Texas Tech (1-0) held UIW (0-1) to only seven points in the second half with the Cardinals being limited to shooting 3-for-30 from the field and 0-for-9 on 3-pointers. With the defense putting on pressure, the Red Raider offense knocked down six 3-pointers and shot 19-30 (63.3 percent) to post the largest season-opening win since a 119-55 win over UNC-Ashville to begin the 2003-04 season. The Red Raiders, who finished with 11 blocked shots as a team which was one off the program record, have now won 19-straight season openers and extended their non-conference home winning streak to 39 games after outscoring UIW by a 48-7 margin in the second half.
Culver shot 6-for-10 from the field with two 3-pointers for his team, leading 16 points and also added four assists. Brandone Francis would add 13 points and five rebounds for the Red Raiders in the first game of his senior season after having two 3-pointers. Mooney and Francis led the team with three steals each, while Davide Moretti added nine points and six assists, starting with a lob pass to Owens for a dunk on the opening possession and then drilling a 3-pointer on the next trip down the court. . Moretti’s six assists matched his previous career-high against Wofford in his freshman season. The Red Raiders started the season on a 9-0 run to start the game before UIW kept it close throughout the opening half. Culver would hit a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining in the opening half as Tech took a 39-30 lead into the locker room.