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Texas Tech basketball: Best dynamic duos in Red Raider history

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 04: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot "Raider Red" cheers with the student section before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on February 04, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 04: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot "Raider Red" cheers with the student section before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on February 04, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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A Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleader stands on the court (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
A Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleader stands on the court (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Jennings and Anderson 1984-85

Whereas the 1985-86 team had to sneak into the NCAA Tournament by winning the SWC Tournament, the 1984-85 team had a much easier time getting into the Big Dance.

Going 23-8 to win the SWC regular-season title and then claiming the conference tournament title, the Red Raiders were able to earn the No. 6 seed in the Midwest region.  However, they fell in the first round to No. 11 seed Boston College 55-53.

Leading Tech to such a successful season was the combination of Bubba Jennings and Quentin Anderson, the only two players on the team to average double digits in points.  That tandem was responsible for 33.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Jennings, a senior at the time, was Tech’s unquestioned leader.  He put up a career-best 19.5 points to go along with 3.1 assists.  Keep in mind that the 5-foot-10 guard, who was arguably the best shooter in the history of Texas Tech basketball, averaged that point total without the luxury of the 3-point line.  Being as a huge percentage of his points came via long-range jumpers, his numbers might have been through the roof had he been able to score three points at a time.

His wingman was the 6-foot-9 senior forward, Anderson.  Giving his team the best season of his career, the senior set career-highs in both points (13.7) and rebounds (6.6).  It was the only season he managed to score over 8.2 points per game.

But this tandem doesn’t rank as high on this list as others because one of the most underrated players in program history was also aiding the cause that year.  Hobbs New Mexico product Vincent Taylor did work to the tune of 9.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game as the No. 3 player on the team.

However, that wasn’t the best season of his career as the undersized power forward actually had just one double-digit scoring season, 1982-83, his sophomore campaign. But his contributions were key in helping Tech win the SWC title.

Still, this ship was captained by Jennings and his first mate, Anderson.  That team’s .742 winning percentage is the 8th-best in Red Raider history and that puts this duo squarely in the middle of this list.

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