Tubby Smith's revenge: Texas Tech pulls away from Gophers for 81-68 win

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Tubby Smith couldn't contain his grin.

Minutes after star guard Devaugntah Williams tweeted that the Texas Tech coach was in the locker room "dabbing," referencing a new dance craze, Smith took the podium in front of familiar reporters and spoke of his respect for the opposition, love for Minnesota fans and relief to get just another win.

But there was no mistaking that another motivation was present, too after Smith — two and a half years after being fired by Minnesota — overwhelmed the Gophers and their new basketball boss Richard Pitino, 81-68 to earn fifth place in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

"I'm really happy we were able to come to a place like Texas Tech," Smith said, his smile flattening, momentarily, "where they'll just celebrate you and not just tolerate you."

There was cause for celebration in Smith camp after the Red Raiders (3-1) took advantage of Minnesota's second consecutive game of extensive foul trouble and defensive woes to claim the victory. Williams, at the podium before Smith, called for his coach to hurry up, then smiled widely and asked if anyone wanted to take a picture.

The Gophers (3-2), meanwhile, got all the up-close glimpses of Texas Tech they could handle, unable to piece together the stops necessary to claim a winnable matchup for the second time in three games.

Sunday, Minnesota's offense never got going vs. Texas Tech, and lapses on the boards and on defense — with six players collecting at least two fouls before halftime and most of the frontcourt was in foul trouble throughout — proved too much to overcome.

But Texas Tech, which led for the entire 40 minutes, followed with another big run, this time 17-6, to build a 65-52 lead with 8:49 left, momentum Minnesota couldn't turn. With only a near miss vs. Missouri State to take from the island trip, the Gophers slumped out of Roberto Clemente, short on answers.

"We wanted to go 2-1 so it would be a successful trip," senior guard Carlos Morris said. "It didn't happen that way, so we've just got to leave, go back home, get ready for our next game and get better."

Minnesota shot 42.1 percent or worse in all three games, lost the rebound battle in each and collected 48 fouls in the last two contests.

Sunday, Minnesota trailed 34-28 at the break with many of the same faces in the kind of foul trouble that hindered them two days earlier.

After Texas Texas got out to a hot start, driving for score after score at the rim, the Gophers went to a defensive zone and tied the score at 22 with just over five minutes left in the half. But the Gophers fouled five more times before the break, sending Gaston Diedhiou and Charles Buggs to the bench along with fellow frontcourt players Bakary Konate and Jordan Murphy, handicapping their interior defense, and Texas Tech used a 9-0 run to break the game open.

For Texas Tech, the sentiment was the opposite. The Red Raiders bench looked like a game of musical chairs at points, with players popping up in celebration of every big shot. Afterward, Williams — who led all players with 21 points said the team wanted to do it for Smith, even as his coach tried to downplay that idea.

But then Smith paused, and the corners of his mouth leaked upward.

"My staff is pretty fired up now," he said, teeth peeking through.