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Hobbled Keenan Evans can’t help as No. 6 Texas Tech upset by Oklahoma State

Texas  v Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 31: Keenan Evans #12 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts to a basket during the game against the Texas Longhorns on January 31, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Texas 73-71 in overtime. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)

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Oklahoma State used a hot-shooting second half to race past No. 6 Texas Tech for a 79-71 Big 12 home win on Wednesday night.

The Cowboys knocked down five consecutive three-pointers and seven straight shots to jump out to a double-digit lead in the second half as they earned the upset win over the Red Raiders. Kendall Smith (21 points), Lindy Waters III (18 points) and Jeffrey Carroll (14 points) supplied most of the offense for Oklahoma State as the team was a blistering 11-for-22 from three-point range.

Although this win gives first-year head coach Mike Boynton another quality effort, the biggest takeaway is how Kansas has regained complete control of the Big 12 thanks to Texas Tech losing its second straight game.

Even though the Jayhawks have lost four games in conference play, while looking beatable at home, they find themselves one game ahead of the Red Raiders ahead of Saturday’s huge Big 12 clash in Lubbock. And it’s all because of a toe injury to Texas Tech All-American senior guard Keenan Evans.

Injured against Baylor over the weekend, Evans hasn’t been able to complete his last two games -- both Red Raider losses. Evans only played in 18 minutes of Texas Tech’s loss to Baylor over the weekend as he was 1-for-6 from the field. In the loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Evans attempted to gut it out. It proved to be a mistake as Evans didn’t look ready to play. Evans deserves credit for showing toughness by playing 25 minutes, but he was only 1-for-7 from the field and 0-for-5 from three-point range as he sat out a Texas Tech rally from the bench. As noted in the broadcast, Evans was short on four of his five three-point attempts -- which makes you wonder if the toe was hampering him there.

Even with the back-to-back losses, Texas Tech remains a top-10 team and the second best team in the toughest top-to-bottom league in the country. Unfortunately, the Red Raiders have likely lost their chance to win the Big 12 title because of this two-game slide and the injury to Evans. This recent stretch showed just how important Evans has been to Texas Tech this season.

Without its All-American contender in the lineup, Texas Tech dropped two straight games to lower-level Big 12 teams. They haven’t had the same flow on offense. Evans has been brilliant at times this season and he’s perhaps the nation’s most underrated Player of the Year candidate.

The timing of the injury also makes you wonder how Evans might look over the next week of play when the Red Raiders have two more difficult games. Texas Tech has to follow up these two losses with games against Kansas and on the road at West Virginia. The end of the regular season doesn’t get any easier. If Evans shows any more lingering issues then Texas Tech could continue a slide that sees them finish behind West Virginia in the standings heading into the Big 12 tournament.

It’s unfortunate that such a promising conference season could be derailed by a toe, but that is what Texas Tech is currently dealing with heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The Red Raiders might have potentially lost the Big 12 regular-season race, but they can still close out the season in strong fashion in the postseason if Evans can regain his health and his prior form.