Isaacs scores 21 to lead Texas Tech over No. 20 Texas 78-67, a day after assault lawsuit
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Pop Isaacs scored 21 points to lead Texas Tech to an 78-67 Big 12-opening win over No. 20 Texas on Saturday night, a day after he was named in a lawsuit alleging sexual assault of a minor.
Isaacs was booed by Texas fans whenever he touched the ball, and at one point put his fingers to his lips after a 3-pointer to shush them. Isaacs, the Red Raiders’ leading scorer this season, scored six of Texas Tech's final nine points to close out the victory.
School officials said in a statement Friday night that he remains in “good standing” and can keep playing despite being named in the civil lawsuit that alleged the assault of a 17-year-old girl during the team’s trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis in November. The age of consent in the Bahamas is 16, but the lawsuit says the girl was intoxicated and could not give consent.
The lawsuit filed in Lubbock County was first reported by ESPN.
Texas Tech officials said Friday the school is conducting its own investigation of the claims through its Title IX office. Police in the Bahamas did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press on Saturday night.
Isaacs was not brought to the postgame news conference, and first-year Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland declined further comment on the decision to keep playing him.
“The statement that was made by the university is the one that I'm going to stand by. We're committed to that,” McCasland said.
The lawsuit said McCasland and school officials were first told of the alleged assault on Dec. 14. Isaacs has played in five games since then.
Texas Tech's Warren Washington, who scored 15 points, said the team stayed focused on the game amid the news of the lawsuit.
“We're a family. We had one goal in mind and that was to win. We weren't thinking about anything else,” Washington said.
Texas Tech (12-2, 1-0) led 69-63 before Isaacs started the final burst with a driving layup, Chance McMillian dunked to stretch the lead to 10, and Isaacs scored again.
Red Raiders fans started chanting “Raider Power” in what may be their last chance on their Big 12 rival's home court. Texas leaves the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference next season.
“For us it's about winning a Big 12 championship,” McCasland said. “You’ve got to win road games and win all your home games.”
Tyrese Hunter scored 20 points to lead Texas (11-3, 0-1).
“This is the Big 12. Every game is going to be a dog fight,” Hunter said. “We have to keep fighting and playing defense to get ourselves out of it.”
BIG PICTURE
Texas Tech: How the school handles the lawsuit against Isaacs and the school's decision to keep playing him amid its own investigation will continue to hang over the program as long as he remains on the court or the case is resolved. And it will be a challenge for McCasland to navigate in his first year leading a major-college program.
Texas: Guard Max Abmas continues his march through the NCAA record book as he passed Duke's J.J. Redick for fifth in career 3-pointers. The graduate student transfer from Oral Roberts made four and has 460 for his career.
JOURNEYMAN JOE
Texas Tech's Joe Toussaint provided the spark the Red Raiders needed in the first half with 13 points, including 10 in a burst when Texas Tech took its first lead. Toussaint spent three years playing at Iowa and last season at West Virginia before heading to Texas Tech. He finished with 15 points and five assists.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.
