Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Ready for Second-Round Matchup against Bulls
March 23, 2019 | Men's Basketball
TULSA, Oklahoma – The arena was empty on Saturday, but the intensity remained.
A day after opening the NCAA Tournament with a 72-57 win over Northern Kentucky, No. 3-seeded Texas Tech conducted a closed practice at the BOK Center followed by a round of press conferences and media availabilities in advance of the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders are in the round of 32 for the second straight season and will now take on No. 6 Buffalo at 5:10 p.m. on Sunday with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16 in Anaheim, California. Â
Texas Tech (27-6) won the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and 12 of its last 14 games, while the Bulls (32-3) are on a 13-game winning streak that led them to a Mid-America Conference regular-season and tournament title. Buffalo rolled to a 91-74 first-round win over Arizona State on Friday and comes into its matchup against the Red Raiders averaging 85.1 points per game with a 46.4 shooting percentage.
"They're a great team," Texas Tech senior Norense Odiase said. "It's going to be a hard fight, it's going to be a war. They're tough, they're together. Nothing comes easy when you play them. They're a physical team that'll grab you, they'll hold you. You just have to play all 40 minutes together and match their intensity."
No one that has ever watched a Tech practice or game has ever doubted their intensity. The program advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season with the same intensity they have displayed on a daily basis this season. It's the same intensity they displayed in the exhibition against UTEP to start their season and most recently yesterday when they pulled away from the Norse in the second half and held a team that averaged 78.5 points per game to a season-low 57 on the nation's biggest stage. The Bulls had a similar dominant performance in Tulsa, limiting the Sun Devils to 43.3 percent shooting defensively and earning the 27-point win by hitting 10 3-pointers and shooting 51.7 percent from the field.
"Buffalo is a tough team but we have to know who we are," Brandone Francis said. "We have to play to our identity. They want to play real fast and shoot a lot of threes, they have a lot of freedom offensively and we have to take some of those things away even though they are going to score the ball and they're going to make shots. We're just going to try to have them make fewer than they have been lately."Â
Under Beard and staff, Texas Tech has built its national identity through defense where the Red Raiders are second in the nation by limiting teams to 36.9 percent shooting and are third with teams being limited to 59.2 points per game this season. The Red Raiders know they face a challenging task with a quick turnaround against the MAC champions who are ranked No. 15 in the nation, but with the same preparation they've followed all season and led by four seniors the team was poised on Saturday as they talked about the game.
"Dial in, focus in," Odiase said. "We only have a day to get in the whole preparation for them so we all were in tune, ready to dive in to the game plan pretty quickly, and we all feel confident."
"We have to come out better and play how we play," Francis added. "It's going to be a defensive game for us so we have to be tough, we have to bring our intensity and stick together. We're not trying to go home just yet so we're going to put everything we've got into this game."
OPENING COMMENTS: "It's the best time of year for those of us involved in college basketball. You try live for another day. Certainly yesterday not only winning the game but getting to go back to the hotel and continue to work, never take it for granted, you know. So, just enjoying being around these guys. We don't want it to end. Love these guys with coaching, they're working hard. Tomorrow a very challenging game. Buffalo team we have a lot of respect for. You don't win 30-something games in the season if you're not really good. To us, we told our guys this is a Big 12 game. These players could play in the Big 12. Coach does a great job. They have an identity with how aggressive they are, explosive offensively. These are really, really good players and great coach and great team. Like we always say, we have to play our best game of the year to advance.
Q. Wondering what your impressions are of Jeremy Harris, and I believe you were involved recruiting him out of junior college. Maybe of some your recollections of him back then and what he's become in the last two years?
BEARD: "Jeremy is a guy that played for Jay Powell at Gulf Coast Community College at Panama City Beach, Florida. We did recruit him when we first got to Texas Tech. So you always kind of pull for those guys. I loved his family, his parents, and remember the official visit and really tried to watch Buffalo every chance I get, you know, because of Jeremy. Not only him. I'm a former junior college coach, so how Buffalo has used junior college players to make this run and build this program has been very, very impressive. See those guys out on the road on the circuit and always congratulate them when they sign good players. Had a great team last year and even better this year. I'm happy for Jeremy and his family. It's worked out great for him. Not looking forward to coaching against him, but I am very proud of him and the college experience that he's had."
