Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Bethune-Cookman
Red Raiders set to open 100th season
November 03, 2024 | Men's Basketball
7 p.m., Tuesday | TV: ESPN+ | Lubbock, Texas
LUBBOCK – Texas Tech opens the 100th season in program history against Bethune-Cookman at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena riding a 24-game winning streak in season-openers and off its 20th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders went 23-11 overall and tied for third in the Big 12 with an 11-7 conference record in Grant McCasland's first season which included a 15-2 home record, six wins over ranked opponents and knocking off a top 10 opponent for the 10th straight season.
"It's great to be back starting the season," McCasland said. "We've had an eventful offseason. It's so much fun to get to play a basketball game. Everyone starts talking about what the team could be, recruiting and trying to do a lot of different things. I'm just excited to play. Our team has been practicing extremely hard. This being the 100th season of Tech basketball is really cool. I feel like we have a good quality of depth with six returners who believe in how we are going to win every day and believe we can win the whole thing."
Tech is 1-0 all-time against Bethune-Cookman in program history with the only other meeting coming in the second game of the 2019-20 season. The Red Raiders rolled to a 79-44 win on November 9, 2019, in front of a sold-out home crowd coming off a trip to the Final Four the previous season. The Wildcats are coming off a season where they went 17-17 overall and were 11-7 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) games. Bethune-Cookman is led by head coach Reggie Theus who was an NBA All-Star and finished his NBA career with 19,015 points and 6,453 assists.
"Coach Theus is a terrific coach," McCasland said. "I went back and watched a lot of his teams play. Spent time watching him when he was at New Mexico State. They play the game with a lot of confidence. They are aggressive on offense and defense. They have transfers with experience. We better have ourselves prepared more than over consuming ourselves in what they're going to do. We haven't seen them play. You don't know what changes are coming."
The Red Raiders are 72-27 all-time in season-openers, including winning 24 straight to begin a season after a 73-46 win over Texas A&M-Commerce in McCasland's first game leading the program. The last loss to start a season came against Indiana in a 68-60 decision on Nov. 19, 1999 – the debut of the United Supermarkets Arena (then known as United Spirit Arena). Texas Tech will host Northwestern State at 8 p.m. on Friday in its second game of the season.
RED RAIDER REPORT
Kerwin Walton is the longest tenured Red Raider as he enters his third season in the program and fifth as a collegiate player who has 720 points and 169 made 3-pointers in his career. A Minnesota native, Walton is coming off a senior season where he averaged 8.5 points per game and finished 65-for-136 (47.8 percent) from beyond the arc. His percentage was second nationally and second in program history. He scored a career-high 22 points in a non-conference win over Omaha where he was 6-for-7 on 3-pointers and 8-for-9 from the field. In Big 12 play, Walton started all 18 games with a pair of 18-point scoring performances in road games at Houston and UCF. He finished the season with 11 double-figure scoring performances with 12 points against BYU in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinal win in Kansas City. He had eight games with three or more 3s, with a 3-for-4 outing against NC State in the NCAA Tournament First Round being the final one. Walton enters his final season of college basketball having made 169 of 395 shots from beyond the arc (42.8). Starting his career with two seasons at North Carolina, Walton has now played 60 games at Tech where he is 88-for-192 (45.8 percent) on 3s over the past two seasons.
Darrion Williams is the leading returner with 11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and nine double-doubles after a sophomore season where he earned All-Big 12 Third Team and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team honors. Williams is now a junior who enters his second season at Texas Tech with 628 points and 488 rebounds in his career that began as a freshman at Nevada. He made 33 starts last season, scoring in double-figures in 19, including a program-best performance where he went 12-for-12 from the field and scored 30 points in a 79-50 home win over No. 6 Kansas. A California native, he finished his first season at Tech shooting 131-for-265 (49.4 percent) from the field and 44-for-96 (45.8 percent) on 3-pointers along with providing 82 assists, 38 steals and 11 blocked shots. In Big 12 play, Williams averaged 13.1 points per game and was 23-for-44 on 3-pointers which is the second best in program history for percentage at a 52.3 percent. He established a career-high with 14 rebounds in a non-conference win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and had his ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Baylor in the regular-season finale. His 19th double-figure scoring performance came with 10 points against NC State in the NCAA Tournament.
Chance McMillian enters his second season at Texas Tech and fifth as a college player with 1,027 points, 188 assists, 78 steals and 361 rebounds. McMillian averaged 10.8 points per game and was 65-for-168 (38.7 percent) on 3-pointers in his first season as a Red Raider where he recorded 18 double-figure scoring performances that included a career-high 27 points at Oklahoma where he went 6-for-8 on 3-pointers. A California native, he scored 17 points in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinal win over BYU and had 15 points against Houston in the semifinals. McMillian was selected as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice during the season, the first time against going off for 24 points at Butler where he went 8-for-10 on 3-pointers. He finished the year 40-for-44 at the free-throw line, including going 26-for-28 in conference play.
Devan Cambridge has recorded 983 career points, 515 rebounds and 71 blocked shots entering his sixth collegiate season. A starter in the first eight games last season, Cambridge suffered a lower body injury that forced him out the remainder of the season. He was averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in his first season at Texas Tech before the injury, including a season-best 17 points in a win over Michigan in the Bahamas and going for 16 points at Butler. His injury occurred at home against Omaha where he had nine points in 18 minutes. Cambridge began his career by playing three seasons at Auburn before playing the 2022-23 season at Arizona State where he averaged 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 36 games played (35 starts). A Tennessee native, he has played 135 games in his career which is the most of any player on the Tech roster.
Elijah Hawkins is on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List entering this season after he transferred to Texas Tech as a senior having already produced 1,077 points, 588 assists and 169 steals through 92 games in his career. A Washington, D.C. native, Hawkins was second nationally last season and the top returner with 7.5 assists per game at Minnesota where he also averaged 9.5 points and had six double-doubles as an All-Big 10 honorable mention selection. Hawkins scored a career-high 24 points against Ohio State and had a 17-assist performance against IU Indy in a non-conference win. For his career, Hawkins is 134-for-357 (37.5 percent) on 3-pointers and has made 265 free throws. He began his collegiate career with two seasons at Howard before playing one at Minnesota. Last season, he had eight games with double-figure assists, including dishing out 15 assists and scoring 11 points in a win over Butler in the NIT and also having double-doubles against Nebraska (12p/11a), Maine (12p/10a), Northwestern (13p/10a) at home, Illinois (12a/10p) and at Northwestern (14p/10a). Last season, Hawkins opened his season at Minnesota with an 80-60 win over Bethune-Cookman with 10 points, two steals and an assist.
Federiko Federiko is a senior who is entering his first and final season at Texas Tech following two seasons at Pitt. A Finland native, Federiko is coming off a season where he averaged 4.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and had 43 blocked shots as a starter in 26 games. He had a career-high 22 points against North Florida last season and finished with eight games in double-figure scoring as a sophomore and two last season. In 2022-23, he went for 13 points and eight points at Florida State and produced his only double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds against Sacred Heart. Last season, he had a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks against North Carolina A&T. As a sophomore, Federiko recorded 18 games with two or more blocks, including having four blocks in games against Miami, Vanderbilt and North Carolina before having six games with three or more blocks last season. Federiko was a NJCAA All-America as a freshman at Northern Oklahoma. He enters his final collegiate season with 388 points, 357 rebounds and 101 blocks through 68 games at the NCAA level.
JT Toppin is on the Karl Malone Award Watch List entering the season after being named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year last season following a freshman season at New Mexico where he averaged 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds. He also provided 68 blocked shots, 38 steals and recorded 12 double-doubles which was tied for the 38th most in the nation. A Dallas native, Toppin returns to his home state after a season where he recorded 23 double-figure scoring performances in 35 games. His first career double-double came with 15 points and 10 rebounds against UT Arlington and was highlighted by him going for a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds against Toledo. Averaging 1.9 blocks per game, he had a career-best five blocks in games against San Diego State, San Jose State and UNLV. He also had 25 points and 13 rebounds at Air Force and 21 points at Boise State. His 12th double-double of the season came with him going off for 13 points and 11 rebounds against San Diego State in the MWC tournament. Toppin finished his first collegiate season going 193-for-310 (62.3 percent) from the field with 11 3-pointers. He was ranked No. 12 in ESPN's transfer rankings and was the third-best transfer still available when he signed on May 28.
Kevin Overton joins the Texas Tech program this season after a freshman season at Drake where he provided 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists as a starter in 35 games (29.9 minutes per game). An Oklahoma City native, he scored in double figures in 19 games with a career-high 23 points coming against Murray State in February. Overton finished his first collegiate season shooting 62-for-179 on 3-pointers and contributed 21 steals. He scored 20 or more points in three games with 22 against Oakland and 21 against Saint Louis before his 23-point performance against Murray State where he was 8-for-11 from the field with five 3-pointers. Overton played one prep season at Sunrise Christian before beginning his collegiate career. He has 394 points and 117 rebounds in his collegiate career.
Eemeli Yalaho enters his sophomore season after playing in 17 games last season as a freshman, including scoring a career-high 10 points against Houston in the Big 12 Championship semifinals. A Finland native, Yalaho was 16-for-33 from the field and averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. He had a career-best six rebounds at UCF where he also had eight points. Against Houston in Kansas City, Yalaho scored in double figures for the first time in his career after he also provided seven points and three rebounds in the regular-season finale win over Baylor. Over the summer, Yalaho returned to Finland where he participated in workouts with his national team.
Corbin Green joined the Texas Tech program as a walk-on in September after playing the previous two seasons at Air Force. A Midlothian native, Green returns to his home state having played in 36 career games and produced 46 blocked shots. As a freshman in the 2022-23 season, Green started 12 games and played in 24 at Air Force where he averaged 6.5 points and had 34 blocks. Last season, he played in 12 games where he averaged 2.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and had 12 blocked shots. His career-best came with 17 points and 12 rebounds against USC Update on November 21, 2022. Green is a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.
Jack Francis is a walk-on who played in five games last season for the Red Raiders. He scored his first career points with a pair of free throws against Sam Houston in a non-conference win and had two rebounds against Kansas and Oklahoma State in Big 12 play. An Austin native, Francis was a practice player during the 2022-23 season before earning a spot on the roster. He was a 1,000-point scorer at Anderson High School.
Christian Anderson signed with Texas Tech on May 21 as a four-star recruit following one season at Oak Hill Academy where he averaged 19.1 points and 4.6 assists per game. Originally a Michigan signee, Anderson opened his recruitment and joined the Red Raiders who he practiced with in June before going overseas in July to lead Germany to the 2024 FIBA U18 Eurobasket Championship this season. He averaged 20.3 points and 5.0 assists per game in the tournament, including going off for 31 points and five assists in the finals against Serbia. An Atlanta, Georgia native, Anderson played at The Lovett School where he averaged 23.7 points in his high school career with 2,038 points. As a junior The Lovett School, before Oak Hill, Anderson averaged 26.1 points and 4.1 assists with three games of 40 or more points.
Jazz Henderson joins the program as a walk-on this season after being a three-time state champion at Oak Cliff Faith Family in high school. A Dallas native, he averaged 14 points and 7 assists as a senior after going for 10 points and 7 assists as a junior.
Leon Horner is a freshman who joins the Texas Tech program after playing at Dynamic Prep and Frisco Memorial. As a senior at Dynamic Prep, Horner averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He was a McDonald's All-American nominee and helped the program to the Texas Christian Athletic League 6A State Championship. He earned T-CAL All-State Second Team honors. At Frisco Memorial, Horner was a three-time all-district selection who had 889 points, 419 rebounds and 121 assists in three seasons.
