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Texas Tech basketball: Predictions for the 2023-24 Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

Texas Tech's head men's basketball coach Grant McCasland gives instructions during the team's first practice, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech's head men's basketball coach Grant McCasland gives instructions during the team's first practice, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena. /
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Mar 8, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Pop Isaacs (2) shoots the ball against West Virginia Mountaineers guard Kedrian Johnson (0) in the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Pop Isaacs (2) shoots the ball against West Virginia Mountaineers guard Kedrian Johnson (0) in the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports /

Texas Tech guard Pop Isaacs will be an All-Conference performer

The closest thing that Texas Tech has to a returning star is guard Pop Isaacs.  He put up 11.5 points per game last year as a true freshman despite battling nagging injuries and now he’s back to be this team’s top offensive weapon.

This year, Isaacs will take his game to new heights and perform at an All-Big 12 level to end up on one of the postseason all-conference teams.  That’s going to be a key to this team’s success.

We saw what Isaacs is capable of against A&M when he poured in 30 points thanks in large part to shooting 6-10 from 3-point range.  That impressive showing has raised the bar on expectations for the Las Vegas native and fortunately, he’s the type of player who is wired to welcome the pressure.

Remember that what Isaacs did last season came after an offseason that saw him miss most of the summer and fall while recovering from hip surgery.  That meant that while most true freshmen were practicing with their new schools and working in the weight room to develop their bodies, Isaacs was focused on rehabilitation.  In fact, it was not certain that he was going to be ready for the start of the season until just about a week or so prior to the first game.

Now, he’s back with a full offseason training program in his back pocket.  That could do wonders for a player who put up one of the best true freshman seasons in Texas Tech history in 2022-23 despite all of the chaos and dysfunction that defined last season’s team.

Isaacs is going to have a huge role to play this year and he’s ready for the moment.  Fearless and as confident as any player in the conference, he’s going to be who Tech turns to to take big shots and make things happen in critical moments.

More often than not, he’ll come through and that’s one reason why the Red Raiders could be a dangerous team in the Big 12.  When the year ends, Isaacs will be an All-Big 12 player and that’s despite all of the talent that exists in this conference, which is now up to 14 teams.  However, I believe in Isaacs and I think that this season is going to be the one where he makes his mark as one of the best players in the best conference in the nation.

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