Q. Coach, Buffalo's guards, they got guys who can shoot it, drive it, guys who can drive it and shoot it, and a bunch of them. What's the key going to be to basically try to contain those guys?
BEARD: "You're scaring me with that question, man. Anything else they can do we got to worry about? No, really good players. Like I started, these are some of the best players in college basketball. These are guys that would not only play in the Big 12 but would succeed. A really good team. One of the top teams in the country. So, you're not going to stop great players. You've got the try to take away something, got to kind of pick and choose your times. Certainly with Buffalo, an explosive 3-point shooting team but also equally good with the drive and they have a real inside game. We can't stop these guys one-on-one. It's going to be team defense. It's going to be 40 minutes of focus. We'll have to win possessions."
Q. You mentioned these guys can play in the Big 12. You know, Massinburg scored 43 against West Virginia. Obviously he can produce at that level. What stands out most to you about him?
BEARD: "He's fearless. Looks to me like a guy that's, you know, thinks he's the best player on the floor. That's how all the great ones do. I watched that double-overtime game, watching it in the office. I don't think we played that night, so we're always watching games. On the side laptop, we've got the Big 12 games on and come up for air. We watched the last eight minutes and two overtimes. I think that was kind of -- those of us in college basketball knew how good Buffalo was going to be, but that was kind of the opening deal nationally. These guys are good. Got them in the top 25 where they belonged all year long. Him specifically, I just think he's a fearless kind of guys. Would love to coach him. Competes and scores on all three levels. Looks to me like he's got a little bit of chip on his shoulder. Familiar with him being from Texas, and so he's a guy that we have a lot of respect for, dynamite player."
Q. I see your daughter sitting here in front you right now. Notice Margo at a practice on Thursday shooting layups with the team. What is it like having them on the road here with you and just also seeing the team rally behind them at practice out there shooting with the guys? What is all that experience like for you?
BEARD: March is such a special time, especially with us because kind of tie into the girls' spring break from time to time, whether Big 12 tournament or national tournament. So just a chance for them to be part of this. Pretty cool. We talk a lot about family in our program. One of many things why I respect our players so much is how they treat other people. My daughters will be at the top of that list. So we got a special group of guys, and character is a part of who we try to be and I appreciate how they treat my daughters and just cool to have them around this time of year."
Q. Going back to Jeremy Harris, what you've watched of him and scouted for Buffalo so far, what do you think it is that's really made him so productive in the post-season? He's averaging in double figures over the last 6, 7 games.
BEARD: "I'll go back. First, I think he's been coached -- lot of times he's getting coached at a high level right now at Buffalo, obviously. Jay Powell did a great job with him at Gulf Coast in Panama City. He's a guy we reached out to. That's arguably the best junior college league in the country, one of them. With Jeremy he's always been skilled, size. He can do it all. Not a big, not a guard, just a player. Plays without the ball. Good defensive player, good athlete. He made a great decision because his coaches are using him about as well as you can use a player. They put him in great situations to be successful."
Q. Buffalo has aggressive defensive guards. Curious your thoughts on them and philosophically how important ball pressure is to a good team defense? CHRIS BEARD: This is two of the best defensive teams in the tournament playing in the second round. I think both of us rely on different parts of our defense, but seems to me ball pressure is important to both of us.
BEARD: "We've watched a lot of tape last night and this morning. We understand it's not going to be easy to just to come down and run our offense. They're going to try to take us out of things, but we're prepared for these moments. In the Big 12 we play a lot against some of the best defenses in college basketball and aggressiveness. I think it's going to be a great second round game. I'd much rather be watching this game as a fan than having to participate in it because I think Buffalo is really, really good. But this is what this tournament is. With each game it's going to get more difficult and certainly the case with us."
A day after opening the NCAA Tournament with a 72-57 win over Northern Kentucky, No. 3-seeded Texas Tech conducted a closed practice at the BOK Center followed by a round of press conferences and media availabilities in advance of the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders are in the round of 32 for the second straight season and will now take on No. 6 Buffalo at 5:10 p.m. on Sunday with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16 in Anaheim, California. Â
Texas Tech (27-6) won the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and 12 of its last 14 games, while the Bulls (32-3) are on a 13-game winning streak that led them to a Mid-America Conference regular-season and tournament title. Buffalo rolled to a 91-74 first-round win over Arizona State on Friday and comes into its matchup against the Red Raiders averaging 85.1 points per game with a 46.4 shooting percentage.
"They're a great team," Texas Tech senior Norense Odiase said. "It's going to be a hard fight, it's going to be a war. They're tough, they're together. Nothing comes easy when you play them. They're a physical team that'll grab you, they'll hold you. You just have to play all 40 minutes together and match their intensity."
No one that has ever watched a Tech practice or game has ever doubted their intensity. The program advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season with the same intensity they have displayed on a daily basis this season. It's the same intensity they displayed in the exhibition against UTEP to start their season and most recently yesterday when they pulled away from the Norse in the second half and held a team that averaged 78.5 points per game to a season-low 57 on the nation's biggest stage. The Bulls had a similar dominant performance in Tulsa, limiting the Sun Devils to 43.3 percent shooting defensively and earning the 27-point win by hitting 10 3-pointers and shooting 51.7 percent from the field.
"Buffalo is a tough team but we have to know who we are," Brandone Francis said. "We have to play to our identity. They want to play real fast and shoot a lot of threes, they have a lot of freedom offensively and we have to take some of those things away even though they are going to score the ball and they're going to make shots. We're just going to try to have them make fewer than they have been lately."Â
Under Beard and staff, Texas Tech has built its national identity through defense where the Red Raiders are second in the nation by limiting teams to 36.9 percent shooting and are third with teams being limited to 59.2 points per game this season. The Red Raiders know they face a challenging task with a quick turnaround against the MAC champions who are ranked No. 15 in the nation, but with the same preparation they've followed all season and led by four seniors the team was poised on Saturday as they talked about the game.
"Dial in, focus in," Odiase said. "We only have a day to get in the whole preparation for them so we all were in tune, ready to dive in to the game plan pretty quickly, and we all feel confident."
"We have to come out better and play how we play," Francis added. "It's going to be a defensive game for us so we have to be tough, we have to bring our intensity and stick together. We're not trying to go home just yet so we're going to put everything we've got into this game."
CHRIS BEARD QUOTES FROM SATURDAYWe know what it's gonna take.#4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 23, 2019
??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/84x1xIMARB
OPENING COMMENTS: "It's the best time of year for those of us involved in college basketball. You try live for another day. Certainly yesterday not only winning the game but getting to go back to the hotel and continue to work, never take it for granted, you know. So, just enjoying being around these guys. We don't want it to end. Love these guys with coaching, they're working hard. Tomorrow a very challenging game. Buffalo team we have a lot of respect for. You don't win 30-something games in the season if you're not really good. To us, we told our guys this is a Big 12 game. These players could play in the Big 12. Coach does a great job. They have an identity with how aggressive they are, explosive offensively. These are really, really good players and great coach and great team. Like we always say, we have to play our best game of the year to advance.
Q. Wondering what your impressions are of Jeremy Harris, and I believe you were involved recruiting him out of junior college. Maybe of some your recollections of him back then and what he's become in the last two years?
BEARD: "Jeremy is a guy that played for Jay Powell at Gulf Coast Community College at Panama City Beach, Florida. We did recruit him when we first got to Texas Tech. So you always kind of pull for those guys. I loved his family, his parents, and remember the official visit and really tried to watch Buffalo every chance I get, you know, because of Jeremy. Not only him. I'm a former junior college coach, so how Buffalo has used junior college players to make this run and build this program has been very, very impressive. See those guys out on the road on the circuit and always congratulate them when they sign good players. Had a great team last year and even better this year. I'm happy for Jeremy and his family. It's worked out great for him. Not looking forward to coaching against him, but I am very proud of him and the college experience that he's had."
