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WVU vs. Texas Tech preview: A battle inside on deck in this 2013 Big 12 Tournament matchup
The West Virginia Mountaineers open the postseason against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a battle that could be decided inside.
USA TODAY Sports
With little momentum riding into the Big 12 Tournament for either the No. 8 seed West Virginia Mountaineers or the No. 9 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders, a win on Wednesday in Kansas City acts as the prerequisite for a Thursday game against the No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks.
The Red Raiders (10-19, 3-15 Big 12) have lost 11 of their last 12 games while the Mountaineers (13-18, 6-12 Big 12) enter postseason play on a six-game losing streak. Neither expects to do much scoring. The two squads average from 65-66 points per game, and neither team has a dominant, go-to player.
Texas Tech's Jaye Crockett is the leading scorer for either team at 11.9 points per game, and he could do some damage inside. The 6'7 junior is joined on the inside by sophomore Jordan Tolbert, and the duo averages a combined 21.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game.
And inside is where the game will likely be decided considering neither team shoots above 31.5 percent from three-point range. Guard Eron Harris leads WVU at 9.9 points per game, and he'll need 6'9, 260 pound bruiser Deniz Kilicli to use his strength against the Red Raiders' athleticism to win the battle on the interior.
Kilicli and Crockett had the biggest performances between the two teams this regular season. West Virginia won both games, but most recently survived an 18-point, 10-rebound and six-steal performance by Crockett in a 66-64 victory on Feb. 16.
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: Big 12 Network / WatchESPN
More: For more on the West Virginia Mountaineers, check out The Smoking Musket. For coverage of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, head over to Viva the Matadors.
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