NEW YORK—In a game of runs, No. 12 Texas Tech is giving No. 2 Duke all it can handle, as the Red Raiders lead the Blue Devils 29-28 at intermission. Here are five thoughts from the opening 20 minutes in the Big Apple.
Player of the half: Tre Jones
An argument could certainly be made for Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver in this spot—the sophomore controlled things on the offensive end for his team, ending the half with 14 points. Zion Williamson could also go here, helping Duke fight its way back into things after trailing 24-17. But we'll give the honors to Tre Jones, who has looked as fierce on the defensive end as anyone. The freshman, despite just logging six points, has made life tough for the Red Raider offense with four steals, and Jones has added three assists on the other end of the floor.
A suffocating start
In a true clash of styles, it was always going to be interesting to see which team set the tempo in the opening minutes. And although Texas Tech entered the night with the nation's best defense, it was Duke that looked dominant on that end of the floor. The Blue Devils forced three turnovers in the opening four minutes and used their efficient transition offense to grab a quick 8-0 lead and force a quick Red Raider timeout.
Charge!
Once the teams settled in, Texas Tech got to show why its defense has established its reputation through 10 games. Duke's first four fouls of the night came on the offensive end, including two committed by freshman Cam Reddish. The Blue Devils had plenty of issues with the Red Raiders' pressure, but were fortunate not to commit too many live-ball turnovers and allow Chris Beard's squad to get out in transition.
Ice cold from distance
Duke's halfcourt offense has been shoddy, to say the least, through 10 games, and it remained to be seen how they would fare against Texas Tech. Thus far, the Blue Devils have looked flustered when not on the break, as they are 0-of-10 from beyond the arc and have gotten just 12 of their points not on fastbreaks.
A crowd divided
When Duke shows up at Madison Square Garden, it's usually the Blue Devil faithful that dominate the stands. But Texas Tech brought plenty of red and black to the Big Apple, with the Red Raider fans making plenty of noise throughout. And the two fanbases traded cheers as each team made runs of their own during the opening 20 minutes.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Twitter: @mpgladstone13
A junior from just outside Philadelphia, Mitchell is probably reminding you how the Eagles won the Super Bowl this year and that the Phillies are definitely on the rebound. Outside of The Chronicle, he majors in Economics, minors in Statistics and is working toward the PJMS certificate, in addition to playing trombone in the Duke University Marching Band. And if you're getting him a sandwich with beef and cheese outside the state of Pennsylvania, you best not call it a "Philly cheesesteak."