribble and turned it over back on offense.
Lewandowski scored a layup, then Clark was whistled for an offensive foul. Pledger missed a 3-pointer, and Lewandowski knocked in a 15-footer to make it 49-35.
It only got worse from there for the 13-11, 3-9 Sooners.
Original Print Headline: Sooners struggle in loss at Tech
Men's basketball
Texas Tech...........65
OU.................47
Up next
Vs. Texas
7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: KTUL-8
Radio: KTBZ am1430
Associated Images:
Texas Tech’s Jaye Crockett steals the ball from Oklahoma’s Andrew Fitzgerald during Saturday’sgame in Lubbock, Texas. ZACH LONG / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / AP
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