Texas Tech University Athletics
Top Five Quotes From NCAA Media Session
March 14, 2018 | Men's Basketball
The Red Raiders met with various members of the media Wednesday in preparation for the NCAA opener
DALLAS – Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard and various members of the Red Raiders met with the media Wednesday afternoon in preparation for Thursday night's NCAA Tournament opener against Stephen F. Austin.
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Beard was joined at the podium Wednesday by seniors Keenan Evans, Zach Smith and Justin Gray as well as freshman Zhaire Smith. The rest of the Red Raiders were also available during an open locker room session at American Airlines Center.
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Here are the top 5 quotes from today:
Keenan Evans: "It was like a celebration. We were all happy, excited to be able to play in front of friends and family. It's going to be a good crowd for us, and hopefully that gives us an advantage."
Justin Gray: They do their sets really well. Mainly for us just ball pressure, being a help defense, siding, a lot of stuff just being what we are, a defensive team, and just doing our tactics that we've been doing all year. But SFA is a really talented team. They execute their offense really well, a well-coached team, so it should be fun on Thursday.
CHRIS BEARD: Well, just really proud to be here in the second year of building our program. I think about those guys that y'all just talked to, Zach and Keenan and Justin, and when the coaching change happened between Tubby and our group, I just promised those guys we would do everything in our power possible to get them back in the NCAA Tournament, and came up a little bit short last year, but really appreciative of those guys staying the course with us.
Keenan Evans: I would say that the ride has felt long in the moment, but then you realize like how fast it's gone by. But this last go-around has been amazing. I'm just not ready for it to end, so we've just really got to battle and keep it going.
Zach Smith: Yeah, like he said, it's just been a long process, just feels like -- we're here now, just got to live in the moment and take advantage of the opportunity.
Justin Gray: I mean, yeah, pretty much what these guys said, but feels like yesterday we were just moving into the dorms with each other and just getting our first shots up in the gym, but now we're seniors and it's the NCAA Tournament, so it's a fast turnaround, and people try to tell you that college goes by fast, but you really don't realize that until you're finally at the end of your road. Like Keenan said, we're going to try to make this last as long as possible and just play our hearts out.
CHRIS BEARD: Yeah, I grew up in Irving, Texas, right down the road, so I know where they all are. We are staying at the Hilton, and over there is a Whataburger right on feeder road. I might have or might not have walked over there about 3:00 in the morning. I'll leave that up to you.
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Beard was joined at the podium Wednesday by seniors Keenan Evans, Zach Smith and Justin Gray as well as freshman Zhaire Smith. The rest of the Red Raiders were also available during an open locker room session at American Airlines Center.
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Here are the top 5 quotes from today:
1. It's good to be back in Dallas.
Q. Keenan, what was your reaction to seeing that you guys got to play in Dallas for the opening round, and what did your friends and family say when they found out the news?Keenan Evans: "It was like a celebration. We were all happy, excited to be able to play in front of friends and family. It's going to be a good crowd for us, and hopefully that gives us an advantage."
Thanks to the incredible Red Raider fans who showed up in force for open practice! #WreckEm #4To1 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/i8Dx5uYCMS
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 14, 2018
2. Red Raiders are prepared to face a talented Stephen F. Austin team.
Q. Justin, just in terms of what y'all have to do defensively against Stephen F. Austin, what kind of stands out to you about them and what you all have to do to kind of slow them down a little bit?Justin Gray: They do their sets really well. Mainly for us just ball pressure, being a help defense, siding, a lot of stuff just being what we are, a defensive team, and just doing our tactics that we've been doing all year. But SFA is a really talented team. They execute their offense really well, a well-coached team, so it should be fun on Thursday.
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard took a trip down memory lane today in discussing his relationship with Stephen F. Austin coach Kyle Keller, including trips to McDonald's and filling up the water cup with Sprite: pic.twitter.com/7dijfdYeoA
— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) March 14, 2018
3. Beard: "Happy For Our Players"
Q. Opening StatementCHRIS BEARD: Well, just really proud to be here in the second year of building our program. I think about those guys that y'all just talked to, Zach and Keenan and Justin, and when the coaching change happened between Tubby and our group, I just promised those guys we would do everything in our power possible to get them back in the NCAA Tournament, and came up a little bit short last year, but really appreciative of those guys staying the course with us.
#MarchMadness open practice in front of an awesome crowd of Red Raiders ?
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 14, 2018
???? https://t.co/wF0bthKrc3 #WreckEm #4To1 pic.twitter.com/uMhlPik0KL
4. Red Raiders are hoping to make a run.
Q. Keenan, just one more time, I know you kind of mentioned it about the process. How long do you feel like this moment for you and Zach and all the seniors, what's it been like either at the off-season or just when you first started at Texas Tech, and what's it been like to get all these No. 3 seeds kind of play in front of your friends and family? What's that process been like?Keenan Evans: I would say that the ride has felt long in the moment, but then you realize like how fast it's gone by. But this last go-around has been amazing. I'm just not ready for it to end, so we've just really got to battle and keep it going.
Zach Smith: Yeah, like he said, it's just been a long process, just feels like -- we're here now, just got to live in the moment and take advantage of the opportunity.
Justin Gray: I mean, yeah, pretty much what these guys said, but feels like yesterday we were just moving into the dorms with each other and just getting our first shots up in the gym, but now we're seniors and it's the NCAA Tournament, so it's a fast turnaround, and people try to tell you that college goes by fast, but you really don't realize that until you're finally at the end of your road. Like Keenan said, we're going to try to make this last as long as possible and just play our hearts out.
— Chris Beard (@CoachBeardTTU) March 4, 2018
5. A press conference wouldn't be complete without a Whataburger reference.
Q. When you beat Kansas up in Lawrence this year, someone asked you what you had, and Kansas didn't have. You famously said, we've got Whataburger in Lubbock. Have you given directions to any Whataburgers here or passed any dining advice to these non-Texans?CHRIS BEARD: Yeah, I grew up in Irving, Texas, right down the road, so I know where they all are. We are staying at the Hilton, and over there is a Whataburger right on feeder road. I might have or might not have walked over there about 3:00 in the morning. I'll leave that up to you.
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Proof that @CoachBeardTTU has great taste https://t.co/s1SgD4opiK
— Whataburger® (@Whataburger) March 14, 2018
"There's a @Whataburger right on the feeder road. I might have or might not have walked over there about 3 o'clock in the morning." @CoachBeardTTU knows the Texas way ?? #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/hPzH3EvzCL
— FOX Sports Southwest (@FOXSportsSW) March 14, 2018
Players Mentioned
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