Texas Tech basketball: Preseason questions about the 2023-24 Red Raiders

Will Texas Tech gel quickly enough?

This year, the Red Raiders’ schedule leaves them precious little time to get the kinks worked out before some of the toughest non-conference games arrive the week of Thanksgiving.  Thus, one has to wonder if this rebuilt roster can work out most of its flaws in time to put some important resumes-building wins on its resume before Big 12 play begins.

The season opens with three home games against teams that should pose little challenge to the Red Raiders.  But in the fourth game of the year, McCasland’s team has to face No. 22 Villanova in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.  What’s more, Tech could square off with North Carolina, Michigan, Arkansas, or Memphis in the other two games in that tournament.  It will be important for the Red Raiders to come home with a win or two from that early-season trip.

Then, just days after getting home from Atlantis, Tech will find itself in Indianapolis to face Butler in their home gym as part of the Big 12/Big East Battle.  That will be the first true road game for this team and Hinkle Fieldhouse is no easy place to pick up a win.

Then, after two home games against mid-major teams, Tech will be in Fort Worth to face Vanderbilt in a neutral-site contest.  Though the Commodores are not expected to compete for the S.E.C. title this year, they will still be an opponent that could give McCasland’s squad some trouble if the Red Raiders don’t play well.

Remember that there is no Big 12/S.E.C. Challenge this year so once Big 12 play begins, there will be no more opportunities for non-conference wins to boost the NCAA Tournament resume.  That means that a Red Raider team welcoming nine players into the mix who did not play for the program last year will have to develop its chemistry in a hurry.