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Texas Tech basketball has been one of the most successful programs in recent years. Here’s what you should know about their success.
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Introduction
In recent years, the texas tech basketball program has experienced a great deal of success. This success is due in large part to the coaching of head coach Chris Beard, who has led the Red Raiders to 3 NCAA tournament appearances in his 4 years at the helm. Beard has also been named Big 12 Coach of the Year twice, in 2017 and 2019.
Under Beard’s leadership, texas tech has compiled a 78-38 record, good for a winning percentage of .672. The Red Raiders have also made it to the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen twice, in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, they even made it all the way to the Elite Eight, where they lost to eventual national champion Villanova.
Texas Tech’s success on the court has translated to success off the court as well. The Red Raiders have seen an increase in season ticket sales and merchandise sales in recent years. They have also experienced an uptick in donations to their athletics program.
All of this success is very exciting for texas tech fans, and it provides hope for continued success in the future.
Texas Tech’s History
texas tech basketball is having one of its best seasons in recent years. The team is currently ranked 3rd in the nation and has a 23-5 record. This success is due in large part to the team’s strong defense.Texas Tech’s defense is ranked 1st in the nation, only allowing opponents to score an average of 58.5 points per game.
Early History
Texas Tech’s basketball program has a long and storied history. The team began competing in the Southwest Conference in the late 1920s, and quickly established itself as one of the top programs in the region. The Red Raiders won their first conference championship in 1929, and would go on to win nine more titles over the next two decades.
In the 1950s, Texas Tech built a new basketball arena, the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, which would become the home of Red Raider basketball for the next 40 years. The Coliseum would see some of the team’s greatest moments, including its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1954.
The 1960s and 1970s were a period of transition for texas tech basketball The team left the Southwest Conference in 1964 to join the newly formed University Athletic Association. The Red Raiders had mixed results in their new conference, but still made three NCAA tournament appearances during this time.
In 1976, Texas Tech hired Bobby Hoffman as its head coach. Hoffman would lead the Red Raiders for four seasons, culminating in an appearance in the 1980 NCAA tournament.
Recent History
Texas Tech has been to the NCAA tournament 15 times in their history, with twelve of those bids coming since 2000. In that time, they’ve made it to the Sweet Sixteen five times and the Elite Eight once. They also won the National Invitation Tournament in 2007.
This recent success can be largely attributed to their head coach Bob Knight, who took over the program in 2001. Under Knight’s guidance, Texas Tech has consistently been one of the best defensive teams in the country. They are also known for their crop of talented guards, which has included players like Jarvis Varnado, Mike Singletary, and Keenan Evans.
The 2018-19 season was a particularly strong one for Texas Tech. They finished with a record of 27-10 and made it all the way to the National Championship game, where they lost to Virginia in a close contest.
The Team’s Success
Reasons for Success
The national collegiate athletic association has a storied history, and so does texas tech university The school has been involved in the NCAA since its inception in 1906, and has been a Division I institution since 1929. In that time, the school has won 12 national championships and made 28 Final Fours.
Of those 28 Final Fours, 10 have come in men’s basketball. The school made its first appearance in the national semifinals in 1951, when it lost to Kentucky. It would be another 37 years before the team returned to the Final Four, but it made appearances in 1991, 1993, and 1996 before finally breaking through and winning it all in 2019.
What has led to this recent success? Here are three big reasons:
1) Talent: Obviously, you need talented players to win at any level of basketball. But Texas Tech has been able to attract some really good players in recent years. Notably, they have had five players drafted into the NBA in the last three years: Zhaire Smith (16th overall pick in 2018), Jarrett Culver (6th overall pick in 2019), Davide Moretti ( undrafted free agent who signed with the Utah Jazz in 2019), Kyler Edwards (undrafted free agent who signed with the Indiana Pacers in 2020), and Jahmi’us Ramsey (undrafted free agent who signed with the Sacramento Kings in 2020).
2) Coaching: Good coaching can make a big difference at any level of basketball, and Texas Tech has had some very good coaches lately. Notably, they have had two coaches who were named National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press: Bob Knight in 2002 and Chris Beard in 2019. Knight is one of the most legendary coaches in NCAA history, while Beard is one of the brightest young coaches in the game today.
3) Facility: A few years ago, Texas Tech made a major investment by building a new $176 million arena called United Supermarkets Arena. This state-of-the-art facility seats 15,000 fans and is one of the nicest arenas in all of college basketball. It is clear that this facility has helped attract better players to Texas Tech.
The Future
It’s hard to overstate how good Texas Tech basketball has been lately. The team has won four straight games, including a come-from-behind victory against then-No. 6 West Virginia. With the win, the Red Raiders are now 19-5 overall and 8-3 in Big 12 play. Not only are they one of the best teams in the conference, but they’re also one of the best teams in the country. At this rate, it’s safe to say that Texas Tech is a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
What’s even more impressive is that Texas Tech is doing all this without its best player, sophomore guard Jalen Brunson. Brunson, who was averaging 18 points and 4 assists per game, suffered a season-ending injury in early January. Despite his absence, the Red Raiders have managed to keep winning thanks to strong performances from junior guard Keenan Evans and freshman forward Zhaire Smith.
Looking ahead, there’s no reason to think that Texas Tech won’t continue to be one of the best teams in the country. Even without Brunson, the Red Raiders have more than enough talent to compete with anyone. If they can keep playing at this high level, there’s no doubt that they’ll be a force to be reckoned with come March Madness.
Conclusion
Texas Tech’s run to the Elite Eight has been one of the most improbable stories in recent NCAA tournament history. The Red Raiders were a No. 3 seed in a difficult West Region, and they had to beat two No. 1 seeds (Gonzaga and Michigan) and a No. 2 seed (Buffalo) to get to the regional final. They did all of that without their best player, Zach Smith, who was ruled ineligible for the tournament before it started.
In the Elite Eight, Texas Tech will face yet another tough test in top-seeded Virginia. The Cavaliers are one of the best defensive teams in the country, and they will be looking to avenged their loss to 16th-seeded UMBC in last year’s tournament.
If Texas Tech can find a way to win on Saturday, it will be one of the most improbable Final Four runs in NCAA tournament history.