Texas plays at Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Warren Washington vs. Kadin Shedrick (Longhorns gains possession) | |||
19:36 | +2 | Tyrese Hunter makes two point jump shot | 0-2 | |
19:22 | Tyrese Hunter personal foul (Pop Isaacs draws the foul) | |||
19:05 | Pop Isaacs misses two point layup | |||
19:03 | Dillon Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
18:50 | Max Abmas misses two point jump shot | |||
18:48 | Joe Toussaint defensive rebound | |||
18:34 | Pop Isaacs misses two point layup | |||
18:32 | Red Raiders offensive rebound | |||
18:32 | Jump ball. (Red Raiders gains possession) | |||
18:32 | +3 | Pop Isaacs makes three point jump shot (Darrion Williams assists) | 3-2 | |
18:11 | Tyrese Hunter misses two point jump shot | |||
18:09 | Pop Isaacs defensive rebound | |||
17:58 | Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot | |||
17:56 | Max Abmas defensive rebound | |||
17:45 | +3 | Max Abmas makes three point jump shot (Dillon Mitchell assists) | 3-5 | |
17:26 | Joe Toussaint misses three point jump shot | |||
17:24 | Longhorns defensive rebound | |||
17:01 | Kadin Shedrick misses two point jump shot | |||
16:59 | Brock Cunningham offensive rebound | |||
16:52 | Max Abmas misses three point jump shot | |||
16:50 | Longhorns offensive rebound | |||
16:34 | +2 | Dillon Mitchell makes two point jump shot | 3-7 | |
16:17 | Darrion Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
16:15 | Tyrese Hunter defensive rebound | |||
16:03 | Kadin Shedrick misses two point jump shot | |||
16:01 | Joe Toussaint defensive rebound | |||
15:55 | +2 | Joe Toussaint makes two point layup | 5-7 | |
15:36 | Kadin Shedrick offensive foul (Robert Jennings draws the foul) | |||
15:36 | Kadin Shedrick turnover (offensive foul) | |||
15:36 | TV timeout | |||
15:10 | Dylan Disu shooting foul (Lamar Washington draws the foul) | |||
15:10 | Lamar Washington misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:10 | +1 | Lamar Washington makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-7 | |
14:50 | Dillon Mitchell misses two point jump shot | |||
14:46 | Red Raiders defensive rebound | |||
14:26 | Joe Toussaint turnover (lost ball) (Dylan Disu steals) | |||
14:21 | +2 | Dylan Disu makes two point layup (Dillon Mitchell assists) | 6-9 | |
14:21 | Chance McMillian shooting foul (Dylan Disu draws the foul) | |||
14:21 | +1 | Dylan Disu makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 6-10 | |
13:58 | Lamar Washington misses two point layup | |||
13:56 | Dylan Disu defensive rebound | |||
13:51 | Kerwin Walton shooting foul (Max Abmas draws the foul) | |||
13:51 | +1 | Max Abmas makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-11 | |
13:51 | +1 | Max Abmas makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-12 | |
13:29 | +2 | Warren Washington makes two point layup | 8-12 | |
13:13 | Tyrese Hunter turnover (bad pass) (Pop Isaacs steals) | |||
13:02 | +2 | Warren Washington makes two point jump shot | 10-12 | |
12:42 | Chendall Weaver misses three point jump shot | |||
12:41 | Longhorns offensive rebound | |||
12:34 | +3 | Dylan Disu makes three point jump shot (Tyrese Hunter assists) | 10-15 | |
12:07 | Darrion Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
12:05 | Kadin Shedrick defensive rebound | |||
11:58 | +2 | Tyrese Hunter makes two point layup | 10-17 | |
11:58 | TV timeout | |||
11:43 | Chance McMillian misses three point jump shot | |||
11:41 | Chendall Weaver defensive rebound | |||
11:30 | Ithiel Horton misses three point jump shot | |||
11:28 | Chance McMillian defensive rebound | |||
11:08 | +2 | Joe Toussaint makes two point layup | 12-17 | |
10:47 | Dylan Disu turnover (lost ball) (Joe Toussaint steals) | |||
10:47 | Dylan Disu personal foul (Joe Toussaint draws the foul) | |||
10:31 | +2 | Joe Toussaint makes two point jump shot | 14-17 | |
10:11 | Tyrese Hunter misses two point layup | |||
10:09 | Darrion Williams defensive rebound | |||
9:56 | +2 | Robert Jennings makes two point layup (Darrion Williams assists) | 16-17 | |
9:20 | Dillon Mitchell turnover (bad pass) | |||
