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Texas Basketball: What to expect from 2019-20 Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 07: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders brings the ball up court during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones on February 7, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Iowa State 76-58. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 07: Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders brings the ball up court during the game against the Iowa State Cyclones on February 7, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Iowa State 76-58. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Expect this team to be part of the fight

I’m not going to predict whether this team will repeat as Big 12 champs or return to the Final Four.  There just are too many variables that will factor into those equations.

But what I am certain of is that this team will be right in the fight when March arrives.  Last year’s team won 9-straight games to close the regular season and I expect this roster to be at its best in February and March as well.

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Once the freshmen start to figure out how to play in the Big 12 and the veterans cement their roles, this team will be hell to deal with.  There’s never been a greater collection of individual talent to play for the Red Raiders and if the lack of experience doesn’t bring this team down, it could be another exciting spring in the Hub City.

If Tech gets off to a bit of a slow start in Big 12 play, a regular-season conference title may be out of reach.  But look to see if Tech is playing its best ball over the final ten games of the season.

When that happens, the Red Raiders will be able to beat any team in the nation.  Once the game slows down for the youngsters, no one is going to want to see Texas Tech on the opposing side of their bracket.

Tech has captured the Big 12 now.  In the process, Tech ended the Jayhawks’ run of 14-straight regular-season titles.  Doing so again would be nice but it isn’t the ultimate goal.

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There is only one goal this year and that is to get back to the final Monday night of the season and to close the deal.  History suggests that will be tough.  Only four programs since 1994 have played in back-to-back title games (Arkansas 1994-95, Kentucky 1997-98, Florida 2006-07, Butler 2010-11).  But if this team is able to hit its stride in the final two months of the year, Tech is more than capable of joining that list.

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