Q. Coach, Buffalo's guards, they got guys who can shoot it, drive it, guys who can drive it and shoot it, and a bunch of them. What's the key going to be to basically try to contain those guys?
BEARD: "You're scaring me with that question, man. Anything else they can do we got to worry about? No, really good players. Like I started, these are some of the best players in college basketball. These are guys that would not only play in the Big 12 but would succeed. A really good team. One of the top teams in the country. So, you're not going to stop great players. You've got the try to take away something, got to kind of pick and choose your times. Certainly with Buffalo, an explosive 3-point shooting team but also equally good with the drive and they have a real inside game. We can't stop these guys one-on-one. It's going to be team defense. It's going to be 40 minutes of focus. We'll have to win possessions."
Q. You mentioned these guys can play in the Big 12. You know, Massinburg scored 43 against West Virginia. Obviously he can produce at that level. What stands out most to you about him?
BEARD: "He's fearless. Looks to me like a guy that's, you know, thinks he's the best player on the floor. That's how all the great ones do. I watched that double-overtime game, watching it in the office. I don't think we played that night, so we're always watching games. On the side laptop, we've got the Big 12 games on and come up for air. We watched the last eight minutes and two overtimes. I think that was kind of -- those of us in college basketball knew how good Buffalo was going to be, but that was kind of the opening deal nationally. These guys are good. Got them in the top 25 where they belonged all year long. Him specifically, I just think he's a fearless kind of guys. Would love to coach him. Competes and scores on all three levels. Looks to me like he's got a little bit of chip on his shoulder. Familiar with him being from Texas, and so he's a guy that we have a lot of respect for, dynamite player."
Q. I see your daughter sitting here in front you right now. Notice Margo at a practice on Thursday shooting layups with the team. What is it like having them on the road here with you and just also seeing the team rally behind them at practice out there shooting with the guys? What is all that experience like for you?
BEARD: March is such a special time, especially with us because kind of tie into the girls' spring break from time to time, whether Big 12 tournament or national tournament. So just a chance for them to be part of this. Pretty cool. We talk a lot about family in our program. One of many things why I respect our players so much is how they treat other people. My daughters will be at the top of that list. So we got a special group of guys, and character is a part of who we try to be and I appreciate how they treat my daughters and just cool to have them around this time of year."
Q. Going back to Jeremy Harris, what you've watched of him and scouted for Buffalo so far, what do you think it is that's really made him so productive in the post-season? He's averaging in double figures over the last 6, 7 games.
BEARD: "I'll go back. First, I think he's been coached -- lot of times he's getting coached at a high level right now at Buffalo, obviously. Jay Powell did a great job with him at Gulf Coast in Panama City. He's a guy we reached out to. That's arguably the best junior college league in the country, one of them. With Jeremy he's always been skilled, size. He can do it all. Not a big, not a guard, just a player. Plays without the ball. Good defensive player, good athlete. He made a great decision because his coaches are using him about as well as you can use a player. They put him in great situations to be successful."
Q. Buffalo has aggressive defensive guards. Curious your thoughts on them and philosophically how important ball pressure is to a good team defense? CHRIS BEARD: This is two of the best defensive teams in the tournament playing in the second round. I think both of us rely on different parts of our defense, but seems to me ball pressure is important to both of us.
BEARD: "We've watched a lot of tape last night and this morning. We understand it's not going to be easy to just to come down and run our offense. They're going to try to take us out of things, but we're prepared for these moments. In the Big 12 we play a lot against some of the best defenses in college basketball and aggressiveness. I think it's going to be a great second round game. I'd much rather be watching this game as a fan than having to participate in it because I think Buffalo is really, really good. But this is what this tournament is. With each game it's going to get more difficult and certainly the case with us."
Â?????? pic.twitter.com/Dy4HRzO3v5
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 23, 2019
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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