Tech

[deadeyededric]

Agree, I attended our game with them in January and I was jealous how loud and enthusiastic they were - not to mention the place was sold out.
Here's the deal: How can a place like Lubbock attract good talent in FB & BB and be successful? More important, it they can do it, we can do - but why haven't we?

Even though Lubbock is not anywhere near the rest of Texas it's still within 200 miles of a ton of FB talent. Enough to go to a bowl game pretty regularly. As far as basketball goes, you only need to bring in a few guys a year. You could land a few top 200 guys and bring in a transfer or a JUCO every year. Not that hard. A decent recruiter could bring success to a BB program almost anywhere. Some places may be a little harder than others but basketball is completely different animal than football.

 

[Acylum]

I'm happy for Tech. There fans aren't nearly as bad as most Big 12 teams, and I really like Beard as a head coach.

I just wonder how he gets guys to go play there? Yesterday at the halftime break he said they were playing way too fast and needed to slow it way down and play Tech basketball. How do you get kids to want to come play that style? And especially in the middle of nowhere in Lubbock?

Fact is though, you have to play defense to have success, and so if you want to get to the Final Four, you might have to play this style of ball?

Interesting you should ask this question- I heard an interview with him on CBS Sports Radio yesterday and the host asked him how do you get kids to buy in to playing defense like you do and get them to campus. He replied it starts early in the recruiting process- if the kid is all me, me, me and asking questions like how will you make sure I get my shots, Beard said that kid probably wouldn’t end up being offered a scholarship. He then corrected himself and said that kid wouldn’t be offered a scholarship. And he didn’t say any of this in any smug, condescending tone at all. Yeah, I can’t help but like the guy.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Their fans actually showed up this year, unlike other southern schools in this conference when they have good teams

Glad they finally showed up this year.

I think a lot of you guys raving about how great of a fan base Tech has are forgetting just how much of a morgue their arena has been, essentially for decades. Anyone can get behind a winning team. That's easy.

 

[SCNCY]

I always joked with myself that if someone was going to unseat Kansas as the regular season champion, it was going to be Tech. They almost fid this year, bur they are close to winning a national championship. Good for them! I've been looking forward to their games and can't wait till next weekend!

 

[isucy86]

Tech is more than just an awesome defensive team- they have some very nice offensive players. They can be deliberate on offense, but are still averaging 72ppg in the tournament.

One nice thing about watching the NCAA Tournament is there seems to be a lot of common threads among great teams that aren't blue bloods (aka loaded with 5 star kids) that make deep runs in the Tournament.

On offense

• A guard/wing that can get in the paint. Some guys do it with pure speed other guys like Tech's Mooney use their size/strength.
• At least 3 strong shooters from 3 point range.
• Players who can make tough shots
• Create extra possessions through offensive rebounding

On Defense

• Solid on-ball defenders, especially on opponents PG.
• Great help-defense with solid rotation on the weakside
• Rim protectors. A shot blocker might be worth 6-10ppg saved
• Tenacious on the defensive boards, dudes who can rebound in traffic and above the rim.

 

[madguy30]

Watching them play makes you realize how well they play together and execute their game plan both offensive and defensively. Each player is on the same page and knows what to do.

Yep, said last night roles look they are defined and individual players' strengths compliment each other on both ends.

Played like a team that has played many years together but they started pretty fresh this year iirc.

Them tipping passes away and deflecting things was impressive and I think made Gonzaga uncomfortable.

 

[bostrem00]

Of course.

Knight (even in his last years), Beard, and Leech are all great coaches that make guys like Morgan, McDermott, and Rhoads look very mediocre, like the many other coaches TT has gone through.

Oddly enough, they don't have to be compared against anyone else to be considered as such.

 

[randomfan44]

Just as a FYI, they almost averaged as many fans at home games during conference play as we did.

Lazy narrative to use their past against them when Beard has REALLY turned that program around.

This year. The year before Beard they averaged 8,000 a game and the year before that it was about 6,600 a game.

It's easy to support your team when they are good; less so when they stink.

 

[randomfan44]

Agree, I attended our game with them in January and I was jealous how loud and enthusiastic they were - not to mention the place was sold out.
Here's the deal: How can a place like Lubbock attract good talent in FB & BB and be successful? More important, it they can do it, we can do - but why haven't we?

