Davide Moretti scored 19 points, 11 of them in a crucial stretch of the second half, as No. 12 Texas Tech struggled but outlasted Tennessee State 72-57 on Thursday in Lubbock, Texas, to remain undefeated.

If defense is your thing, this game was right up your alley. Texas Tech (4-0) entered the contest averaging 89 points per outing, but had to play a spirited second half to push aside the Tigers (3-2).

The Red Raiders continue to be a defense-first team, and have now limited their first four opponents to 58 points per game and to 36.3 percent shooting from the floor.

Texas Tech led just 40-35 after Tennessee State's Wesley Harris hit a 3-pointer with 12:04 to play, but then the Red Raiders turned up their intensity, reeling off a 16-2 run that gave it a 56-37 lead that was plenty to carry it to the finish line.

The Red Raiders extended their nonconference home winning streak to 50 games with the victory.

Jahmi'us Ramsey and Terrence Shannon Jr. added 13 points for Texas Tech, and Kyler Edwards had 10. Texas Tech went 32 of 38 from the free-throw line, while Tennessee State was just 13 of 18.

Ravel Moody came off the bench to lead Tennessee State with 12 points, while Harris and Shakem Johnson scored 10 points apiece.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, after which Texas Tech held a 27-22 lead. Moody led the Tigers with seven points, including hitting all four of his free throws, while four Red Raiders had six points each in the half.

Texas Tech shot just 26.9 percent in the half and hit just 2 of its 12 3-point shots in the half, but that was still better than Tennessee State, which managed just five baskets in 20 attempts.

--Field Level Media