This week, the Texas Tech basketball team will try to make a run in the Big 12 Basketball Tournament. That's something that hasn't always been easy for this program.
However, there have been some amazing individual performances by a Red Raider in the league's postseason event. In fact, there have been 13 instances of a Red Raider scoring at least 25 points in a game in the Big 12 Tournament.
The most prolific Big 12 Tournament game by a Red Raider didn't come from an all-time great, though. It wasn't a big day by Jarrett Culver, Keenan Evans, Andre Emmett, or Martin Zeno but rather by a guy who fans of a certain age might confuse for a legendary NFL linebacker...Mike Singletary.
Back in 2009, it was the first full season of the awful Pat Knight era and the Red Raiders entered the Big 12 Tournament 13-18 overall. That made the Red Raiders the No. 11 out of 12 seeds in the event.
In the opening round, Tech would take on Texas A&M, the No. 6 seed and a team that swept the Red Raiders in the regular season. However, the Aggies were not ready for the storm that Singletary was about to unleash.
A sophomore that year who averaged 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, the 6-foot-6 forward would go off for 43 points in the first round. That remains the school record for points in the Big 12 Tournament and was just seven points shy of the Texas Tech all-time record of 50 points in a game, a mark held by Dub Malaise.
In the game, Tech trailed 49-28 at the break. However, Singletary would score 29 points in a row on A&M in the second half to lead the way to an 88-83 win as he set a single-game scoring record for the Big 12 Tournament. Tech's comeback from a 21-point deficit was also a Big 12 Tournament record.
Unfortunately, the next night, the Red Raiders would be unable to maintain their momentum as they would fall to Missouri 81-60. In that game, Singletary would put up a respectable 17 points. Tech would end the year with a losing record and would not play in either the NCAA Tournament or the N.I.T.
Texas Tech Big 12 Tournament all-time single-game scoring leaders
Points | Player | Year | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
43 | Mike Singletary | 2009 | Texas A&M |
30 | Andre Emmett | 2003 | Texas |
28 | Ronald Ross | 2005 | Oklahoma |
28 | Jarrius Jackson | 2006 | Texas |
28 | Martin Zeno | 2007 | Colorado |
28 | Jarrius Jackson | 2007 | Kansas State |
28 | John Roberson | 2011 | Missouri |
27 | Andy Ellis | 2002 | Texas A&M |
26 | Jarrett Culver | 2019 | West Virginia |
26 | Andre Emmett | 2004 | Oklahoma State |