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Texas Tech basketball: What we have learned in first two months of 2019-20

By Matthew Conner

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts during the second half of their game against the Louisville Cardinals at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. The Red Raiders won 70-57. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts during the second half of their game against the Louisville Cardinals at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2019 in New York City. The Red Raiders won 70-57. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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TJ Holyfield #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is fouled by Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
TJ Holyfield #22 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is fouled by Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

This team can’t win big without both grad transfers playing well

It might not be a revelation to suggest that this team can’t win a title without grad transfers Chris Clarke and T.J. Holyfield playing well.  After all, the same could have been said last year about grad transfers Tariq Owens and Matt Mooney.

What’s interesting though is that you might be able to make the case that this year’s squad is counting on its transfers more than ever the 2018-19 team did.  That’s because there is no Jarrett Culver to do just about everything the team needs.

Don’t forget that as good as Mooney and Owens were last year, Culver still led his team in points, assists, and rebounding while also handling the bulk of his team’s ball-handling chores.  Now, there is no do-it-all superstar to cover for when his teammates are not at their best.

Clarke has become the Red Raiders’ 2019-20 version of Culver in that just about everything flows through him.  While he is only seventh on the roster in scoring, he is far-and-away the leader in assists and rebounds.  And like Culver, he is also critically important on defense because he can guard bigger players in the post despite being only 6-foot-6.

Meanwhile, Holyfield is Tech’s lone post player this year.  There is no Norense Odiase, Zach Smith, or Tommy Hamilton to pair with him.  That’s because 7-foot freshman Russell Tchewa just isn’t ready for big minutes yet.

Thus, Holyfield has to stay on the floor and stop picking up needless fouls.  Because he’s spent so much time sitting next to Mark Adams on the bench, he is just sixth on the team in minutes at 22 per game and is the only starter not playing at least 25 per game.

That’s not how this team was designed to play, though because of Clarke’s defensive ability, Beard can survive with a 5-guard lineup for stretches as we saw against Louisville.  But regardless, Tech has to have solid nights from Holyfield virtually every game to have a shot at holding its own in the paint.

Grad transfers were key last year and that helped Tech earn the reputation for being the best program in the nation at utilizing and developing those players.  And this year, Beard needs his grad transfers even more than he did last year, which is saying quite a bit.

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