9:06 | +2 | Joe Toussaint makes two point jump shot | 18-17 | |
9:03 | Longhorns 30 second timeout | |||
8:43 | Tyrese Hunter misses three point jump shot | |||
8:41 | Chance McMillian defensive rebound | |||
8:22 | +2 | Joe Toussaint makes two point jump shot | 20-17 | |
8:07 | +2 | Tyrese Hunter makes two point jump shot | 20-19 | |
7:37 | +3 | Joe Toussaint makes three point jump shot | 23-19 | |
7:28 | Darrion Williams blocks Tyrese Hunter's two point layup | |||
7:26 | Dillon Mitchell offensive rebound | |||
7:25 | Joe Toussaint shooting foul (Dillon Mitchell draws the foul) | |||
7:26 | TV timeout | |||
7:25 | Dillon Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:25 | +1 | Dillon Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-20 | |
7:10 | Pop Isaacs turnover (bad pass) (Max Abmas steals) | |||
7:05 | Lamar Washington shooting foul (Dillon Mitchell draws the foul) | |||
7:05 | Dillon Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:05 | +1 | Dillon Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-21 | |
6:53 | Joe Toussaint misses two point layup | |||
6:51 | Kadin Shedrick defensive rebound | |||
6:38 | Brock Cunningham misses three point jump shot | |||
6:36 | Kerwin Walton defensive rebound | |||
6:23 | +2 | Warren Washington makes two point layup | 25-21 | |
6:05 | Dillon Mitchell misses two point jump shot | |||
6:03 | Lamar Washington defensive rebound | |||
5:55 | Brock Cunningham shooting foul (Warren Washington draws the foul) | |||
5:55 | Warren Washington misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:55 | +1 | Warren Washington makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-21 | |
5:27 | +2 | Dillon Mitchell makes two point layup (Max Abmas assists) | 26-23 | |
5:00 | +2 | Pop Isaacs makes two point jump shot | 28-23 | |
4:44 | Warren Washington blocks Dillon Mitchell's two point dunk | |||
4:42 | Dillon Mitchell offensive rebound | |||
4:40 | +2 | Dillon Mitchell makes two point layup | 28-25 | |
4:40 | Red Raiders 30 second timeout | |||
4:20 | Joe Toussaint misses two point jump shot | |||
4:18 | Red Raiders offensive rebound | |||
4:15 | Pop Isaacs misses two point jump shot | |||
4:13 | Dillon Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
4:06 | +3 | Tyrese Hunter makes three point jump shot (Max Abmas assists) | 28-28 | |
3:42 | +3 | Pop Isaacs makes three point jump shot | 31-28 | |
3:19 | Dillon Mitchell misses two point jump shot | |||
3:17 | Chance McMillian defensive rebound | |||
3:01 | +2 | Darrion Williams makes two point jump shot | 33-28 | |
2:46 | +2 | Tyrese Hunter makes two point jump shot (Max Abmas assists) | 33-30 | |
2:46 | Robert Jennings shooting foul (Tyrese Hunter draws the foul) | |||
2:46 | TV timeout | |||
2:46 | +1 | Tyrese Hunter makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 33-31 | |
2:32 | +2 | Warren Washington makes two point dunk (Pop Isaacs assists) | 35-31 | |
2:17 | Dillon Mitchell misses two point layup | |||
2:15 | Brock Cunningham offensive rebound | |||
2:08 | Jump ball. Max Abmas vs. Joe Toussaint (Longhorns gains possession) | |||
1:54 | Max Abmas turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
1:42 | Kadin Shedrick blocks Pop Isaacs's two point layup | |||
1:40 | Red Raiders offensive rebound | |||
1:29 | Darrion Williams misses two point layup | |||
1:27 | Kadin Shedrick defensive rebound | |||
1:17 | Kadin Shedrick misses two point dunk | |||
1:15 | Joe Toussaint defensive rebound | |||
1:11 | Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot | |||
1:09 | Brock Cunningham defensive rebound | |||
1:05 | Tyrese Hunter turnover (bad pass) | |||
0:48 | Kadin Shedrick shooting foul (Chance McMillian draws the foul) | |||
0:48 | +1 | Chance McMillian makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 36-31 | |
0:48 | +1 | Chance McMillian makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 37-31 | |
0:36 | +2 | Tyrese Hunter makes two point jump shot | 37-33 | |
0:01 | Pop Isaacs misses two point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Chance McMillian offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |