A little less than a week has passed since the Texas Tech Red Raiders took down the number one team in the country in the Louisville Cardinals at one of the most famous arenas in the world. Come the following Monday back home against Southern Mississippi, things did not look as pretty as they looked in New York City.

Sitting at 7-3 on the season and about to wrap up their non-conference schedule, the Red Raiders will welcome in the UTRGV Vaqueros to town, who sit at 4-7 on the season and remain winless on the road.

Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard met with the media Thursday afternoon and began by thanking the fans for their attendance, especially over the holiday break.

"This will help us build the program," Beard said, "to the point we have this homecourt advantage, and we need to be competitive in the Big 12. Also with the students: so appreciative of the (Texas Tech) students. I know this is semester break right now, but we do have a lot of Tech students that are in this area."

Beard talked about the status of freshman guard Jahmi'us Ramsey saying he is hopeful in this next game against the Vaqueros, "just like I was hopeful he would play in the last game." Beard said Ramsey is continuing to do everything he can do as well as communicating with doctors.

"Once we are told that he's 100 percent in terms of his recovery," Bread said, "he's back out there. Might not be 100 percent in terms of ready to play because he hadn't played in a while, but as soon as we get to that 100 percent mode in terms of rehab, then he's good to go. I'm hopeful he'll play the next game, but I don't know."

University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley, which is located on the very southern tip of Texas, brings in a squad coming off one of their best seasons in program history by posting a 20-win season last year. Beard said this year's Vaquero team looks to be a competitive team in their conference (WAC).

"I like their team," Beard said. "They have depth, they have great guard-play, going to be a real challenge for our team (1 p.m.) Saturday."

Beard also talked about a couple of relationships he had related to the Vaqueros, that is his relationship to UTRGV Athletic Director Chasse Conque, saying Conque was his AD in Little Rock.

"Was somebody who believed in me when many didn't," Beard said about Conque. "He gave me my first opportunity, which is really something I'll always cherish. Chase is going to be here as the athletics director with the team and (UTRGV head coach Lew Hill) and his guys. So, it's a game I don't really enjoy playing because there's so much respect for both sides and benches, but sometimes in competition you got to play people like this."

Vaqueros grad student and guard Jordan Jackson was a part of the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team as a freshman where we scored 26 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in his 122 minutes in 23 games coming off the bench.

This season, Jackson is averaging 14.9 points per game in all 11 games played and started.

In addition, senior forward Lesley Varner II is averaging 12.9 points per game as well as junior guard Javon Levi adding 12.0 points per game along with 7.7 assists per outing.

Beard discussed how Mark Adams' defense for the Red Raiders has progressed throughout the season with the young players. Beard joked how in year one everyone was asking what kind of uniforms they would be wearing, and now it is all about defensive tactics.

Beard said they have shown the ability to be a good defensive team although there was been some "spurts" in being called one of the best defensive teams in college basketball.

"On the other side of the coin," Beard said, "you see our youth, our inexperience. We just haven't found that consistency yet. We've played well enough to win some games, but we certainly got to get better, is what I would say about our defense."

Another progressive track Beard has seen is the toughness and play from redshirt sophomore Avery Benson, who has seen an increase in minutes roughly as the games come.

Beard said Benson was good for them even as a freshman when they, the staff, decided to redshirt him. As a redshirt freshman, Benson got his opportunity to play and now he has earned the right to be playing in these games.

In addition to Benson getting more playing time, Beard said the injury and absence of freshman guard and leading scorer Jahmi'us Ramsey has given the chance for other young players to step on the court.

After the close win against Southern Mississippi, Beard said the team continues to learn through the adversity, especially against a team like Southern Miss, who Beard said will compete in their conference.

"Fortunate for us, adversity came in the form of a win," Beard said. "Just the growth and the process, trying to be mature, experience and tough enough to win through adversity, but also win through success. It's just the same old thing, just got to be more consistent."

"Even in that game, we see a lot of good things. Our free-throw shooting was excellent in our last win, but our field-goal shooting wasn't. That's a great example of just the consistency. As certainly as the Big 12 play looms in February, March near, you got to get to where you excel in almost all areas, and right now, we're still just like most teams: trying to find consistency."

Beard was asked where he thought he was as far as analyzing the 4:1 philosophy with the team. Beard said mental toughness is something they talk about all the time.

"I think we're a work in progress," Beard said. "I don't think we're ready to go compete and win a championship, but I think we've shown the ability that if we keep getting better, we could be. We've had some spurts this year when mental toughness was there, Southern Miss a great example."

"I've seen some other times this year where maybe we get fatigued and we're not tough. That's the mental toughness. Everybody get's physically tired, and that's where mental toughness kicks in. Just like everything, I've seen good, I've seen concerned. We're a work in progress. I'm optimistic that we can become a tough team mentally because I believe in those three returners, those two seniors."