The 2023-24 Texas Tech men’s basketball season is a little more than two weeks away from officially tipping off Nov. 8 at the United Supermarkets Arena. The Red Raiders recently took part in a scrimmage against UTEP, and have another exhibition game scheduled Oct. 29 against former Big 12 rival, Texas A&M. As the Grant McCasland era reaches closer to its beginning, the newly-christened head coach spoke to the media Tuesday to give an update on the status of his team.

During McCasland’s previous stop at North Texas, his teams were widely known as some of the slowest in all of college basketball. The Mean Green relied on their fortified defense to win them games, and the style of play was a cause of concern for some when McCasland was hired in April. Despite this preconceived notion of his teams however, McCasland anticipates picking up the pace when the Red Raiders take the court.

“Our speed and athleticism as a team, I love it, I really do,” McCasland said in his press conference Tuesday. “I think it’s our emphasis. That, being multiple ball handlers, when you look at our roster. I think of Darrion Williams, had 90 assists and 30 turnovers as a true freshman at Nevada. That’s remarkable numbers, and he led them in rebounding. So when you’ve got multiple ball handlers, you look at Lamar Washington, Chance McMillian, obviously Pop (Isaacs) and Joe (Toussaint), just multiple guys that can handle the basketball. I just love our ability to share it and move it.

“So how do you keep teams on their heels and don’t let them load up to one person, right? How do you not allow it to be about one guy having the ball in one spot consistently. I think our ability to pass the ball has been something that I’ve loved. We’ve struggled when we’ve dribbled it a lot, we’ve been great when we pass. I think our roster is really built on the ability to move and put pressure on defenses with our movement. Trying to attack people early with some great cutting and athleticism.”

Getting the offense off the ground has been a focal point of the first offseason under McCasland. Finding a scheme that works on that end of the floor has not been the sole area of concern for the Red Raiders, however.

McCasland attained success in his previous coaching stops for the suffocating brand of defense that rolled onto the floor night in and night out. That brand of basketball is what many became accustomed to seeing in West Texas, but the product on the floor last season was a far cry from years past. McCasland understands the level this team needs to be at defensively to meet his own standards.

“Well, you gotta start with how you’re going to defend ball screens and whether you’re going to switch and how comfortable you are with switching all over the floor,” McCasland said. “I think we’ll do some switching but how do you maintain kind of keeping the ball in front? I mean, rotations, and there’s been some rule changes, I think that are concerning, just to figure out how it’s going to be officiated. What we’ve been told is that 90 percent of those plays that were charges are now going to be called blocks. And if that’s the case, and those are the numbers, then being in rotations and forcing people to rotate into coverages that you’re in may not be beneficial. I think we’re going to have to adjust over the course of the season. And if you ask me where, it’s like how do we find that balance of people we want to switch with and people we don’t, that’ll be the key, I think, to the defense.”

Sunday’s exhibition against the Aggies is important from a cultural standpoint. The two teams haven’t squared off since 2012 in A&M’s final season in the Big 12. The proceeds of the game will be donated to relief funds for those affected by the wildfires in Maui. McCasland acknowledged the importance of the contest from all aspects.

“You just gotta start with in-state schools that we feel like can give us a great test.” McCasland said. “You look across the state and with Houston joining the league, I think that’s been a scrimmage that’s happened in the past, and like who regionally, if you’re going to have a relief game, makes the most sense to have the most benefit for the cause. I know people have been asking, with Texas and Oklahoma leaving the league, I think there will be interest to play. Just like anybody, I grew up in the state of Texas, I mean, why wouldn’t we want to play each other? I mean that sincerely. I’m not trying to say it just as a ploy to try to get someone to have a conversation about it. Why wouldn’t we try to play those games? I think this was a step in the right direction to one, play a super quality opponent to find out about ourselves. And then two, try and play someone regional that would be a benefit to not only the people, but to our fan base that want to watch the game and want to see it. I do think it will benefit the Maui relief.”