Texas Tech Basketball: Red Raiders season review

Texas Tech basketball had a surprisingly successful regular season followed by one of the most tumultuous offseasons of the early spring.

Texas Tech beat everyone’s expectations this year when they finished seventh in the Big 12 at 9-9 and made the NCAA Tournament. They went 19-13 overall with good wins over South Dakota State and Arkansas-Little Rock in the non-conference season.

Their best win all year was a 84-66 thrashing of Baylor in Waco.

The Red Raiders didn’t end the season strongly though, as they lost to bottom-dweller TCU in the Big 12 Tournament and then fell to Butler in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Red Raiders had three Big-12 Honorable Mentions in Toddrick Gotcher, Aaron Ross, and Zach Smith. Tubby Smith was Big 12 Coach of the Year, but he bolted just this past week to Memphis.

In his place is former Little Rock and UNLV coach Chris Beard. This drama is happening right as the spring recruiting period has gone live.

The team didn’t finish quite as strongly as it could have given their competitiveness from the regular season, but there might finally be signs of hoops life in northwest Texas.

Final Season Grade: A-

So, what’s next in Lubbock?

Players Gone:

G – Toddrick Gotcher (10.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg)

G – Devaugntah Williams (10.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)

F – Isaiah Manderson

Tech’s two best guards from this past season are gone, but they were also inconsistent.

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Williams started as the point guard, but fell out of the starting lineup at the mid-way point of the season and would fluctuate from six points one night to 20 the next.

Gotcher was the team’s most notable sniper from long range (39%), but he shot just 6-of-20 over their final four contests.

Their guards were strong in terms of leadership, but there are also guards returning with far more potential.

Manderson was a forward with decent upside, but transferred to South Florida with a logjam at his position.

Players Returning:

G – Keenan Evans (8.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 spg)

G – Devon Thomas (2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg)

G – C.J. Williamson (1.8 ppg)

G – Jordan Jackson (1.1 ppg)

F – Justin Gray (8.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg)

F – Aaron Ross (10.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

F – Zach Smith (10.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.5 bpg)

F – Matthew Temple (3.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg)

C – Norense Odiase (8.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

The key to next year’s success will be the frontcourt trio of Ross, Smith and Odiase. These three were typically TTU’s most consistent producers night in and night out. They’ll have a chance to make a major leap and be among the Big 12’s best front court rotation.

As far as guards go, the guys with the most potential are Evans and Thomas based on the most recent campaign. It’s hard to project Williamson, Jackson, and even lesser used players because they had to sit behind the two that just graduated, Gotcher and Williams.

The other star on the team is swing man, Justin Gray, who is probably Beard’s most dynamic athlete.

Who’s new:

G – Keon Clergeot (6’1″, 170 lbs)

So far it’s just Clergeot joining the team out of Auburndale, Florida next season. Evans is the likely starting point guard, but with very little solidified in the rest of the back court, the program’s lone recruit might sneak in there.