No. 10 Texas Tech has the Large 12 Preseason Participant of the 12 months in JT Toppin and the Large 12 Preseason Newcomer of the 12 months in LeJuan Watts.
Whether or not the expertise and early accolades translate right into a convention title is as much as coach Grant McCasland and his employees.
Texas Tech earned a No. 3 NCAA Event seed and made a run to the Elite Eight final spring. With a equally formidable workforce in tow, the Pink Raiders will open the brand new season Tuesday towards visiting Lindenwood in Lubbock, Texas.
Toppin, a multitalented ahead, was a second-team All-American and earned preseason All-American recognition this fall after averaging 18.2 factors and 9.4 rebounds in his first season at Texas Tech. The Pink Raiders additionally introduced again fourth-leading scorer Christian Anderson, who had 10.6 factors per recreation and shot 38% from 3-point distance as a freshman.
Darrion Williams, Likelihood McMillian and Elijah Hawkins had been amongst those that left both resulting from commencement or a switch, however McCasland used the portal to his profit as nicely. Watts, particularly, stands out on the wing. After his freshman 12 months at Jap Washington, he carried out even higher at Washington State (13.7 ppg, 6.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 42.2% from deep).
Based on his new coach, Watts’ affect is seen not simply on paper, however on the observe ground.
“Being round LeJuan Watts, his ardour for this, his really feel for the sport … being round him and (seeing) how a lot he actually needs to be nice on daily basis,” McCasland stated this offseason. “You already know in recruiting him that they have an effect chance due to our place. He is such a flexible participant that we felt like he wanted to be concerned.
“He would not simply adore it; he lives it on daily basis.”
Different switch names to know in Lubbock embody Donovan Atwell (13.3 ppg at UNC Greensboro final season) and Tyeree Bryan (10.4 ppg, 42.9% 3-point capturing at Santa Clara).
Texas Tech was picked third within the Large 12 preseason coaches’ ballot and second by the media. The Pink Raiders nonetheless should overcome defending champion and title favourite Houston.
They gained 23 and 28 video games in McCasland’s first two seasons, however there isn’t any resting on their laurels in Lubbock.
“I believe we have simply put collectively the correct mix of offensive gamers, the place our greatest areas (to enhance), and we have made this very clear from the start, is simply how significantly better can we get defensively,” McCasland stated this week. “… I simply know we have to enhance on the defensive aspect of the ball considerably if we will get the place we need to get.”
Lindenwood has spent three seasons in Division I up to now and posted its greatest report as a program in that point final 12 months, going 16-17 and 10-10 within the Ohio Valley Convention. The Lions had been tied with Morehead State for fifth within the 11-team league’s preseason ballot voted on by head coaches and sports activities data administrators.
The Lions are hoping for continued progress this season. They hosted Southern Illinois for an exhibition recreation this week and pushed the larger faculty earlier than falling 86-76. Middle Milos Nenadic, a switch from Maine, led all scorers with 21 factors on 10-of-14 capturing together with 5 assists.
“I assumed our guys actually battled and did a very good job,” coach Kyle Gerdeman instructed Lindenwood’s athletics web site. “I believe we made progress from the final outing and I believe we bought higher from the place we had been every week in the past.”
Lindenwood will probably be aided by the return of final 12 months’s prime two scorers, Anias Futrell (12.8 ppg) and Jadis Jones (12.5).
–Subject Stage Media