COACHING STAFF
McCasland's staff includes assistant coaches Luke Barnwell, Matt Braeuer, Jeff Linder and Achoki Moikobu along with Kellen Buffington (general manager), Andrew Wright (strength & conditioning), Chris Nottingham (player development), Jardon Powell (director of administration and operations), Cooper Anderson (operations) and Brian Pete (video coordinator). Linder joins the staff this season after being the head coach at Wyoming (2020-2024) and Northern Colorado (2016-2019) while Pete was at Vanderbilt last season. Braeuer, Moikobu and Wright are in their second season at Tech and all worked with McCasland at UNT... Full bios at TexasTech.com.
RANKINGS
- Tech heads into the 2024-25 season unranked after being at No. 22 in both national polls going into the NCAA Tournament last season; The Red Raiders were at No. 25 in the final USA TODAY Coaches Poll and received votes in the final AP Poll
- Texas Tech was picked 7th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll and did not have a player selected in the 2024 preseason awards
- Last season, Tech was at No. 15 (Jan. 29) for its highest ranking of the season; Tech came into the 2023-24 season unranked in the AP Preseason Poll and remained unranked in the Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11, Dec. 18, Dec. 25, Jan. 1, and Jan. 8 polls; The team received votes for the first time last season with 62 in the January 8 poll after the win over the Longhorns in Austin to begin conference play
- The No. 15 national ranking was the highest since the program was No. 12 in the AP Top 25 at the end of the 2022 season
- Tech's highest AP ranking in program history came at No. 6 in February of 2018 (16th Week Poll)… 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
PROGRAM NOTES
The Red Raiders have advanced to 20 overall NCAA Tournament appearances, including reaching the 2018 Elite 8, 2019 National Championship Final, 2022 Sweet 16 and the 2024 First Round… This is the 100th season in program history and includes recent appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 2024 and a 2019 Big 12 regular-season championship
RED RAIDERS IN THE PROS
The program has had 25 NBA Draft selections… Recently in the NBA Draft, selections of Zhaire Smith (R1-P16), Jarrett Culver (R1-P6), and Jahmi'us Ramsey (R2-P43) were made… Mac McClung, who has signed a two-way with Orlando, represented the program by winning the 2023 and 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest… Former Red Raiders who are listed on NBA G-League rosters are Adonis Arms (Birmingham), Jarrett Culver (Osceola), De'Vion Harmon (Indiana), Mac McClung (Osceola), Kevin Obanor (905 Raptors), Jahmi'us Ramsey (Oklahoma City), Zhaire Smith (Cleveland) and Warren Washington (Sioux Falls).
UP NEXT: Friday, Nov. 8 – 8 p.m.: Northwestern State at Texas Tech
Tech owns a 7-0 all-time advantage over Northwestern State with all seven wins coming at home. The Demons will open their season by hosting Dallas Christian College on Monday night in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Red Raiders rolled to a 73-49 win in the season-opener of the 2022-23 season in the most recent matchup against the Louisiana school. The Demons are coming off a season where they went 9-23 overall, including a 7-11 record within Southland Conference play. The team ended the season on a four-game losing streak with a loss to Texas A&M-Commerce in the conference tournament ending the year. Rick Cabrera is in his first season as the program's head coach after taking Tallahassee Community College to the semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association's national tournament.
VIDEO LINKS
Game 1 – Preview Media Session | EP1 - Toughest Team Wins | EP2 - Toughest Team Wins | EP3 - Toughest Team Wins | Define YourselfÂ
WRITTEN LINKS
Formative Conversation | Four Journeys to Big 12 Media Day | Chance McMillian | Kerwin Walton | Elijah Hawkins – Cousy Award Watch List | JT Toppin – Malone Award Watch List | Darrion Williams | Grant McCaslandÂ
Follow the Red Raiders: Keep up with Tech men's basketball news at TexasTech.com and at the team's social media on Instagram, X and Facebook.
