Texas Tech basketball: Ranking the all-time Red Raider point guards
No. 5 Ronald Ross 2001-2005
Few players in the history of Teas Tech basketball improved more over the course of their careers than Ronald Ross. The Hobbs, New Mexico product came to Lubbock as a walk-on in 2001 ahead of the second year of Bob Knight’s tenure on the South Plains.
In the early-going, Ross found it challenging to live up to his legendary coach’s lofty standards. Still, he managed to log five starts and average 10.6 minutes per game as a freshman.
Putting up 3.1 points per game, he ranked 8th on the team. Meanwhile, he dished out 1.5 assists, 6th on the team.
But most telling was the 1.3 steals per game he averaged, which was tied with Kasib Powell and Will Chavis for the team lead. It was the first sign of the tremendous defensive player that the 6-foot-2 guard would become as a Red Raider.
The next year, his scoring improved to 4.5 points per game and his assist number rose by 1.5 per game as he logged just under 20 minutes per contest. That year, he started 20 games and was fifth on the team in minutes played as his role increased as he slowly earned the trust of his demanding head coach.
The 2003-4 season saw Ross finish third on the team in scoring with 10.1 points per game. He also had 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals while starting 31 of 34 games for a Red Raider team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
But it was Ronald Ross’ senior season that most remember him for. That’s because it was one of the better seasons any Texas Tech point guard has ever had.
In 2004-05, the former walk-on led his team in scoring with 17.5 points per game and steals with 2.6 while ranking second in assists with 3.1. What’s more, he was also second on the team in rebounds with 5.5.
In the NCAA Tournament, he led Tech to the Sweet 16 with a then school-record 28 points in a round-one win over UCLA and 24 points in a second-round upset of No. 3 seed Gonzaga. In Tech’s Sweet 16 loss to West Virginia, he was solid with 16 points as he played his final game as a Red Raider in his home state of New Mexico.
That season, he shot 55% from the field in Big 12 games, 6th best Big 12 mark in program history. And his 51% career shooting percentage in Big 12 games ranks 4th.
Earning first-team honors, Ross was not only Tech’s best player that year, but he was also the team’s leader on and off the court. And over the course of his career, he became one of Bob Knight’s favorite players.
Finishing his career with 1,174 career points, Ross ranks 23rd in program history in scoring. He is also 12th in career assists with 320 while ranking first in program history with 204 career steals.
Now a graduate assistant for Chris Beard, Ross is once again in the middle of a resurgent time in program history helping the Red Raiders reach the national title game in his first season back with the program. And who better for the current crop of Red Raiders to learn from than a man who went from a walk-on to one of the best point guards to ever play for Texas Tech.