NCAA Basketball: Updated way-too-early 2019-20 top-25
9. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Head coach Chris Beard is doing magnificent things with Texas Tech basketball. Even though he has not been at the helm of the program all that long, he has made an instant impact in so many ways. He has made a culture change, emerged as one of the best in-game leaders in the country, and is starting to gain more traction as a top-of-the-line recruiter. During this past season, the Red Raiders exceeded all expectations and reached the national championship game before falling to the Virginia Cavaliers.
Looking ahead to this coming season, the program will be without star player Jarrett Culver (NBA Draft) but there is still plenty of talent to be a top-10 team. Of the returners, Davide Moretti, Deshawn Corprew, and Kyler Edwards look poised to take the next steps in their games. Additionally, the coaching staff did a superb job in the transfer market. Chris Clarke (Virginia Tech) and T.J. Holyfield (SFA) both project as major contributors during this coming season.
Related Story. Breaking down Texas Tech's 2019 recruiting class. light
To round out the reasons for optimism, Texas Tech is bringing in the No. 16 overall recruiting class in the nation. The group features several solid additions but the most important is Jahmius Ramsey. Ranked as the No. 31 overall recruit, Ramsey should be an immediate impact guard for the Red Raiders on both ends of the floor.
Considering fans can already make a legitimate argument that Beard is a top-5 coach in the country, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Texas Tech ranked this high. His ability to get the most out of his players on both ends of the floor is remarkable.