Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Open Season Against Spartans
November 09, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2005
Lubbock, TX - The 2005-2006 Men's Basketball season begins Thursday night as Texas Tech hosts the Spartans of San Jose State at the United Spirit Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM.
The game will be televised on the Texas Tech Television Network with game coverage provided outside the Lubbock area. Dave Shore will call the play-by-play. Andy Hipsher will provide the game analysis.
Georgia Southern and Portland will play the first game in the 2K Sports College Hoops Class benefiting Coaches versus Cancer at 4:30 PM.
On Friday, the first game will tip-off at 5:30 PM in the Regional Consolation game followed by the Regional Championship game.
Last season the Red Raiders were 22-11, earned a fourth trip to the postseason, and earned a spot in the "Sweet Sixteen."
The Raiders of 2005-2006 post a 15-man roster, which features six juniors, two sophomores, and seven freshmen. Three starters return from last season (Dora, Jackson, and Zeno) and are joined by veterans Drew Coffman, Tanner Ogden, and LucQuente White. Junior Jon Plefka joins the squad from Sante Fe Community College. Additionally, seven freshmen will dress for their first college basketball game: Jeremy Buttell, Dior Lowhorn, Terry Martin, Michael Prince, Dazzmon Thornton, and Justin Wilkerson.
Coach Bob Knight (Ohio State, 1962) begins his fifth season at the helm of the Raider program and has notched four consecutive 20+ wins in Lubbock. In 39 seasons of coaching, he has taken his teams to post-season play 36 times.
Coach Knight numbers third among all coaches on the all-time career wins list with 854 victories. He is the youngest of the four coaches (Dean Smith-879, Adolph Rupp-876, Bob Knight-854, and Jim Phelan-830) and the only active coach to reach that remarkable plateau of 800 career victories.
John Harris will call the courtside action along with Mike Roberts as analyst on the Texas Tech Sports Network (KKAM 1340 AM), the flagship station for the Red Raiders.
For tickets to Texas Tech men's basketball at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, please call (888) GO-BIG-12 or (806) 742-TECH or stop by the Texas Tech Athletic Ticket Office in the north end of Jones SBC Stadium. Tickets also can be purchased through the Texas Tech athletic website at www.texastech.com and at area United Supermarkets and Select-a-Seat locations.
