Red Raiders open against hungry mid-major program
Mike Singletary remembers the feeling of beating Kansas last year. The Jayhawks arrived in Lubbock as reigning NCAA champions, the team each opponent prepared all season to face and tried to defeat.
Singletary
On March 4, the Red Raiders became just the sixth team to take them down.
Singletary knows what it’s like to be the underdog. When Tech’s season begins tonight with the first game of the Duel in the Desert tournament, the home team will have become the team to beat.
“Last year we always thought we were the underdog, and most people did,” Singletary said. “We know we can’t take anybody for granted.”
That’s the goal in tonight’s game against South Dakota, a team that recently transitioned from Division II status. The Raiders and Coyotes face off at 6 p.m.
Singletary said Tech’s plan is to play hard from the beginning, never giving USD a chance to take a lead. With three games in three days, the Raiders don’t want to keep their starters on the court long, hustling late into games and wearing themselves out.
“We know they’re a mid-major so they’re going to try to knock us off,” Singletary said. “It’s their first game, too, so they’re going to try and show what they can do.”
Tech coach Pat Knight isn’t quite sure what his team will be able to accomplish this season. After two closed scrimmages with other Division I teams and almost a month of practice, the Raiders believe they have a revitalized defense and athleticism, two areas of great weakness in the past. The coaches have installed their offense and drilled defense. Until gametime, though, they won’t know what to expect.
“We’re getting there, but you never know if you’ll have carryover from practice or if they’ll go back to their old ways when the lights come on.”
Knight expects South Dakota to use a balanced offensive attack. The Coyotes are equally talented in the post and on the wing, so they aren’t likely to favor either the inside or outside game. It will provide a good test for Tech’s previously pitiful defense.
Twenty-four hours after hosting South Dakota, Tech will turn around and play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Then 21 hours after that game tips off Tech finishes the tournament against Oregon State.
Guard Nick Okorie, who is expected to start on Friday, said fatigue shouldn’t be a problem as long as the team keeps a good rotation going.
“You have enough time to recuperate,” Okorie said. “Even little kids go out and play basketball all day, go home, then go back the next day. At this level it’s just more mentally challenging.”
The coaching staff is trying to keep the mental game to a minimum, so far only talking about the scout for South Dakota. In practice this week they’ve stressed fundamental skills and situations that will be helpful against Corpus Christi and Oregon State; for example, much of Wednesday’s practice focused on the1-3-1 defense Oregon State favors.
“We’ll be able to scout South Dakota, but when it comes to Corpus and Oregon State it comes down to having them obey our rules no matter what happens defensively or offensively,” Knight said. “It’s going to be tough, but if they know our defensive rules it should take care of everything.”
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TEXAS TECH/South Dakota visits for Duel in the Desert
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The best thing about the Knights burying the program is that you can go out to a geme, park anywhere, and sit anywhere. Order of battle: (1) Gerald Out. (2) Knight’s out. (3) Life begins.
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I do not think Darnce is a dunce, but I do not agree with him. Pat is the coach, he and his staff are improving the recruiting, and they should all be given a chance to prove themselves. Go Raiders!!!
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Wow…that is a little negative, don’t ya think? Pat hasn’t even had one full cycle of recruiting classes. However, he has pretty good talent, from what I hear. Also, Bob Knight went to Sweet 16’s with Texas Tech. Please remind me how many times that happened in the good ole’ days before the Knights were “burying the program.” (I remember the 5-27 season under Myers when we got hammered by Adams State at home and the 9-19 season under Dickey when we lost to UAB at home) (I also remember that Bob Knight has a higher winning percentage than any coach we have had since the 60’s) I get so sick of half-fans constantly trying to run down the program and fire the coach without taking a look at the real issues related to the program.
Tech has an absolute 1st class facility. Tech will hopefully have a good team. Basketball is a fun and exciting sport to watch. The season ticket for basketball with 18 games is 1/2 the season ticket for football with 6 games. We should all be in attendance tonight to kick this year off right. WRECK EM TECH!!
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Pat will be a good coach, he is starting to get the right players now too.
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I want to see Pat succeed at Tech. Let’s give him a chance to prove himself this season with some of his recruits.
Wreck ‘em!
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The problem w/ Pat is how he got the job. Bob quit in the middle of the year, affording the univ no other alternative. You mean the best TTU could do is a first-time coach?
I agree w/ Darnce. Gerald is a fossil and has to go. The fact the he was a hoopster for TTU in the 60’s and coached in the 80’s is irrelevant. Nearly lost Leach, who has MADE more $ for TTU than any other coach.
Here’s a question … under Pat … where has TTU ranked, recruiting-wise, in the B12? Bottom half, for sure. And didn’t Pat lead recruiting under his Bob?
I remember when TTU pulled in strong players from Hou, Dal and NM. It’s been a long time.
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wow we as fans are so quick to have pat hung when he hasn’t even had an opportunity to show what he is made of. take it easy guys.
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I agree with red raider alum. You need to give him at least four seasons. Kristy Curry is just now starting to get the players she wants and she is just now starting to get good young players.
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