Like many iconic colleges, Texas Tech is widely known for its sporting achievements. The NCAAB is no exception to this, and students have secured an immense amount of wins and record-breaking victories ever since the beginning of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The Red Raiders are led by head coach Chris Beard, who was named National Coach of the Year last season, after leading his team to an Elite Eight appearance. This is a brief look into the iconic team, including how they got to where they are today. Check out March Madness betting odds for more detail.
The Matadors
Surprisingly, the Red Raiders weren’t always the powerhouse that we see today. They have had their ups and downs throughout history, and it is worth considering the early version of the iconic team.
After some early teething problems with coach Higgenbotham, Victor Payne led the team to some of their first high scores. The Red Raiders were originally known as the Matadors, and it was their name until 1936.
Following this, the team had their fair share of coaches with varying degrees of success. These include Virgil Ballard, who the team won their hundredth game under, Berl Huffman, and James Dickey.
Home Arenas
While the Matadors did not have a home arena per se, where they trained and played their home games, they were often seen playing in the Livestock Judging Pavilion within the Technological College Historic district. The team then moved to a stucco barn within the area, which was constructed with basketball in mind.
The Red Raiders have come a long way from playing in an old barn. They played in Lubbock Municipal Coliseum for most of their home games until 1999. This was the year that the United Supermarkets Arena opened on campus, and the team could comfortably play for 15,300 seated fans.
It is here that the Red Raiders can be seen playing today, and they will continue to call it home for many years.
Rivalries
Within the NCAA, the Arkansas Razorbacks are some of the Red Raiders’ most closely matched rivals. It is because they are so closely matched in terms of talent and core skill that they have a long history of tense rivalry.
Another highly historic rivalry comes from Baylor. The high level of competition between the two teams dates back to the 1950s, when men’s basketball was pushing boundaries and coming into fruition. There was a new era for athletic players, and the rivalry demonstrated this. Both teams have moved with the times and continue to compete in order to be the best.
In terms of geographical proximity, there are no other teams as closely matched as the Texas Christian University (TCU) based team and the Red Raiders. They have a long history of competing against each other to come out on top with the best athletes. While TCU may dominate in terms of baseball, the Raiders have the advantage when it comes to the NCAAB.
Key Players
Something that makes the Texas Tech Red Raiders stand out from other franchises within the NCAAB is that they don’t retire player numbers. While this is commonly seen as a sign of respect and appreciation for the efforts made by a particular player, particularly impressive performances during a player’s career are rewarded with a Ring of Honor.
There are only four players within the team’s history that are celebrated for their efforts as a part of the franchise. These are Rick Bullock, Dub Malaise, Jim Reed, and Andre Emmett. Bullock went on to play for the New York Knicks in 1976, and Emmett was named All-American by consensus in 2004.
Ronald Ross is another key figure in the history of the franchise, who helped the team get to where they are today. He was both a player and coach during his career, and secured the Chip Hilton Player Of The Year Award for his strong character and commitment to basketball.
Summary
Texas Tech has some of the most disciplined and motivated players that the NCAAB has seen. While the Red Raiders haven’t always been the highest scoring team within the championship, they are showing potential to come out on top at the end of this season.
Thanks to the current coach Mark Adams and his alterations which he wasted no time in carrying out, the Red Raiders have some of the most athletic players who are training hard to achieve new records. It is definitely worth taking a closer look at the Red Raiders in order to appreciate the NCAAB for what it is today.
Basketball is an incredibly intense sport which requires a great deal of agility, stamina, and energy. Players and coaches need to be able to anticipate a range of potential moves before they even happen, so that they can decide on the most appropriate course of action.
The standard for the NCAAB is getting higher and higher, as new records are being set all the time. Thankfully, Texas Tech have already shown their determination to step up to the challenge and take their chances on the leaderboard.
