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Texas Tech Basketball: Why Red Raiders will win the Big 12 in 2019

By Jason Kinander

LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 28: Jarrett Culver #23 and Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrate during the second half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs on January 28, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated TCU 84-65. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 28: Jarrett Culver #23 and Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrate during the second half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs on January 28, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated TCU 84-65. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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DALLAS, TX – MARCH 17: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders calls out instructions in the second half against the Florida Gators during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at the American Airlines Center on March 17, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX – MARCH 17: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders calls out instructions in the second half against the Florida Gators during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at the American Airlines Center on March 17, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

2. They’re coached by the likely Big 12 Coach of the Year

Great players are vital in order to have a great team. However, what makes those players and teams great, are in most cases, the coaching.

This is especially true in Texas Tech’s case. The Red Raiders are not and have never been a recruiting powerhouse, therefore the bulk of their talent must be developed outside of premier prospects.

Nobody has done a better job of that in the Big 12 than Chris Beard. Beard has taken a group of under-recruited players and transfers, and turned them into a Big 12 Championship contender.

Let’s take a look at Texas Tech’s top players recruiting history (Via 247 Sports):

  • Culver: Three star recruit, #312 Nationally
  • Matt Mooney: Graduate transfer from South Dakota, unranked
  • Tariq Owens: Graduate transfer from St. John’s, three star recruit, #185 Nationally
  • Norense Odiase: Three star recruit, #358 Nationally
  • Davide Moretti: Unranked

Yep. All five of Texas Tech’s starting five were three star recruits or lower. What a job Chris Beard has done, not only developing in-house talent, but working the transfer market in the Red Raider’s favor.

Additionally, Beard has done an incredible job coaching against higher talent. Texas Tech is yet to play Kansas, but the Red Raiders have beaten the three other teams that ranked higher than them in the Class of 2018’s recruiting.

For a coach that started out by taking mid-major Stephen F. Austin on a cinderella ride, Beard has proven that he is more than a one-hit mid major wonder.

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