Texas Tech University Athletics
Thursday, November 30
New York City, N.Y.
5:30 PM
Texas Tech Athletics
vs
Seton Hall
Red Raider Preview: Seton Hall
November 29, 2017 | Men's Basketball
The Red Raiders are ranked inside both Top 25 polls for the first time since Dec. 28, 2009.
NEW YORK CITY – The No. 22 Texas Tech men's basketball team will make the program's debut at the Under Armour Reunion and returns to the east coast to face Seton Hall on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports 1 along with the FOX Sports Go app. Brian Custer and Donny Marshall will serve as the announcing team.
The Texas Tech Sports Network will carry the game live on its flagship station Double T 97.3 FM in Lubbock due to the Dallas Cowboys game being carried live on 100.7 FM The Score and 950 AM that same evening. Geoff Haxton and Clark Lammert will have the radio call. The radio broadcast also will be available on the Texas Tech Sports Network radio affiliates, online at www.TexasTech.com and the Tune-In Radio app. Fans can interact live with Thursday's broadcast by following @GunsUpRadio on Twitter.
The Red Raiders (6-0) have started their five seniors during the six-game winning streak to start the season. Texas Tech and Mercer are the only two schools to start five seniors in a game this season.
Texas Tech squares off with the Pirates (5-1), who are the top receiving vote recipient in the Associated Press and ranked No. 24 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls, for the second time on the hardwood.
The Red Raiders posted an 87-69 win during the opening round of the 2010 NIT. Five players secured double figures headed by two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick John Roberson with 22 points. Roberson is currently playing professionally for ASVEL Lyon-Villeubanne in France.
Texas Tech has won two games inside Madison Square Garden also known as the world's most famous arena. The Red Raiders tucked away a 71-61 win over Minnesota in the third-place game of the 2003 NIT and knocked off Utah by a 65-54 margin in the semifinals of the 2003 NIT Preseason Tipoff.
"We are looking forward to playing against a very talented and nationally ranked team in Seton Hall," Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. "They're a team that was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST preseason poll. A team in my opinion that has three NBA players on it and maybe more that could develop into NBA players. They're a team that is well-coached by one of the most respected coaches in college basketball. It's a great opportunity for us. We couldn't have scheduled a better game for us to see where we are at. We have a lot of respect for Seton Hall."
ABOUT TEXAS TECH
In its last outing, Texas Tech hung 103 points versus Savannah State. The Red Raiders handed out 31 assists on 39 field goals which ranks second in program history for a single game. There were 11 players who recorded an assist led by Jarrett Culver and Keenan Evans who each distributed seven assists.
The Red Raiders have collected six straight wins by double figures and 168-point margin of victory is a program record for a team who has started the season with a 6-0 record.
Texas Tech's defense has been among the nation's leaders in its first six games. The Red Raiders hold the Big 12's top spot are rank inside the NCAA's Top 5 in scoring defense (55.3 PPG) and field goal percentage defense (33.5).
Culver is the reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after he garnered 19.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebound and 2.0 steals per game during Texas Tech's wins over Wofford and Savannah State last week. He has reached double figures in four of his last five outings and his 11.0 points per game are third among Big 12 freshmen.
Evans had his streak of 25 consecutive games with double figures come to a close. The streak was tied for 11th in program history and the longest for a Red Raider since Ronald Ross in 2004-05. Evans has notched 15.0 points which is 10th on the Big 12 leaderboard and heads into Thursday's action eight points shy of passing Eugene Carpenter for 36th place on the program's all-time scoring list.
According to KenPom, Texas Tech has had its bench play 47 percent of its minutes through six games which sits third nationally. The Red Raiders have exploded for 250 bench points, an average of 41.6 per game. That mark also is second-place in the Big 12 rankings.
