Texas Tech basketball: Red Raiders need more than one statement win

With three-straight marquee games up next on the schedule, the Texas Tech basketball team can secure some much-needed statement wins.

There’s no denying that the Texas Tech basketball team’s monumental victory over No. 1 Louisville back in December at Madison Square Garden is one we won’t soon forget. But if this basketball team is going to get back into the NCAA Tournament, it’s going to have to give us more unforgettable wins than just one.

More importantly, it is going to have to give the selection committee more quality victories to think about. That’s because the Louisville game is the only noteworthy triumph Chris Beard has seen his team claim this year.

In fact, the Red Raiders have beaten just three other major conference opponents, all in Big 12 play. Those three opponents (Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Kansas State) are the three teams at the bottom of the conference standings and have a combined league record of 3-15.

Simply winning that caliber of game will not be good enough to secure a spot in the Big Dance. That’s why this upcoming three-game stretch is so critical.

With Kentucky, West Virginia, and Kansas being Tech’s next three opponents, the Red Raiders can quickly earn some much-needed resume-building wins. But it will be tough because all three of those teams are bad matchups for this year’s Red Raiders because each has elite size.

That’s why we might wind up bemoaning some of Tech’s non-conference losses. That’s because all three were there for the taking.

More from Wreck'Em Red

Despite falling behind Iowa by double-digits on Thanksgiving night, Tech was able to cut the Hawkeye lead to just 61-59 with 1:58 to go. Unfortunately, the Red Raiders could not come up with the stops after that as Iowa scored on each of its last five possessions.

Now, Iowa sits at 13-5 overall and is ranked No. 19 in the nation. That’s the type of win that would look fantastic on Tech’s resume in March.

One night later, Tech was able to take Creighton to OT despite falling behind by double-digits in the first half again. In fact, most Red Raiders still contend that Davide Moretti was fouled on the final possession of regulation near midcourt but the referees swallowed their whistles.

In OT, the Red Raiders were outscored 9-2 to lose 83-76. Now at 15-5 on the season, the Blue Jays will be in the mix for a tournament birth and they, not the Red Raiders, will have an extra bullet point in their favor if both teams are on the bubble.

Speaking of Moretti, had he hit his second of two free throws in the final minute against DePaul in Chicago, Tech would have picked up a very nice road win. But he didn’t and the Blue Demons were able to tie the game and force OT on their way to a 65-60 win.

DePaul has gone on to a 13-6 record and looks like an NCAA Tournament team, especially after beating No. 5 Butler last weekend. Again, a win over the Blue Demons would have been a great resume-booster.

Of the teams Tech has beaten this year, only Louisville has a good NCAA NET ranking, which is the ranking metric the selection committee will use as part of its evaluation process. The Cards sit at No. 11.

At No. 72, Iowa State is the next highest-ranked team Tech has beaten. We then have to drop down to No. 85 to find Oklahoma State.

But opportunities await. No. 25 in the NET rankings is Kentucky, which will be in Lubbock on Saturday. Tech then hosts No. 7 NET team West Virginia on Wednesday. Finally, a week from Saturday, the Red Raiders will be at No. 3 Kansas.

A win in any of those games will go a long way towards helping Tech get to the Big Dance. Winning two will help move this team off of the early bubble that is forming with Selection Sunday just two months away and closer towards a top-six seed. Win all three and we will build Chris Beard his own Whataburger in his back yard.

It isn’t time to panic, even with the Red Raiders coming off their worst effort of the year Tuesday in Fort Worth. Remember that last year when the Big 12/SEC Challenge rolled around, the Red Raiders were riding a 3-game losing streak and also coming off what would be their worst performance of the year at Kansas State.

Next. 3 Kentucky stars to know. dark

After grinding out an ugly win against Arkansas in Lubbock, Tech would go on to win ten of its last eleven regular-season games. While a run like that isn’t likely this year, perhaps a marquee win or two in the next week and a half will help propel the Red Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament once again.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball