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Texas Tech basketball: What to watch for from Red Raiders in the Bahamas

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The Texas Tech basketball team is spending this week in the Bahamas where the Red Raiders will play three exhibition games.  Here’s what to look for as we get our first look at Chris Beard’s 2019-20 squad.

Every four years, college basketball teams are permitted to take a foreign tour during which they may conduct ten extra practices and play exhibition games.  This year, Texas Tech basketball coach Chris Beard is taking his team to the Bahamas for three games.

Wednesday afternoon, the Red Raiders face the Bahamas National Team before taking on a Serbian team known as Mega Bemax on Thursday and Sunday.  It will be a perfect opportunity for Beard to get extra game action for a roster that is unusually green.

With seven freshmen on the team, this foreign tour comes at the perfect time.  What’s more, Tech is bringing back only two regulars from last season’s rotation, Davide Moretti and Kyler Edwards, meaning that any opportunity to play together in a competitive situation is critically important.

"“More important than the trip, the games or the experience are the practices,” Beard told the media on Aug. 5. “So we get 10 full practices this summer. … I consider it kind of the first break that this team has got. We’re fortunate. We did nothing to earn that. It just happened to be the year that we got it. “We intend to take full advantage of the opportunity, especially with this young team — seven freshmen. These practices this summer are precious to us and we’re taking advantage of them.”"

The last time the Red Raiders went on a foreign tour was in the summer of 2015.  That year, Tubby Smith took his young roster to Canada where the Red Raiders went 3-0 against Canadian collegiate teams.  That trip seemed to pay off as the season ended with Tech reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine seasons.

Of course, the goal for Tech this year is far higher.  After reaching the National Title Game in April, Beard has only one more mountain to climb and he hopes the journey begins in the Bahamas.

Never before has Texas Tech basketball been as popular as it is right now when a slate of exhibition games is taking some of the fan base’s attention away from the looming Red Raider football season.  But to watch these games, fans are going to have to purchase an account or download the Flo Hoops app.

Regardless of whether or not you get to see these games, every Red Raider fan is likely going to pay close attention to what happens on Paradise Island this week.  Here are three things to watch for as we get our first look at the newest version of the hottest team in West Texas.

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