Texas Tech @ Creighton preview

After winning their first five games by an average of 26.8 points, Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said he was looking forward to a step up in competition for his 12th-ranked squad heading into the Las Vegas Invitational. The Red Raiders, upset by Iowa 72-61 in the semifinals, will take on Creighton in the third-place game Friday night at the Orleans Arena.

Beard took the glass is half-full approach after the loss which saw his team shoot 32.8 percent from the field, including 4-of-24 from 3-point range, and trail by as many as 15 points late in the first half before rally to close to within 61-59 with 1:58 to go before the Hawkeyes closed out the game with a 11-2 run. "In the second half, I enjoyed coaching our guys. And I thought we really scrapped and played Texas Tech basketball in terms of effort," Beard told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "Trying to explain to our guys that we've been the hunter around here for a long time and now we're the hunted. And this comes with a responsibility to understand you gotta bring you best game - both effort and intelligence - each night and tonight we did not bring our best game." The Red Raiders will try and rebound against a Creighton team that trailed by as many as 36 points in a 83-52 loss to San Diego State in Thursday night's other semifinal.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (5-1): Senior guard Chris Clarke, a grad transfer from Virginia Tech, provided one of the few bright spots for the Red Raiders with 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench while starters Kyler Edwards and TJ Holyfield added 10 points apiece. Freshman guard Jahmi'us Ramsey, who entered the contest leading the Big 12 in scoring with a 19.4 average, finished with seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and left the game in the second half with an apparent leg injury. "I have not heard from Mike (Neal), our trainer, yet," Beard said of Ramsey. "So I don't have news for you on that."

ABOUT CREIGHTON (4-2): The Bluejays, who entered the tournament with three players ranked in the top 39 in the NCAA in 3-point shooting percentage, finished 4-of-23 behind the arc against San Diego State. Sophomore guard Marcus Zegarowski, who entered the contest leading the team with a 18.0 average and having made 17-of-34 3-pointers, scored seven points on 3-of-16 shooting, including 1-of-10 behind the arc. Junior guard Mitch Ballock (12 points) and freshman guard Shereef Mitchell (10 points) were the only other Bluejays to score in double figures.

TIP-INS

1. Creighton had its streak of games with at least five made 3-pointers snapped at 76, which was the fourth-longest in the NCAA, in the loss to the Aztecs.

2. Texas Tech, which entered Thursday night's semifinal leading the nation with 22 assists per game, finished with 12 against Iowa.

3. Red Raiders G Davide Moretti, who led the nation in free throw shooting (92.4) last season, made both chances Thursday and is 13-for-13 at the line this season.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 74, Creighton 69