I have been told numerous times here that ISU had the most talented basketball team in the Big 12. So "talent" isn't the issue. Experience, relentless aggressive play at both ends and attention to detail is what put Texas Tech into the Final Four.

 

[kingcy]

Obviously Beard is a great coach, but it certainly helps to have a top 5 NBA pick, All American and centerpiece of your team grow up in Lubbock. Did a great job getting the transfers as well. Also helps that they have four fifth year grown ass men in Francis, Mooney, Owens and Odiase.

Having the Seniors is huge.

 

[bosco]

I have been told numerous times here that ISU had the most talented basketball team in the Big 12. So "talent" isn't the issue. Experience, relentless aggressive play at both ends and attention to detail is what put Texas Tech into the Final Four.

If you are a college bball fan you should root for TTU. They show what you can do when u have everyone bought in on the team concept, we'll coached so the team executes the game plan and that this can overcome a disparity in talent.

 

[SpokaneCY]

How sad is it that TT is in the Final 4 & potentially could win a NC?

A program that really doesn't give a **** about MBB...90% of the time they've got only a few thousand people in attendance.

I've got nothing against TT...for the B12 I'd be ok with them winning...but it sucks when they really don't care about MBB.

Just Sad.

NCAA site says they average almost 11,000 a game?

 

[surly]

Coach Knight is smiling.

 

[cycopath25]

How sad is it that TT is in the Final 4 & potentially could win a NC?

A program that really doesn't give a **** about MBB...90% of the time they've got only a few thousand people in attendance.

I've got nothing against TT...for the B12 I'd be ok with them winning...but it sucks when they really don't care about MBB.

Just Sad.

Well, I guess there is only one thing left to do. Win the whole ******* thing!

 

[CTTB78]

Coach Knight is smiling.

IDK, Beard is doing something at TT that Knight couldn't do.

 

[Bret44]

IDK, Beard is doing something at TT that Knight couldn't do.

That is because Knight was not only an ******* when he was at Tech, he was an old *******.

 

[LivntheCyLife]

so has Tech exceeded us in landing *special coaches* ? Could any of our coaches had the sames success at Tech?

I think ISU has had several special coaches that could have been successful at Tech. ISU has had 19 NCAA tournament appearances to 11 at Tech since 1980. I think Orr, Floyd, Eustachy, and Hoiberg all could have been successful at Tech.

In football, Campbell's got a little ways to go but I could see him having a run like Leach at Tech. And Leach never won a Big 12 title, I think sometimes his success gets a little overstated.

Both places have had good success but sustaining things has always been a challenge.

 

[surly]

IDK, Beard is doing something at TT that Knight couldn't do.

Coach Knight is Beard's model. Surely, you know he was an assistant for Knight at TxT?

 

[CTTB78]

Coach Knight is Beard's model. Surely, you know he was an assistant for Knight at TxT?

Surely. Beard has the same defensive approach without being a total a**, like his mentor.
And being the a** that Knight is, how do you know he's happy about anything?

 

[KillBilly]

Glad they finally showed up this year.

I think a lot of you guys raving about how great of a fan base Tech has are forgetting just how much of a morgue their arena has been, essentially for decades. Anyone can get behind a winning team. That's easy.

Tech has a great fan base unless a program is moribund

Glad they finally showed up this year.

I think a lot of you guys raving about how great of a fan base Tech has are forgetting just how much of a morgue their arena has been, essentially for decades. Anyone can get behind a winning team. That's easy.

Not sure that's fair. Tech was one of the best Southwest Conference (SWC) basketball programs during the last 20 years of the SWC. Now basketball wasn't a big deal in Texas back then but Tech made it a priority. And that desire to succeed in basketball has continued during the Big 12 but without much success until recently. We hired Bobby Knight. We hired Billie Clyde Gillespie. We hired Tubby Smith. We've spent big money to become basketball relevant. Nothing went well so it makes sense for fans to lose interest.

But now Coach Beard is blown away by how well Tech fans travel. From the Madison Square Garden game against Duke, to the Anaheim game against Michigan, where UM fans said it would be a home game because of the many UM grads living in California. But Tech fans have travelled and out cheered the opposing fans over and over again. That isn't just getting behind a winning team. That's saying give us some hope and we'll be there baby!