Culver is joined by Zhaire Smith (9.0 PPG), Brandone Francis (7.0 PPG), Norense Odiase (6.2 PPG) and Davide Moretti (6.0 PPG). Zhaire Smith and Francis is coming off season's best with 17 and 10 points, respectively. Odiase has pumped in 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in his last two outings.
"Culver is a talented young guy," Beard said. "I think he would be the first to tell you that a lot of the credit for big games like he's had goes to his teammates. I love it when he is aggressive. Like a lot of young players around the country, when he is aggressive he can really help. I don't ever want to coach him in a way where he is not. I give our older players a lot of credit for his development, for Davide Moretti's development and for Zhaire Smith's development. These young guys are playing with a lot of confidence. I would like to think that we instilled that from a coaching standpoint, but it's also those guys they play with. Keenan Evans has to believe in Culver to have games like that, and he does."
Niem Stevenson has tallied 8.5 points per game and registered a season-high 18 points which marked the third-highest scoring output of his career. Justin Gray has secured 5.3 points per game and posted season-high in points during consecutive games whereas Tommy Hamilton IV has chipped in 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Zach Smith has filled the stat sheet with 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He is scheduled to make his 99th start of his career and enters the game 19 blocks away from Tony Battie for the program's blocks record.
ABOUT SETON HALL
The Pirates return 90 percent of their scoring and rebounding from a team that won 21 games and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Seton Hall is picked to finish second in the BIG EAST only behind 2016 NCAA Champion Villanova.
Angel Delgado is the NCAA's active leader in double-doubles with 54. He is on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award Watch Lists. Delgado has notched 14.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Desi Rodriguez has poured in 17.8 points per game and connected on 51.9 percent of his field goal attempts. He has led the Pirates in scoring during four of the first six highlighted by a season-high 27 points during the Hall's 13-point win over Vanderbilt.
Myles Powell has done his damage from three-point territory with 16 of his 28 buckets on three's en route to 14.0 points per game. Khade Carrington has contributed 10.2 points and 4.3 assists per game. The southpaw point guard is on the Jerry West Award List and is joined by Delgado and Rodriguez on the program's 1,000 career points list.
"Number 31 (Delgado) is a pro," Beard said. "He was the leading rebounder in all of college basketball last year. He is a walking double-double. He is an NBA first-rounder, and we will have to play against guys like this all season long especially in the Big 12. He has the ability to really impact the game on both ends. Defensively, it's hard to get second shots against him. Offensively, he just brings a presence. He is a really good passer too. I've been so impressed while watching film in the last 48 hours of his passing. He is a great player, and we are looking forward to the chance to compete against him."
UP NEXT
Texas Tech meets undefeated Nevada in its stiffest test of the nonconference home season on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from the United Supermarkets Arena, and the game will be televised by FOX College Sports. The Wolf Pack amassed 28 victories, the Mountain West regular season and tournament titles en route to the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Tickets to Tuesday's game can be purchased for as low as $10 at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street is the lone free parking lot for all fans which includes ADA parking for all men's basketball games. A free shuttle service begins 75 minutes prior to tipoff and runs up to 60 minutes following the game to transport fans to and from the United Supermarkets Arena. Buses also are ADA accessible. There is no longer free parking available in the West Lot across from the United Supermarkets Arena.
Traffic patterns around the United Supermarkets Arena have changed for the 2017-18 season. All patrons with North Lot passes must enter their lot from the Main and Flint intersection. All fans with South Lot passes must enter their lot from the 18th and Flint intersection. All West Lot pass holders must enter their lot at the Texas Tech Parkway and Knoxville Avenue intersection. All vehicles will be blocked from Indiana Avenue off of the Texas Tech Parkway.
Fans are reminded to go clear at all Texas Tech basketball games. The clear bag policy provides a safer atmosphere and speeds up the entry process into the United Supermarkets Arena.
Season tickets are on-sale and features the affordable Red Raider Sports Pass at $99. Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office located on the East Side of Jones AT&T Stadium, online at www.TexasTech.com or over the phone at (806) 742-8324 (TECH).
