Darrion Williams scored 19 points to lead Texas Tech past Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 98-64, on Monday night in Lubbock, Texas.
Kevin Overton had 17 points thanks in part to 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range for the Red Raiders (4-0). JT Toppin had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Elijah Hawkins also had a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists.
Christian Moore scored a game-high 20 points for Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-5), and Dante Sawyer added 13 points.
Texas Tech outshot the visitors 59.7 percent to 52.1 percent from the field.
It looked like the Red Raiders would pull away early, as they put together a game-opening 11-2 run that Williams punctuated with a layup. But the Golden Lions had an answer, as a Moore layup sparked a 7-0 run that cut the Texas Tech lead to 11-9 with 13:39 left in the first half.
Patience paid off when the Red Raiders swung the ball around the perimeter and Hawkins zipped a pass to Williams, who made good on a layup for a 31-18 lead as Texas Tech began to pull away.
Another Arkansas-Pine Bluff rally cut the Red Raiders’ advantage to 34-26, with Moore stealing the ball from Hawkins and going coast to coast for a layup at 3:26 of the first half.
But Texas Tech closed the half on a 13-2 run, which featured treys by Overton and Chance McMillian.
Both teams had similar field-goal percentages before intermission — 52.9 percent for Texas Tech, 52.2 percent for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. However, the Golden Lions were 1-for-7 from 3-point land, and the Red Raiders connected on 6 of 19 shots from deep to hold a 47-28 halftime lead.
Early in the second half, Williams drilled a 3 to give Texas Tech its first 20-point lead at 55-33.
The Red Raiders cruised from there, never letting the lead dip below 20 while going up by as many as 42.
–Field Level Media
