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Texas Tech basketball: Trying to make sense of the Red Raiders’ woes

By Matthew Conner

Texas Tech's guard De'Vion Harmon (23), left, and Texas Tech's guard Jaylon Tyson (20) pause during the school's fight song after the team's loss against Oklahoma, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena. Oklahoma won, 68-63, in overtime.
Texas Tech's guard De'Vion Harmon (23), left, and Texas Tech's guard Jaylon Tyson (20) pause during the school's fight song after the team's loss against Oklahoma, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena. Oklahoma won, 68-63, in overtime. /
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Texas Tech’s forward Fardaws Aimaq, center, and Texas Tech’s forward KJ Allen, right, sit on the bench during the Oklahoma Big 12 basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech’s forward Fardaws Aimaq, center, and Texas Tech’s forward KJ Allen, right, sit on the bench during the Oklahoma Big 12 basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena. /

Bad luck has played a huge role in this season’s struggles

Sometimes, bad luck simply wreaks havoc on a team.  Unfortunately, Texas Tech fans know that all too well.

On the football side of things, repeated injuries at the QB position have plagued the Red Raiders for the better part of the last four seasons.  Meanwhile, the basketball program has seen its share of bad luck as well during that time.

In 2018, Texas Tech was likely going to win a Big 12 regular season title until Keenan Evans broke his toe in a game at Baylor sending the team on a four-game losing streak.  Then, in 2019, the sprained ankle that Tariq Owens sustained in the national semifinals almost certainly prevented the program from winning the National Championship.

While bad breaks happen to every program from time to time, there is no denying that this year’s Texas Tech basketball team seems to be especially snake bitten.

It all started before the season even began when prized transfer, Fardaws Aimaq, broke a bone in his foot.  Therefore, the team has been without one of only two true big men on the roster and without a player who was expected to be a major offensive weapon this season.

As we all know, the injury bug didn’t stop there with Batcho, Isaacs, and Allen all missing Saturday’s game and likely to miss more action this week.  In all, Tech is currently missing four players that could provide key minutes with two of those players being season-long starters.

It is hard to remember a rash of non-COVID-related absences affecting Texas Tech hoops to the level that this year’s team has had to deal with.  Of course, the bad luck hasn’t been confined to just injuries either.

Tech was also robbed of what would have been a potential season-changing win over Kansas by incompetent officiating.  Had the proper call been made on Pop Isaacs’ drive at the end of that game with Tech down by one point, the Red Raiders would have been shooting free throws to take down the Jayhawks.  How different would this season look if that win was on this team’s resume?

Also, a proper call at that juncture of the game would have meant that Batcho would not have been injured in the ensuing action.  What’s more, it is fair to believe that a healthy Batcho would have made a difference in the loss to OU on Saturday.  Thus, Tech might be one bad call away from a 2-1 mark in league play rather than an 0-3 record.

There’s no way to deny that this team has had awful luck this season, both in the way of injuries and via an incomprehensibly bad no-call at the end of the KU game.  But that’s not the only reason that the Red Raiders are struggling.

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