Culture.
It is one of the many words, if not the word, that describes Texas Tech basketball since the arrival of Chris Beard.
Culture is the plays that do not show up on the box score.
For example, a charge. Charges not only count as a turnover and a foul for the opposing team but can potentially discount a bucket, as well. However, the momentum-changing play is not recorded in the stat book, meaning the not-so-glorious play often goes overlooked.
Junior Avery Benson checked in for the first time of Sunday’s 81-40 win over Grambling St. with 8:57 left in the second half. 24 seconds later, he drew a charge. At that point in the game, Tech was leading 67-30.
Two minutes and 22 seconds later, freshman Micah Peavy, a starter for the Red Raiders, took Tech’s eighth and final charge of the day. The score at that point was 71-33.
The eight charges contributed to Tech’s 30 turnovers forced during the game.
Culture can be plays like the deflection senior Marcus Santos-Silva had on defense when he was on the wrong side of a two-on-one break.
Grambling St. went for an alley-oop, but Santos Silva got his hand to the ball, deflecting it out of bounds. Those types of plays do not show up in the stat sheet, but it did result in a scoreless possession for the Tigers.
Culture is supporting players stepping up when your leading scorer coming into the game did not record a point until the 18:02 mark of the second half.
Mac McClung came into the contest with the Tigers averaging 18.5 points per game, good for the team lead.
When he recorded his first point of the game early in the second half, via a free throw, Tech had 35 points from other players, 13 of which from junior Kyler Edwards.
Edwards finished the game with a baker’s dozen to go along with 11 rebounds, which he said was his first double-double since his sophomore year of high school.
“I just wanted to make plays for other guys,” Edwards said after the game.
Culture is shooting free throws eight minutes after the conclusion of a win.
On Friday night’s 80-46 victory over Troy, Santos-Silva went 1-4 from the charity stripe. As a team, Texas Tech went 13-22 in the win.
Moments after the game was over, Santos-Silva, still dressed in his full game uniform, came back onto the court to shoot foul shots.
Although the VCU graduate transfer did not shoot any free throws in the win over Grambling St, the team went a combined 21-27, a 19 percent increase from 36 hours prior.
Culture is 13 guys buying into a belief.
The belief being “4 to 1,” a phrase coined by Hall of Famer Bob Knight which analogizes the mental aspect of basketball to the physical aspect as a four to one ratio.
12 of the 13 players, besides Vladislav Goldin who missed three games due to an injury, have seen action in all five games.
Up Next
Texas Tech will play their final home non-conference game before Big 12 play starts as the Abilene Christian Wildcats come into town.
First tip at the United Supermarkets Arena is slated for Wednesday, December 9th, at 6 p.m.
In the post-game press conference, Chris Beard urged every fan with a ticket to the game to show up or give it to somebody who can attend.
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