Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders at No. 12 in AP Poll heading into NCAA Tournament
March 14, 2022 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech is heading into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed in the West Region but also at No. 12 in the final Associated Press Top 25 and No. 11 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll that were released on Monday.
Tech (25-9) is set for the program's fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and will open against No. 14 seeded Montana State (27-7) at 12:45 p.m. (CST) on Friday at the Viejas Arena in San Diego, California. The Red Raiders have now been ranked for 14 straight weeks after beginning the season as unranked team.Â
Along the polls, Texas Tech remains at No. 1 in the Kenpom.com adjusted defensive efficiency rating and is now at No. 9 in the NCAA NET Rankings and overall in the Kenpom.com. Statistically, the Red Raiders are sixth nationally by limiting opponents to only 38.4 percent shooting and 11th with teams being limited to an average of 60.3 points per game. TTU held Iowa State to 41 points in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals to establish a new program record against a Big 12 opponent for fewest points allowed.
Tech has been ranked as high as No. 9 this season and has now entered the top-10 of the rankings in four of the past five seasons and has accomplished it this year by working their way up from beginning as an unranked team. Tech was not ranked for the first five weeks of the season before entering at No. 25 on December 13 following a win over Tennessee in the Jimmy V Classic. TTU spent four straight weeks at No. 25 before moving to No. 19, No. 18, No. 13, No. 14 and No. 9 in the national poll. Tech was at No. 14 last week before reaching the Big 12 Championship final for the second time in program history with a quarterfinal win over Iowa State and semifinal victory over Oklahoma. Tech fell to Kansas last Saturday in the championship game in Kansas City.
Tech's highest AP ranking in program history came at No. 6 in February of 2018 (16th Week Poll) and the program spent one week at No. 7 last season before dipping back. The 2018-19 team was No. 8 in the final week of the regular season and No. 7 throughout the postseason that led to the 2019 National Championship Final.
The Red Raiders are 8-3 over the past three tournaments which is the second most wins nationally with Gonzaga and Michigan tied for the most with 10. Baylor, Houston and Duke each have seven and Virginia has six. After the 2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID, the program returned last season to advance to the 2021 NCAA Second Round after a win over Utah State before falling to Arkansas.
Tech has now made the NCAA Tournament in 1954, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
2021-22 AWARDS / WATCH LISTS
Mark Adams: Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year; Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List
Bryson Williams: All-Big 12 1st Team; Big 12 All-Newcomer Team; Associated Press All-Big 12 1st Team; Big 12 All-Tournament Team; Big 12 Newcomer of Week (1/31, 2/21)
Kevin McCullar: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist; Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)
Kevin Obanor: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (1/24)
Adonis Arms: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Terrence Shannon: Big 12 All-Tournament Team; Â Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)
Marcus Santos-Silva: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Academic All-Big 12 (2nd Team)
Clarence Nadolny: Academic All-Big 12 (2nd Team)
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Tech (25-9) is set for the program's fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and will open against No. 14 seeded Montana State (27-7) at 12:45 p.m. (CST) on Friday at the Viejas Arena in San Diego, California. The Red Raiders have now been ranked for 14 straight weeks after beginning the season as unranked team.Â
Along the polls, Texas Tech remains at No. 1 in the Kenpom.com adjusted defensive efficiency rating and is now at No. 9 in the NCAA NET Rankings and overall in the Kenpom.com. Statistically, the Red Raiders are sixth nationally by limiting opponents to only 38.4 percent shooting and 11th with teams being limited to an average of 60.3 points per game. TTU held Iowa State to 41 points in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals to establish a new program record against a Big 12 opponent for fewest points allowed.
Tech has been ranked as high as No. 9 this season and has now entered the top-10 of the rankings in four of the past five seasons and has accomplished it this year by working their way up from beginning as an unranked team. Tech was not ranked for the first five weeks of the season before entering at No. 25 on December 13 following a win over Tennessee in the Jimmy V Classic. TTU spent four straight weeks at No. 25 before moving to No. 19, No. 18, No. 13, No. 14 and No. 9 in the national poll. Tech was at No. 14 last week before reaching the Big 12 Championship final for the second time in program history with a quarterfinal win over Iowa State and semifinal victory over Oklahoma. Tech fell to Kansas last Saturday in the championship game in Kansas City.
Tech's highest AP ranking in program history came at No. 6 in February of 2018 (16th Week Poll) and the program spent one week at No. 7 last season before dipping back. The 2018-19 team was No. 8 in the final week of the regular season and No. 7 throughout the postseason that led to the 2019 National Championship Final.
The Red Raiders are 8-3 over the past three tournaments which is the second most wins nationally with Gonzaga and Michigan tied for the most with 10. Baylor, Houston and Duke each have seven and Virginia has six. After the 2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID, the program returned last season to advance to the 2021 NCAA Second Round after a win over Utah State before falling to Arkansas.
Tech has now made the NCAA Tournament in 1954, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
2021-22 AWARDS / WATCH LISTS
Mark Adams: Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year; Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List
Bryson Williams: All-Big 12 1st Team; Big 12 All-Newcomer Team; Associated Press All-Big 12 1st Team; Big 12 All-Tournament Team; Big 12 Newcomer of Week (1/31, 2/21)
Kevin McCullar: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist; Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)
Kevin Obanor: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (1/24)
Adonis Arms: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Terrence Shannon: Big 12 All-Tournament Team; Â Academic All-Big 12 (1st Team)
Marcus Santos-Silva: All-Big 12 Honorable Mention; Academic All-Big 12 (2nd Team)
Clarence Nadolny: Academic All-Big 12 (2nd Team)
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