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Hoops Preview: A new era for Texas Tech basketball under Beard

Texas Tech basketball will tipoff their season on Friday night against Houston Baptist, and the Chris Beard era will be officially underway in Lubbock. So what should Red Raider fans expect out of this season? We break it down in our official Tech hoops preview.


STORYLINES

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A mix of the old and the new

The core of this team that went to the NCAA tournament a year ago returns, as the junior group of point guard Keenan Evans, forwards Justin Gray and Zach Smith, and post Norense Odiase are back along with seniors like guard Devon Thomas, forward Aaron Ross and center Matt Temple.

However, the rest of the roster has essentially been overturned, replaced with JUCO and grad transfers to help bolster the squad.

Prime among those newcomers are JUCO All-American shooting guards Niem Stevenson and Shadell Millinghaus and two grad transfers: Atkansas State forward Anthony Livingston and Quinnipiac sharpshooter guard Gio McLean.

It's a talented, mature group that will be deeply rotated, something Beard considers one of the major strengths of the team. The influx of newcomers should help alleviate and even improve the scoring output of this team from a year ago, helping to replace the losses of Toddrick Gotcher and Devaugntah Williams.


This team's big men can shoot

One of the most unique aspects of this Texas Tech basketball team is the fact that they're going to have some real, big time shooting production from the four and five spots in the paint, and not just on jumpers.

Livingston and Ross are both bonafide three point shooters, something Texas Tech hasn't seen in a long time from their bigs. Livingston is roughly a 40 percent overall shooter and 30 percent three point shooter, while Ross is nearly a 40 percent three point shooter.

That makes this lineup unique in college basketball, and running the motion offense at Tech should benefit both of them and make the Red Raiders a tough matchup for teams that can't guard bigs consistently on the perimeter.


The emphasis remains on defense

Tubby Smith's teams over the last three years, despite how good or bad they were, almost always played good to great defense, specifically last season when the Red Raiders made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.

Chris Beard, while bringing in a new-look motion offense that will look radically different from Tech's set-specific scoring of the past, still wants the identity of his team to remain on the defensive end. Beard wants endless hustle from his players on defense, and he wants his players to play with aggression and toughness.

In fact, Beard's specialty may be defense, as his Little Rock team finished fourth in the country in scoring defense last season, allowing only 60.8 points per game.

For a group that was already playing great defense, Beard's aggressive approach, specifically around the glass with rebounding and stealing the ball, could help elevate defensive superstar Zach Smith and others to a whole new level, which will be mighty fun for Tech fans to watch.


The oldest team in college basketball

That's right: with six seniors and six juniors, Texas Tech is the oldest team in all the land this season. They're a mature, veteran group that's been through quite a bit, and as that the group likely won't have many letdowns or lulls, instead operating as a constant group you likely get similar performances out of every night.

The key for the group, however, will be chemistry, seeing as it's a team that's almost a dead even split between returners and newcomers.

The good news is that the players in both groups seemed to click right away, as many of them have noted the chemistry developed very, very quickly throughout the team. They have fun together and have emphasized that as the personality of the team as a whole.


OPENING NIGHT STARTING FIVE

Point guard Keenan Evans - Evans will run the show for the Red Raiders just as he did a year ago. Coach Beard really wanted him to step up as the vocal leader for the team, and that's seemed to have happened in recent months. Evans has also reportedly improved quite a bit as a shooter, something he's struggled a bit at times with in the past.


Shooting guard Niem Stevenson - Stevenson was the most highly touted signee in Tech's recruiting class, and for good reason. The JUCO All-American is a diverse scorer that can both attack the basket and shoot, and he's expected to help replace some of the scoring production lost at guard from a year ago. However, he's still adjusting to big time college basketball a bit, so don't be surprised if Shadell Millinghaus splits time here with him in the starting role, especially early.


Forward Zach Smith - Smith starting is a no-brainer, as he's a monster at the rim on both ends of the court and was a real delight to watch posterize people a year ago. Now, he's put on more weight and is trying to develop his offensive game a bit while remaining an elite defender.


Forward Aaron Ross - There may be no single player on the roster that benefits more from Coach Beard's motion offense than Ross. He's a gifted three point shooter that likely didn't get to throw up as many treys in the past as he should've in Tubby Smith's system, and now he'll have a chance to shine as a guy with a green light for Beard.


Forward Anthony Livingston - Livingston, who transfers in from Arkansas State as a one year player, is something Tech hasn't had in the post in a long time: A big-time scorer. He's versatile and can hit shots all over the court along with being one of the oldest veterans on the team. Livingston could be an X-factor for Tech, and many teams will have trouble guarding him.


Key reserves: G Shadell Millinghaus, F Justin Gray, F Norense Odiase, G Gio McLean, C Matt Temple

PREDICTIONS

Record: 23-8 (11-7)

The Red Raiders have a mostly soft non-conference schedule and should come out of it relatively or completely unscathed. The one landmine will be in their tourney in Cancun where they'll face Auburn and likely Purdue. Home games against LSU in the Big 12-SEC challenge and a road contest out to Richmond could be tough outs as well. The Big 12 will be a blood bath of a gauntlet once again, but I see Tech winning more games than losing, focusing on protecting their home court. They're too talented and veteran a group to not.


Big 12 finish: 5th place

While Kansas is the top dog as always, the waters are a little murkier this season two through seven. The Red Raiders are in that group and can win any Big 12 home game while competing in every single road contest.

For Tech to finish in fifth, however, they likely can't slip up against either TCU or Oklahoma State, they must protect the home court against the likes of Kansas State, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Baylor, and then they must steal a game against West Virginia or Kansas at home while plucking a few road wins.

It's obviously a tall, tall task, but it's one that isn't out of reach for this team.


Postseason fate: NCAA Tournament, 6 seed

While the Red Raiders likely won’t have a great non-conference resume to present to the selection committee, a top half finish in the Big 12 is good enough to get them some benefit of the doubt and earn a six seed. What they do with it from there will be the big question, however.

The good news is that, again, they're a veteran, savvy bunch with a handful of players who've played in the postseason before, and their forwards being able to shoot could create some favorable mismatches in a guard-heavy field.



SUPERLATIVES

Team MVP: Zach Smith

Smith's monster blocks and thunderous dunks on both ends of the court have helped electrify the USA over the last two seasons, and he'll do so again this season as a momentum lightning rod waiting to strike. Under Beard's tutelage, he can become one of the most dominant defensive players in the Big 12 while continuing to be a force at the rim.


Offensive POY: Anthony Livingston

Texas Tech hasn’t had a big man shooting threat in quite some time, but that all changes with Livingston. He can hit threes, jumpers, and score in the paint, and that makes him a versatile weapon scoring-wise for the Red Raiders.


Defensive POY: Zach Smith

Again, see above. Smith's elite ability to jump out of the roof will help him to continue to grow as a glass eater and shot blocker.


Surprise Performer: Shadell Millinghaus

Millinghaus, while he may not start, could very well be the emotional lightning rod and tone-setter for this veteran group. He plays basketball like a junkyard dog: scrappy, chippy, aggressive, and plays with a lot of emotion and effort. It won't surprise me at all if Millinghaus quickly becomes a fan favorite, whether as a starter at shooting guard or essentially the sixth man.

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