Texas Tech ends Buffalo’s best season in 2nd round

Sophomore guard Jarrett Culver recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds as Texas Tech mauled Buffalo 78-58 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Senior center Norense Odiase added 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as the third seed. Texas Tech (28-6) advanced to the West Region contest. Senior guard Matt Mooney and sophomore guard Davide Moretti had 11 points each and senior forward Tariq Owens had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech will face second-seeded Michigan in the Sweet 16 in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday. Senior forward Nick Perkins had 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for sixth-seeded Buffalo (32-4), which scored its fewest points of the season. Senior guard CJ Massinburg added 14 points and junior guard Davonta Jordan had 13. The Bulls shot just 37.3 percent from the field and were 9 of 26 from behind the arc. The Red Raiders held a 46-29 rebounding advantage while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range. Texas Tech started fast and finished strong while taking a 33-25 halftime advantage. The Red Raiders held a 19-6 lead after sophomore forward Deshawn Corprew made a 3-pointer with 11:10 left. Buffalo responded with a 19-5 spurt to take its only lead of the game at 25-24 on Jordan’s 3-pointer with 3:26 to play. Texas Tech scored the final nine points of the half for an eight-point lead and continued the rampage with an 18-3 burst to start the second half. The Bulls missed their first 10 field goal attempts of the second stanza. Culver made a 3-pointer to increase the margin to 48-28 with 14:15 to play and the lead grew to 23 before Harris converted a basket with 12:27 remaining to end the team’s drought. Buffalo by 10:59. Shortly after, freshman guard Kyler Edwards made consecutive three-pointers and Odiase scored on a putback during a 9-0 spurt to give the Red Raiders a 62-33 advantage with 9:18 to play . Buffalo never filed a complaint while suffering a disappointing end to the best season in program history. –Field level media