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by liking TexasTechMBB on Facebook along with following @TexasTechMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports 1 along with the FOX Sports Go app. Brian Custer and Donny Marshall will serve as the announcing team.
The Texas Tech Sports Network will carry the game live on its flagship station Double T 97.3 FM in Lubbock due to the Dallas Cowboys game being carried live on 100.7 FM The Score and 950 AM that same evening. Geoff Haxton and Clark Lammert will have the radio call. The radio broadcast also will be available on the Texas Tech Sports Network radio affiliates, online at www.TexasTech.com and the Tune-In Radio app. Fans can interact live with Thursday's broadcast by following @GunsUpRadio on Twitter.
The Red Raiders (6-0) have started their five seniors during the six-game winning streak to start the season. Texas Tech and Mercer are the only two schools to start five seniors in a game this season.
Texas Tech squares off with the Pirates (5-1), who are the top receiving vote recipient in the Associated Press and ranked No. 24 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls, for the second time on the hardwood.
The Red Raiders posted an 87-69 win during the opening round of the 2010 NIT. Five players secured double figures headed by two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick John Roberson with 22 points. Roberson is currently playing professionally for ASVEL Lyon-Villeubanne in France.
Texas Tech has won two games inside Madison Square Garden also known as the world's most famous arena. The Red Raiders tucked away a 71-61 win over Minnesota in the third-place game of the 2003 NIT and knocked off Utah by a 65-54 margin in the semifinals of the 2003 NIT Preseason Tipoff.
"We are looking forward to playing against a very talented and nationally ranked team in Seton Hall," Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. "They're a team that was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST preseason poll. A team in my opinion that has three NBA players on it and maybe more that could develop into NBA players. They're a team that is well-coached by one of the most respected coaches in college basketball. It's a great opportunity for us. We couldn't have scheduled a better game for us to see where we are at. We have a lot of respect for Seton Hall."
ABOUT TEXAS TECH
In its last outing, Texas Tech hung 103 points versus Savannah State. The Red Raiders handed out 31 assists on 39 field goals which ranks second in program history for a single game. There were 11 players who recorded an assist led by Jarrett Culver and Keenan Evans who each distributed seven assists.
The Red Raiders have collected six straight wins by double figures and 168-point margin of victory is a program record for a team who has started the season with a 6-0 record.
Texas Tech's defense has been among the nation's leaders in its first six games. The Red Raiders hold the Big 12's top spot are rank inside the NCAA's Top 5 in scoring defense (55.3 PPG) and field goal percentage defense (33.5).
Culver is the reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after he garnered 19.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebound and 2.0 steals per game during Texas Tech's wins over Wofford and Savannah State last week. He has reached double figures in four of his last five outings and his 11.0 points per game are third among Big 12 freshmen.
Evans had his streak of 25 consecutive games with double figures come to a close. The streak was tied for 11th in program history and the longest for a Red Raider since Ronald Ross in 2004-05. Evans has notched 15.0 points which is 10th on the Big 12 leaderboard and heads into Thursday's action eight points shy of passing Eugene Carpenter for 36th place on the program's all-time scoring list.
According to KenPom, Texas Tech has had its bench play 47 percent of its minutes through six games which sits third nationally. The Red Raiders have exploded for 250 bench points, an average of 41.6 per game. That mark also is second-place in the Big 12 rankings.
Culver is joined by Zhaire Smith (9.0 PPG), Brandone Francis (7.0 PPG), Norense Odiase (6.2 PPG) and Davide Moretti (6.0 PPG). Zhaire Smith and Francis is coming off season's best with 17 and 10 points, respectively. Odiase has pumped in 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in his last two outings.
