Two plays that epitomize Texas Tech basketball under Chris Beard

Want to know what Texas Tech basketball is all about in the Chris Beard era? Look no further than these two plays from Saturday’s win over Arkansas.

West Texans are a different breed of people. Known for being earnest, stubborn, unbreakable and hard-nosed, those that call life on the Caprock home appreciate what the Texas Tech basketball program has become under the watch of Chris Beard because Tech basketball has perfectly assumed the personality of Lubbock and West Texas. And in Saturday’s win over Arkansas, two particular plays from the Red Raiders epitomized why Tech hoops has captured the heart of Red Raiders everywhere.

Let’s first take a minute to reset the matchup between the home team and Arkansas. We talked about how the two teams were polar opposites in regards to the way each approaches the game with Arkansas preferring an up-tempo style to Tech’s grind-it-out physical scheme.

And on paper, most would likely take the Arkansas roster over Tech’s. But recruiting rankings and physical attributes only tell part of the story and that played out at United Supermarkets Arena Saturday.

In what turned out to be a one-possession game, two hustle plays by the Red Raiders helped turn the tide and showed exactly what makes Texas Tech basketball different than most programs. And fittingly, these plays came from both a walk-on and a superstar.

Just prior to the under eight-minute timeout in the second half, Beard put seldom used walk-on Avery Benson into the game to give Jarrett Culver a few extra minutes of rest before the media timeout. The freshman from Springdale, Arkansas had not appeared in a game since December 28th and is averaging under 3.8 minutes of action per game this year.

But against his home state team, he was twice inserted into the game to give Culver a quick breather and with Tech up 60-48, he made his presence known. The freshman was battling for a rebound with Arkansas’ Mason Jones when both players knocked each other off balance.

As the ball headed towards mid-court, Benson leapt over Jones (who had landed on his rear) going completely horizontal to knock the ball away from Arkansas freshman stud Isaiah Joe as he was bending over to grab the ball.

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Benson got no credit for any stat on the play and possession remained with the Hogs. But that play embodied Chris Beard and Texas Tech basketball perfectly.

When the Texas Tech faithful saw one of their walk-on players out-working two former 3-star recruits and sacrificing his body for a loose ball, the arena erupted in appreciation as Benson was mobbed by his teammates when the team went to the bench for the timeout. The same can be said of Chris Beard who was as demonstrative on the sidelines about that play as he has ever been at Texas Tech.

That play did not have a direct impact on the score board and will not ever show up in a highlight montage from that game. And that is the point. Beard asks his players to give every drop of effort on every play regardless of the situation and Benson did just that.

And perhaps he set the tone for Tech’s superstar to make a similar play to seal the victory. With the Red Raiders up just three points in the final ten seconds, Arkansas had the ball with a chance to tie the game.

As Arkansas guard Keyshawn Embery-Simpson tried to beat Jarrett Culver off the dribble, Tech’s star sophomore knocked the ball loose.

In the ensuing scramble, Culver dove for the ball while Embery-Simpson tried to bend over and pick it up just as Isaiah Joe had a few minutes prior. The result was that Embery-Simpson kicked the ball while battling with Culver giving possession to the Red Raiders and sealing the win.

Jarrett Culver is one of the best players in the nation and almost certain to be an NBA Lottery pick this summer. But he was willing to do the dirty work that the game required of him. Most players of his stature would not be willing to give up their body in that manner. Afterall, Arkansas forward Daniel Gafford is also a projected first round NBA pick this year and as far as I can recall, we did not see him diving on the floor for loose balls Saturday.

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Chris Beard tells his team that they must be “first to the floor” and he means that in the most literal sense. In personifying that sentiment, Benson and Culver showed why Texas Tech basketball has become an elite program despite the absence of blue-chip talent. When every player on the roster from a sure-fire NBA Draft pick to a walk-on playing just two minutes of action is willing to sacrifice for the good of their teammates and their university, special things happen. And that perfectly sums up how the Texas Tech basketball team has become a program that everyone in the nation respects and everyone in scarlet and black adores.

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