LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – While the16th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-9, 12-6 Big 12) are gearing up for this week’s Big 12 tournament, they are now trying regain their momentum for the NCAA tournament- and first avoid having a three-game losing streak. Men’s head basketball coach Grant McCasland says he’s not even looking at the numbers and just wants to see higher production from his players.
“I know people like to talk about streaks or whatever, I don’t really care about it, honestly,” he said. “As a coach, I look and see what do we need to improve on to give ourselves a chance to win the next game, and so do we want to win? 100 percent. We’re not going to Kansas City to do anything other than try to compete to win a Big 12 championship, which would be an awesome accomplishment.”
The Red Raiders will take to the court at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.11:30 a.m. Thursday, and will face the Arizona State-Iowa State winner. A potential victory over Iowa State would be the Red Raiders’ second win over the Cyclones in less than two weeks, and it could give them a rematch against top-seeded Arizona, a team they beat on the road back on Feb. 14. However, McCasland was quick to say that regular season results do not guarantee the same outcome in tournament time- whether it’s competing for wins in the Big Twelve or NCAA.
“I’ve played enough games as a head coach where we’ve beaten a team four times in one season and we’ve lost to a team three times and beat them the fourth, so I don’t really put a lot of stock in whether you beat somebody or didn’t beat somebody. I think it’s how you prepare on any given night.”
With the Red Raiders winning 12 of their first 16 conference games, they finished high-enough to earn the No. 4 seed and have two days off. Much like any other college basketball coach, McCasland says March and April is his favorite season.
“It’s the best time of the year, not close! March, playing in postseason basketball is a blessing, and obviously the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City’s remarkable. It’s a great opportunity for our team. We need more time together, and to take advantage of that. Obviously don’t quite know we’re playing yet, but just the opportunity to compete and be at what I think is the best college basketball tournament outside of the NCAA tournament and so looking forward to getting to Kansas City and competing on Thursday.”
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