Maine @ Texas Tech preview

Second-year coach Chris Beard has another opportunity to experiment with the Texas Tech lineup when Maine visits on Tuesday. Beard mixed and matched different combinations of experienced returners and talented freshmen to overcome a slow start in the opener.

"(These freshmen) chose Texas Tech for many reasons - one of those knowing they could play early in their career as we build the program," Beard said after Friday's 75-50 win against South Alabama. "Those guys have embraced the idea of playing early, and they have grown up a lot." Freshmen Zhaire Smith and Davide Moretti combined for 24 points off the bench to power Texas Tech, which continues the regional round of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament on Tuesday. The Red Raiders have won 30 straight non-conference home games, dating back to 2013-14 season. Ilija Stojiljkovic went 5-of-5 from the floor for 14 points in the Black Bears' opener, but the rest of the team shot 29.6 percent.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox College Sports.

ABOUT MAINE (0-1): Stojiljkovic, a junior forward, hit two 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and a team-best eight rebounds in the 85-65 loss to Boston College. Returners Aaron Calixte (12 points) and Danny Evans (11 points off the bench) also scored in double figures while transfer Trae Bryant (UNC Asheville, Cape Fear Community College) had nine points and seven rebounds. Leading returning scorer Andrew Fleming (10.7 points, 6.5 rebounds last year) had nine points and four boards in the opener.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (1-0): Senior guard Keenan Evans (12 points) joined the freshmen guards Smith (14 points, five rebounds) and Moretti (10 points) in double figures. Senior forward Tommy Hamilton IV, a transfer from DePaul, also had 12 points and junior guard Brandone Francis, a transfer from Florida, had a team-best six rebounds. Senior forward Zach Smith, Texas Tech's second leading scorer last year behind Evans, was held to one point but recorded four steals and four rebounds.

TIP-INS

1. Evans has scored in double figures in 21 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Red Raider since Martin Zeno did it in 21 games in 2006-07.

2. Texas Tech junior C Norense Odiase, who earned a medical redshirt last year and missed 12 games in 2015-16 with an injury, had six points and three rebounds in nine minutes.

3. Texas Tech has held an opponent to 50 points or fewer five times in 33 games under Beard.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 79, Maine 62