Three X factors that will determine the success of the Texas Tech basketball team

The Texas Tech basketball team enters the 2024-25 season loaded with talent. Though the team lost some key pieces from last year's NCAA Tournament team (Pop Isaacs, Warren Washington, and Joe Toussaint specifically), an active offseason has landed the Red Raiders some elite talent via the transfer portal.

It will be interesting to see how that group comes together though. Fortunately, Grant McCasland is accustomed to making rosters gel in short order.

Don't forget that the current Texas Tech head coach began his head coaching journey at the JUCO level. From 2004-2009 he led the Midland College Chaparrals in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference where he annually had to deal with major roster turnover given the two years of eligibility that players have at the JUCO level.

McCasland thrived there winning the 2007 JUCO national championship and finishing as the national runner-up in 2009. What's more, in all five of his seasons there, he won at least 25 games.

Thus, many believe he is the perfect coach to lead the Red Raiders in the modern era of college basketball when massive roster turnover is commonplace. But though everyone on the South Plains is convinced that McCasland is the right man for the job, there are some X-factors on his roster that will help determine how the upcoming season ultimately plays out.

Can Federiko Federiko be a difference-maker in the post?

While Texas Tech fans have talked plenty about the arrival of New Mexico transfer JT Toppin and Minnesota transfer Elijah Hawkins, Pitt transfer Federiko Federiko wasn't as hyped when he decided to come to Lubbock. However, how he performs this season could be as important as any factor on this team.

The only player over 6-foot-9 on this team, the 6-foot-11 Federiko must give the Red Raiders an inside presence. Last year with the Panthers, he posted just modest numbers though. Averaging 4.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, he was far from a game-wrecker in the ACC.

Perhaps his numbers will increase this year if he plays more than the 21.3 minutes per game he played a season ago when he started 26 of 33 games. However, there is a reason to wonder just how well he will fortify the Red Raiders in the paint.

Last year, big man Warren Washington averaged 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in 26.8 minutes played per game. However, Federiko might be a better fit for the Red Raiders when it comes to protecting the rim. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game last year but the year prior, he blocked 1.7 per game. For reference, Washington averaged 1.5 blocks per game last season.

No one is going to ask Federiko to be an offensive catalyst. This team has plenty of firepower from other players. However, for Tech to truly be elite, this coaching staff is going to have to milk every bit of ability out of its new big man that it can. If he takes a step forward, especially as a rebounder and as a rim protector, the Red Raiders could have an elite defense.

Devan Cambridge's recovery could give Texas Tech incredible depth

It seems as if most great teams have a player who acts as a Swiss Army knife. For Texas Tech, that could be senior forward Devan Cambridge. The only problem is that he is working his way back from a torn knee ligament. Though he's fully cleared prior to game one, how that injury heals is going to be crucial in determining what the Red Raiders can do, especially on defense.

When Cambridge went down in Tech's eighth game last year, he was arguably the team's best all-around player. Not only was he averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, but he was also the team's most versatile defender.

In fact, when Washington was off the floor, Cambridge was playing as Tech's "big man" despite the fact that he is only 6-foot-6. His athleticism allowed him to guard much taller and bigger players at times while also checking quicker guards on the perimeter at other times.

This year, Tech could use Cambridge's versatility again. The type of game that he has can be invaluable, especially in late-game situations.

The question, though, is how long it will take him to be back to full strength. Can Cambridge be back to last season's form by the time Big 12 play arrives in late December and will his lateral movement and leaping ability be the same as it was before his injury? If so, this will be the deepest team that the Red Raiders have had in recent memory.

Elijah Hawkins defense can't be a liability for Texas Tech

Plenty has been made of point guard Elijah Hawkins' offensive game. Last year at Minnesota, he averaged 7.5 assists and 9.5 points per game.

However, let's focus on the other end of the floor for a moment. That's where he must prove that he isn't going to be a liability.

The only worry about Hawkins is that he is listed as only 5-foot-11. That makes him even smaller than the two smallish guards Tech relied upon last season.

Thus, it is fair to wonder if he will be the player opposing teams try to isolate and pick on when Tech is on defense. Last year, he had a defensive rating of just 107.3, which is far from stellar.

In fairness, defensive rating is not a perfect indication of a player's ability to play defense. It is heavily influenced by a team's overall defense and last year, Minnesota wasn't a good defensive team as only one player on their roster had a defensive rating below 100.0.

Still, Hawkins has to battle some of the best guards in the country by virtue of playing in the Big 12. Of course, Tech could decide to hide him on the opposing team's weakest offensive guard but at some point, Hawkins must step up and be part of an elite defensive team.

The good news defensively is that Hawkins is quick with his hands when he's guarding the ball. His 1.6 steals per game led Minnesota last year and he's averaged 1.9 steals per game over the course of his college career. If he can be a positive component of the Red Raider defense, then this team could be of championship caliber in that aspect of the game.