Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Return to Sweet 16 Spotlight
March 27, 2019 | Men's Basketball
ANAHEIM, California – Chris Beard walked into the Honda Center for the first time on Wednesday talking on the phone with Jim Rome before practicing for a couple of hours, held a press conference with the national media, conversed with CBS's broadcast team and finished his afternoon with a fireside chat with Andy Katz in front of a dry erase board that moments before had logs and a fire drawn on it.
Just a normal day here at the Sweet 16.
No. 3-seeded Texas Tech is back in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season after advancing to the Elite Eight last year and will play No. 2 Michigan at 8:39 p.m. (CST) on Thursday in the second game here in the West Region. The Red Raiders won the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and advanced to the national tournament's weekend after rolling through No. 14 Northern Kentucky and No. 6 Buffalo before arriving in California on Tuesday afternoon. With travel completed, Wednesday's prep day was about focusing on the Wolverines who have made three straight Sweet 16 appearances but also included talking with the media about who the Red Raiders have been all season and who they remain to be. Â
"We got a chip on our shoulder," Beard said. "We weren't supposed to be here. They picked us bottom half or last in our league, even today we see people in the country calling out that Buffalo was going to beat us and this and that. We respect everybody's opinion and fear no one. We're here to play our best game of the year and try to advance. We understand how hard this is going to be because Michigan is really, really good. But we have a lot of confidence in ourselves too."
On a national stage, the Red Raiders players were in focus for the media who had the opportunity to talk with the senior class of Norense Odiase, Brandone Francis, Matt Mooney and Tariq Owens at a press conference and the rest of the team during an open-locker room opportunity. The players talked about the road that has led them to the Sweet 16 and the matchup they face on Thursday against Michigan.
"They are a top program, Blue Blood type program, always get to this level this time of the season," said Odiase of Michigan. "Our program looks to them in that aspect. They're guys that have been in this moment before and not scared of the moment and we've got to be ready to play them tomorrow."
"We think Michigan is probably the best team we played all year, up there with Duke, and teams in the Big 12, Kansas, Kansas State," Mooney added. "They're obviously well-coached, Coach Beilein is a great coach. We've heard it's the number one and number two defenses going at it. They went to the national championship last year. So they got a really good mix of guys, length, athleticism, size. So they're a really good team and well balanced."
Scroll through our social media posts below for coverage from our media team here in California.
Just a normal day here at the Sweet 16.
No. 3-seeded Texas Tech is back in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season after advancing to the Elite Eight last year and will play No. 2 Michigan at 8:39 p.m. (CST) on Thursday in the second game here in the West Region. The Red Raiders won the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and advanced to the national tournament's weekend after rolling through No. 14 Northern Kentucky and No. 6 Buffalo before arriving in California on Tuesday afternoon. With travel completed, Wednesday's prep day was about focusing on the Wolverines who have made three straight Sweet 16 appearances but also included talking with the media about who the Red Raiders have been all season and who they remain to be. Â
"We got a chip on our shoulder," Beard said. "We weren't supposed to be here. They picked us bottom half or last in our league, even today we see people in the country calling out that Buffalo was going to beat us and this and that. We respect everybody's opinion and fear no one. We're here to play our best game of the year and try to advance. We understand how hard this is going to be because Michigan is really, really good. But we have a lot of confidence in ourselves too."
On a national stage, the Red Raiders players were in focus for the media who had the opportunity to talk with the senior class of Norense Odiase, Brandone Francis, Matt Mooney and Tariq Owens at a press conference and the rest of the team during an open-locker room opportunity. The players talked about the road that has led them to the Sweet 16 and the matchup they face on Thursday against Michigan.
"They are a top program, Blue Blood type program, always get to this level this time of the season," said Odiase of Michigan. "Our program looks to them in that aspect. They're guys that have been in this moment before and not scared of the moment and we've got to be ready to play them tomorrow."
"We think Michigan is probably the best team we played all year, up there with Duke, and teams in the Big 12, Kansas, Kansas State," Mooney added. "They're obviously well-coached, Coach Beilein is a great coach. We've heard it's the number one and number two defenses going at it. They went to the national championship last year. So they got a really good mix of guys, length, athleticism, size. So they're a really good team and well balanced."
Scroll through our social media posts below for coverage from our media team here in California.
??????????????????????#4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 27, 2019
??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/InzESpT3Zg
Relationship advice during #MarchMadness? Maintain "balance"@TheAndyKatz joins @CoachBeardTTU on the latest @TexasTechMBB "fireside chat"! ?? #4To1 #Sweet16 pic.twitter.com/bfuDZhPwc7
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 27, 2019
Be who you are.@CoachBeardTTU joined @jimrome, and discussed the role toughness plays in the NCAA Tournament. ??#4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 27, 2019
??#WreckEm??
???? https://t.co/ugwNtcKKMc pic.twitter.com/NnwXxJVK46
ÂPlay our game. #4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 27, 2019
??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/7n38lJISyC
Don't let this stage change who you are.#4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 27, 2019
??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/XRbIYiYg4R
Be who you are.@CoachBeardTTU joined @jimrome, and discussed the role toughness plays in the NCAA Tournament. ??#4To1 | #MarchMadness
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 27, 2019
??#WreckEm??
???? https://t.co/ugwNtcKKMc pic.twitter.com/NnwXxJVK46
Players Mentioned
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