Tougher & meaningful tests are on the way for the evolving Red Raiders

And as the sage Mark Adams has said in some way, shape or form after each progressively more lopsided victory – experience is the best teacher for any basketball team. Especially in this season when the transfer portal culture is so strong around the country.

What is missing right now is the chance to see how the Red Raiders respond when things get a little tighter because that’s when some truer, more concrete answers will begin to take shape.

Problem is, that probably won’t happen for another few weeks against a less-than-demanding early-season schedule.

That’s not meant as a criticism in any way. Once a schedule is set in stone, all players can do is go out and play who lines up across from them and focus on getting better.

The Red Raiders have done that and checked off all the boxes they needed to – outrebounding all three opponents decisively and shoring up in areas they needed to. In particular, after North Florida and Grambling State found some success from outside the 3-point arc, Prairie View A&M knocked down only 4-of-19 from deep, albeit with weary legs in the Panthers’ third game in as many days in three different states.

And keep in mind, all of the above has occurred without arguably the most talented player on the roster in Terrance Shannon.

But this early portion of the schedule is little more than exhibition work for Texas Tech. A series of matchups with the Washington Generals of college basketball. The three foes so far are 0-12 and the next – Incarnate Word – is 0-2.

By the time the Red Raiders flex their muscle against the Cardinals down on South Padre Island on Saturday, it’s safe to surmise that Texas Tech’s early-season RPI and Strength of Schedule numbers will be several scrolls down the laptop screen.

The next two foes do have a win apiece right now, so the level of competition in games bracketing Thanksgiving might test the Red Raiders a little more.

For now, though, think of the Texas Tech schedule as diet like that of a single dude without a lot of culinary skills. Lots of Hot Pockets, ham sandwiches and fast-food trips. Nothing that is going to move the taste bud needle a whole lot, but meals that get the job done.

What lies ahead is much more appealing: A road game at Providence College and high-profile neutral-site games vs. Tennessee and Gonzaga anchor the December schedule and will be when the Red Raiders figure out if they are ready to fish or cut bait.

Oh, there will still be tons of season left, but that three-game pod (with Arkansas State, Eastern Washington and Alabama State mixed in as more less-daunting fodder) will be the barometer for what Tech needs to sharpen up on before the Big 12 Conference grind begins.

First and foremost, if Shannon comes back before then, those three games figure to accelerate his emergence within the framework of team chemistry.

By then, Adams and his staff will likely have a strong grasp on the rotation – which eight or nine players will be those leaned on most when nut-cutting time arrives. That’s a key because a team with high aspirations needs to have some stability in its rotation once the games that count most arrive, and the coaches also want to be able to gauge how the remaining 4-5 players are going to respond when they realize their roles aren’t as big as they hoped to be.

Each of the three games has intrinsic value built in:

--- Providence is Tech’s only true road game before a junket to Stillwater for a New Year’s Day conference opener. Might not be the same kind of hostility the Red Raiders will face in Stillwater or Lawrence or Waco … but it’s at least a chance to see how a team that will still be a work in progress responds as a visiting team.

--- Facing Tennessee in Madison Square Garden will be a timely and effective test because the Volunteers will be the first team with at least as much if not more talent. Tennessee is currently ranked No. 17 and has games against Villanova and at Colorado before facing Tech. Add in the experience of veteran coach Rick Barnes, and that looms as the Red Raiders’ first major crossroads of the season.

--- Finally, taking on Gonzaga will be a chance for Texas Tech to unequivocally embrace the role of being an underdog for the first time this season. The Zags are No. 1 for a reason and proved it by dismantling a very talented Texas team on Saturday. The Red Raiders have thrived the last several seasons by playing with a chip on their shoulder and facing Gonzaga will be the first time that can be a factor under Adams.

So far, there haven’t been a lot of bumps in the road for Texas tech in three cakewalks in front of the home crowd. But there are some serious challenges on the immediate horizon and it’s tantalizing to think about how they will manage the next phase of their season.

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Randy Rosetta is the Managing Editor of RedRaiderSports.com

Follow on Twitter | @RandyRosetta or @RedRaiderSports

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