No. 14 Texas Tech opens with win over Northwestern St.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Mac McClung scored 20 points in his debut for No. 14 Texas Tech, fellow transfer Marcus Santos-Silva had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and the Red Raiders opened the season with a 101-58 win over Northwestern State on Wednesday night.
True freshman Micah Peavy scored 14 points, including the opening basket of a game in which Texas Tech never trailed. The Red Raiders had runs of 17-5 and 15-4 in the first half.
Five players scored in double figures for Texas Tech to start coach Chris Beard's fifth season. Terrence Shannon Jr. had 14 points, and Kyler Edwards added 10.
Jamaure Gregg was the only starter in double figures for Northwestern State with 11 points.
McClung was Georgetown's leading scorer last season, when the 6-foot-2 guard missed 11 games because of a right foot injury. Graduate transfer Santos-Silva, a 6-foot-7 forward and the lone Tech senior after starting all 64 games for VCU the past two seasons, was tabbed the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year.
Mike McConathy began his 22nd season as coach of the Demons in what was the first sporting event of the 2020-21 academic year for Northwestern State. The last event 8 1/2 months ago was its 79-62 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the first round of the Southland Conference tournament.
BIG PICTURE
Northwestern State: Even with a starting lineup of three seniors and two juniors, the Demons committed 19 turnovers that Tech converted into 31 points. That included 13 steals by the Red Raiders. Northwestern State shot only 34.4% (21 of 61).
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders were 18-13 last season and likely would have played in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament even after losing their last four regular-season games. The COVID-19 pandemic ended the season before Texas Tech played its Big 12 Tournament opener. The Red Raiders lost in the championship game of the last NCAA Tournament played in 2019.
UP NEXT
Northwestern State plays UT-Arlington in the Louisiana Tech Classic in Ruston, Louisiana, on Saturday night.
Texas Tech is home Friday against Sam Houston State.
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