Bob Knight’s birthday party

Remember birthday parties back in junior high? I’m thinking of the kind where your mom would rent out the local gym or rec center, then treat all your friends to cake and various rec-center athletic activites.

Sunday’s men’s basketball practice felt a lot like that.
The Red Raiders have been working hard for more than a week, [...]

Zone defense no longer on Tech’s gameplan

Pat Knight spent most of Big 12 basketball media days expounding on one of his favorite subjects, but least favorite parts of his team’s arsenal: the defense.
The Texas Tech coach has said since last season the Red Raiders need to make major progress with their ability to guard the ball. Throughout the preseason he’s talked [...]

Mulkey surprised to be favorite

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey had a one-word answer when asked if she was surprised by her team being chosen to finish first this season.
“Yes.”
Mulkey said her fellow coaches chose the Lady Bears—she wasn’t allowed to vote for her own team—primarily because of freshman Brittney Griner. The 6-foot-8 post was named the No. 1 recruit in [...]

Fennelly feeling patriotic after coaching Team USA

Bill Fennelly said Wednesday he’s heard the National Anthem played hundreds of times before high school and college basketball games around the country.
Hearing it this summer, though, felt a little different.
Fennelly helped coach the U19 USA team for the second consecutive summer. The team went 8-1 in the U19 world championships in Thailand, winning the [...]

Player availability will define Lady Raiders’ season

KANSAS CITY – One of the first things Lady Raiders coach Kristy Curry said upon taking the podium Wednesday morning was that she is excited to see just what Kaylan Talley and Lindie Kimbro are able to accomplish this season.
That’s because they didn’t do much of anything last year.
Talley and Kimbro both redshirted the 2008-09 [...]

Tech basketball adds third commit

Texas Tech men’s basketball has it’s third verbal commitment in this fall’s recruiting class, and this time he’s a post. A true post.
Paul Cooper is a 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward who is in his sophomore season at Gulf Coast Community College, former juco home of Red Raider Brad Reese. Cooper was recruited by schools in the [...]

Future Red Raider shares his faith

Javarez Willis was trying to get a date. Instead, he found God.
Willis, who committed to Texas Tech basketball on Monday, is currently enrolled at the Christian Life Center Academy. He said he preaches every Wednesday at the school’s religious services, thanks to a renewed faith he credits to a girl he once asked out.
“She was [...]