Texas Tech University Athletics
Five Red Raiders on G-League Rosters
October 28, 2019 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Four members of last year's Texas Tech national championship runner-up team will start the next step of their journeys on NBA G-League training camp rosters while Zhaire Smith begins his second season with the Delaware Blue Coats.
Brandone Francis has signed with the Iowa Wolves, Matt Mooney with the Memphis Hustle and Tariq Owens and Norense Odiase have joined the Northern Arizona Suns. Mooney, Owens and Odiase each signed NBA Exhibit 10 Contracts which had them on the NBA rosters during preseason camp and games. Smith, who was selected No. 16 in the 2018 NBA Draft, played in six games for the 76ers last season where he averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. With Delaware, Smith averaged 7.2 points per game for the Blue Coats in 11 games during the 2018-19 season.
Along with five NBA G-League former players, Texas Tech is represented by Jarrett Culver who is in his first season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Culver and the Timberwolves have started the season with a 3-0 record and will play at Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The No. 6 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Culver is currently averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
Odiase finished his career with the Red Raiders as the winningest player in program history with 108 victories. He finished his senior season averaging 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 rebounds per game, including going for a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds in the NCAA second-round win over Buffalo. A Fort Worth native, Odiase was a two-time All-Big 12 Academic selection and finished his career with 626 points, 594 rebounds and 79 blocked shots. Francis played two seasons for the Red Raiders where he would average 6.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a reserve last season. Francis averaged 24.0 minutes per game as a senior and led the team with a career-high 17 points in the NCAA National Championship Final against Virginia. Owens and Mooney both played one season as graduate transfers last season and helped to lead the program to its first Big 12 regular-season championship. Owens established a new Texas Tech single-season record with 92 blocked shots and finished the year averaging 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He had a program-best eight blocks in a win over Memphis and scored 18 Iowa State. Owens, who earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Honorable Mention selections, recorded three double-double, including going for 13 rebounds and 12 points at Kansas. Mooney started all 38 games for the Red Raiders and completed the year averaging 11.3 points per game and leading the team with 70 steals. He scored a career-high 22 points against Michigan State in the Final Four and also in the win over Texas in Austin. Mooney, who played with the Atlanta Hawks organization during the NBA Summer League, knocked down 49 3-pointers and had a career-high eight assists and five steals in the NCAA first-round win over Northern Kentucky. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team, All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, All-Big 12 Defensive Team and was selected to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
The Hustle start the year on Friday, Nov. 8 against the Texas Legends in Southhaven, Mississippi, while Francis and the Wolves also play on Friday against the Sioux Falls Skyforce in Des Moines, Iowa. The Northern Arizona Suns begin their season on Saturday, Nov. 9 against Agua Calietene in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Mooney will play in Frisco on Saturday, Nov. 9 against the Texas Legends at the Comerica Center and at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Francis and the Wolves are scheduled to play in Texas for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 7 against the Austin Spurs in Cedar Park. The Suns will not play in Texas until January when they take on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Jan. 3, 2020 in Edinburg before taking on the Austin Spurs on Jan. 9 in Cedar Park.
The NBA G League is the NBA's official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league's research and development laboratory. Featuring 27 teams, all singly affiliated with an NBA franchise, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 40 percent of all NBA players at the start of the 2018-19 season had NBA G League experience. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA G League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA G League games, with the exception of nationally televised games on NBAGLeague.com.
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Brandone Francis has signed with the Iowa Wolves, Matt Mooney with the Memphis Hustle and Tariq Owens and Norense Odiase have joined the Northern Arizona Suns. Mooney, Owens and Odiase each signed NBA Exhibit 10 Contracts which had them on the NBA rosters during preseason camp and games. Smith, who was selected No. 16 in the 2018 NBA Draft, played in six games for the 76ers last season where he averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. With Delaware, Smith averaged 7.2 points per game for the Blue Coats in 11 games during the 2018-19 season.
Along with five NBA G-League former players, Texas Tech is represented by Jarrett Culver who is in his first season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Culver and the Timberwolves have started the season with a 3-0 record and will play at Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The No. 6 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Culver is currently averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
Odiase finished his career with the Red Raiders as the winningest player in program history with 108 victories. He finished his senior season averaging 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 rebounds per game, including going for a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds in the NCAA second-round win over Buffalo. A Fort Worth native, Odiase was a two-time All-Big 12 Academic selection and finished his career with 626 points, 594 rebounds and 79 blocked shots. Francis played two seasons for the Red Raiders where he would average 6.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a reserve last season. Francis averaged 24.0 minutes per game as a senior and led the team with a career-high 17 points in the NCAA National Championship Final against Virginia. Owens and Mooney both played one season as graduate transfers last season and helped to lead the program to its first Big 12 regular-season championship. Owens established a new Texas Tech single-season record with 92 blocked shots and finished the year averaging 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He had a program-best eight blocks in a win over Memphis and scored 18 Iowa State. Owens, who earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Honorable Mention selections, recorded three double-double, including going for 13 rebounds and 12 points at Kansas. Mooney started all 38 games for the Red Raiders and completed the year averaging 11.3 points per game and leading the team with 70 steals. He scored a career-high 22 points against Michigan State in the Final Four and also in the win over Texas in Austin. Mooney, who played with the Atlanta Hawks organization during the NBA Summer League, knocked down 49 3-pointers and had a career-high eight assists and five steals in the NCAA first-round win over Northern Kentucky. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team, All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, All-Big 12 Defensive Team and was selected to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team.
The Hustle start the year on Friday, Nov. 8 against the Texas Legends in Southhaven, Mississippi, while Francis and the Wolves also play on Friday against the Sioux Falls Skyforce in Des Moines, Iowa. The Northern Arizona Suns begin their season on Saturday, Nov. 9 against Agua Calietene in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Mooney will play in Frisco on Saturday, Nov. 9 against the Texas Legends at the Comerica Center and at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Francis and the Wolves are scheduled to play in Texas for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 7 against the Austin Spurs in Cedar Park. The Suns will not play in Texas until January when they take on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Jan. 3, 2020 in Edinburg before taking on the Austin Spurs on Jan. 9 in Cedar Park.
The NBA G League is the NBA's official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league's research and development laboratory. Featuring 27 teams, all singly affiliated with an NBA franchise, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 40 percent of all NBA players at the start of the 2018-19 season had NBA G League experience. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA G League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA G League games, with the exception of nationally televised games on NBAGLeague.com.
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