Sardaar Calhoun and Davion Warren talk upcoming season, and more

Texas Tech basketball is right around the corner and Sardaar Calhoun and Davion Warren are ready to win.

Here is what the transfers had to say this afternoon before practice at the United Supermarkets Arena.

To start off Sardaar Calhoun opens up by saying how much this team has come together with being on the same boat of winning and how much that has impressed him.

Calhoun feels that his role to the team is to bring the energy and keeping it contagious on and off the court. "Those little things may seem little but they do big things on the court. I am a great defender and I can also shoot the ball really well."

Calhoun's thoughts on Kevin Obanor: "Kevin Obanor is really special. I feel like he hasn't even tapped into his best basketball yet. The weight room development here has already raised his vertical by at least three inches and his percentages will be higher than they were last year. I think he will be an X-Factor"

Calhoun says he is an explosive guard who can shoot well and bring lots to the table this season. "I love to bring a smile to practice and I just love this game.

Practice is hard but when you love something and love to do it, you just come in with a smile. Practice is supposed to be harder than the games so when the game time comes, it is not that hard. It will just be a mental battle out there on the court."

Mark Adams loves defense and Calhoun came to Lubbock to improve that. Although the player that defends him the best is Davion Warren. "His hands are so quick and he kind of baits you where you think is a good spot to go and just chaps you there. He is a really great defender and the hardest person to score on for everybody."

"The player that has impressed me the most is Kevin McCullar. He is going to be special. He always finds a way for his team to win. I always joke around with him but on a serious note, his group in practice wins a majority of the time because of the leadership he brings."

"I have enjoyed how the coaching staff lets us have a voice. If I have a question, I feel like there is never a wrong question to ask. Mark Adams is so open and you can feel that he really wants to continue to make this program great."

Texas Tech has nine new players on this roster and it looks much different than it did last season but Calhoun says these players are bought in. "There's a saying that we say and that is to "be where our feet are", and that is what we are doing and we all want to win."

"Every game matters this season but I am focused on that first game right now. I am really happy to be here"

After Calhoun, Davion Warren came to answer a few questions.

Mark Adams's first roster as head coach has arguably the most depth ever compared to the past Texas Tech teams. It can be a challenge to find a role coming in as a transfer but Warren says he has just stayed true to himself day-by-day and believing in what the coaches are telling him to do. "I am learning from my teammates. We all make mistakes and we are learning from each other and are all ready to compete with each other."

"My role is to be the guy to bring everything to the table. Defense, scoring, playmaking, and finding ways to help get my teammates the ball. I want to think about them before myself."

Warren's thoughts on Kevin Obanor: "He grinds really hard every day and his knowledge of the game is really well. You can learn a lot from a guy like him who was kind of an underdog last season and then doing really well in the tournament. I am trying to learn from guys like him."

"I feel like I need to stay consistent on defense and that is what I need to work on the most. Locking in on being that key guy on defense who is going to get stops for the team"

After a couple of weeks of real practice, Warren feels that he understands a lot from the coaches. "I came in kind of raw and coach put that structure in me and is helping me become more efficient on offense and defense."

This new coaching staff's offense will look a whole faster than it did last year. Transitioning from a slow-motion offense. "Our best thing now is that we can spread the floor and we can take it inside to our bigs. I think our team has a lot of fast offensive talent."

"All of the returners, show no days off. Every day they are grinding. There are some days you don't want to come in and they will show you that you need to keep your hard hat on every day in practice."

Warren's thoughts on playing for Mark Adams: "It is cool because he will really get on you but he will also love you, so you get the best of both worlds. He has really pushed me to do better."

Earlier today the Big-12 announced the pre-season prediction rankings and Texas Tech was picked to finish fourth in the conference. Warren says, "That is not where I want to be. I want to be number one. I am not cool with being last, second, or third so I am trying to get to the top."

"Coach Adams probably loves this new team. We are all tall and he loves defense. With our length, we can do what he wants on defense."