Wreck'Em Red
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Texas Tech basketball: What we learned about the Red Raiders in the Bahamas

By Matthew Conner

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Texas Tech Red Raiders fans cheer prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game against the Virginia Cavaliers at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Texas Tech Red Raiders fans cheer prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game against the Virginia Cavaliers at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Freshman Terrance Shannon will play a huge role in 2019-20

There’s no reason for Texas Tech fans to have been sleeping on 2019 signee Terrance Shannon.  But even though the Chicago product was the No. 89 player in the nation according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, it has felt like most (myself included) had been discounting what he could be in his first season in Lubbock.

Personally, I was skeptical about his ability to contribute offensively given that he has an unorthodox jump shot that he starts from the middle of his chest rather than the middle of his head as is customary.  It seemed like such a jumper would be tougher to trigger at the collegiate level thus making him a limited offensive option this year.

That’s why his 14 points per game this week were an unexpected positive development. He had double-digits in both games against Mega Bemax, including a team-high 20 on Sunday, as he proved that he will not be just a defensive stopper and high-energy rebounder for this team.

The vast majority of his offense came in the paint or at the rim.  His athleticism rivals that of any player on this roster, including Ramsey and he utilized his explosiveness to get points in transition, off the dribble, and on the offensive glass.

Still, his jumper must improve.  The 6-foot-6, 187-pounder attempted only seven 3-pointers this week and hit just one.  His shot (as you can see in this clip) simply isn’t going to translate to the college game and between now and November, that needs to be one of his top areas of improvement.

Still, Shannon was unquestionably the most consistent and impressive freshman over these three games.  In addition to his nice offensive numbers, he averaged 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals, both areas where he will be expected to contribute this season.

If you had overlooked Shannon because of Ramsey or the fact that he is not from Texas or because of his funky shot, this week should have opened your eyes to how talented of a player he is.  He already feels like the type of player that will not only excel under Chris Beard, he could eventually be what we point to as another example of what the prototypical Texas Tech basketball player is in the modern era of the program.

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