"Culver is a talented young guy," Beard said. "I think he would be the first to tell you that a lot of the credit for big games like he's had goes to his teammates. I love it when he is aggressive. Like a lot of young players around the country, when he is aggressive he can really help. I don't ever want to coach him in a way where he is not. I give our older players a lot of credit for his development, for Davide Moretti's development and for Zhaire Smith's development. These young guys are playing with a lot of confidence. I would like to think that we instilled that from a coaching standpoint, but it's also those guys they play with. Keenan Evans has to believe in Culver to have games like that, and he does."
Niem Stevenson has tallied 8.5 points per game and registered a season-high 18 points which marked the third-highest scoring output of his career. Justin Gray has secured 5.3 points per game and posted season-high in points during consecutive games whereas Tommy Hamilton IV has chipped in 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Zach Smith has filled the stat sheet with 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He is scheduled to make his 99th start of his career and enters the game 19 blocks away from Tony Battie for the program's blocks record.
ABOUT SETON HALL
The Pirates return 90 percent of their scoring and rebounding from a team that won 21 games and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Seton Hall is picked to finish second in the BIG EAST only behind 2016 NCAA Champion Villanova.
Angel Delgado is the NCAA's active leader in double-doubles with 54. He is on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Naismith Trophy and the Wooden Award Watch Lists. Delgado has notched 14.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Desi Rodriguez has poured in 17.8 points per game and connected on 51.9 percent of his field goal attempts. He has led the Pirates in scoring during four of the first six highlighted by a season-high 27 points during the Hall's 13-point win over Vanderbilt.
Myles Powell has done his damage from three-point territory with 16 of his 28 buckets on three's en route to 14.0 points per game. Khade Carrington has contributed 10.2 points and 4.3 assists per game. The southpaw point guard is on the Jerry West Award List and is joined by Delgado and Rodriguez on the program's 1,000 career points list.
"Number 31 (Delgado) is a pro," Beard said. "He was the leading rebounder in all of college basketball last year. He is a walking double-double. He is an NBA first-rounder, and we will have to play against guys like this all season long especially in the Big 12. He has the ability to really impact the game on both ends. Defensively, it's hard to get second shots against him. Offensively, he just brings a presence. He is a really good passer too. I've been so impressed while watching film in the last 48 hours of his passing. He is a great player, and we are looking forward to the chance to compete against him."
UP NEXT
Texas Tech meets undefeated Nevada in its stiffest test of the nonconference home season on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from the United Supermarkets Arena, and the game will be televised by FOX College Sports. The Wolf Pack amassed 28 victories, the Mountain West regular season and tournament titles en route to the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Tickets to Tuesday's game can be purchased for as low as $10 at the United Supermarkets Arena Box Office starting 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
Fans are reminded that the S1 Parking Lot at the John Walker Soccer Complex which is located at 3901 10th Street is the lone free parking lot for all fans which includes ADA parking for all men's basketball games. A free shuttle service begins 75 minutes prior to tipoff and runs up to 60 minutes following the game to transport fans to and from the United Supermarkets Arena. Buses also are ADA accessible. There is no longer free parking available in the West Lot across from the United Supermarkets Arena.
Traffic patterns around the United Supermarkets Arena have changed for the 2017-18 season. All patrons with North Lot passes must enter their lot from the Main and Flint intersection. All fans with South Lot passes must enter their lot from the 18th and Flint intersection. All West Lot pass holders must enter their lot at the Texas Tech Parkway and Knoxville Avenue intersection. All vehicles will be blocked from Indiana Avenue off of the Texas Tech Parkway.
Fans are reminded to go clear at all Texas Tech basketball games. The clear bag policy provides a safer atmosphere and speeds up the entry process into the United Supermarkets Arena.
Season tickets are on-sale and features the affordable Red Raider Sports Pass at $99. Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office located on the East Side of Jones AT&T Stadium, online at www.TexasTech.com or over the phone at (806) 742-8324 (TECH).
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by liking TexasTechMBB on Facebook along with following @TexasTechMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Players Mentioned
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