Stephen Curry Surprises Texas Tech with Custom Curry 6s Before Final Four
Apr 4, 2019
FILE - In this March 30, 2019, file photo, Texas Tech celebrates after a win against Gonzaga in the West Regional final in the NCAA Tournament in Anaheim, Calif. An Associated Press analysis of rosters of perennial NCAA Tournament teams concludes it takes NBA-caliber talent to go far consistently. And though this year’s Final Four is being touted as one in which experience and teamwork won out over raw talent, three of the teams in Minneapolis, including Texas Tech, possess that young NBA talent. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
When the Texas Tech Red Raiders take the court against the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday at the 2019 Final Four, they will be doing so in style.
Being an Under Armour school, Texas Tech wears the same brand as Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. As it turns out, that includes some nice perks:
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) April 5, 2019
Considering Curry is a three-time NBA champion, Jarrett Culver and Co. have to be hoping the sneakers bring some good luck.
Chris Beard Named AP's Coach of the Year After Texas Tech's Final Four Run
Apr 4, 2019
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders speaks with head coach Chris Beard during the second half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Buffalo Bulls at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Chris Beard, who led Texas Tech to its first Final Four appearance in school history, was named the Associated Press' NCAA Division Imen's basketball head coach of the year Thursday.
Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey, who has guided the Lady Bears to a 35-1 record and its first Final Four showing since the team won the 2011-12 championship, was named the AP's women's hoops head coach of the year.
Beard has coached the Red Raiders for three years and led them to an Elite Eight run this season.
Texas Tech made the Sweet 16 just five times and never advanced to the Elite Eight prior to this year.
TTU won the Big 12 regular-season title and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Red Raiders (30-6) are the only Final Four team remaining that has won all four of its games by more than one possession.
The 46-year-old Beard led Arkansas-Little Rock for one season prior to landing in Lubbock. The Trojans went 30-5 and upset No. 5 seed Purdue in the first round of the NCAA tournament in his lone season.
Beard is a deserving winner given Texas Tech's success relative to its past history. He received 20 votes, edging out Kelvin Sampson of Houston, who had 13:
Quick voting breakdown for the AP coach of the year award: Chris Beard, Texas Tech — 20 Kelvin Sampson, Houston — 13 Mike Young, Wofford — 6 Nate Oats, Buffalo — 5 Rick Barnes, Tennessee — 4 Tony Bennett, Virginia — 3 Mark Few, Gonzaga — 3 (continued...)
Like Beard, Mulkey is the clear choice for the AP's female honor as well. The Lady Bears' lone loss was a five-point defeat at then-No. 11 Stanford. Otherwise, Baylor has beaten seven Top 25 teams, including then-No. 1 UConn.
All 35 of Baylor's wins have been by six or more points. Thirty-two of those victories were by double digits.
Mulkey, who is a two-time NCAA champion as a coach and a two-time AIAW/NCAA champion as a player, was also named the WBCA National Coach of the Year.
She has a lifetime 574-99 record, which includes just seven losses in Big 12 regular-season play since the 2010-11 season.
Baylor will meet Oregon on Friday in the Final Four. The Texas Techmenwill face Michigan State on Saturday.
Texas Tech's Dominant Defense Aces Toughest Test Yet to Seal Final Four Bid
Mar 30, 2019
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Tariq Owens #11 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after being called for an offensive foulo against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Tariq Owens wouldn't allow Gonzaga players any daylight. Nope. Not for a second. All night he was smothering shots and altering shots, frustrating and chasing anyone who had the audacity to come into the paint. His paint.
So when Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura decided to pull the trigger on a corner three in Owens' face with just over three minutes to go, Owens did what he so often does; he smacked the ball down. The senior jumped and screamed and celebrated his pivotal block all the way to half court.
"As soon as I seen him catch it, I left my feet," Owens said. "Sometimes it doesn't work out, but, you know, I had to because I had to get there."
That type of urgency allowed Texas Tech, the nation's best defensive team, to edge Gonzaga, the nation's best offensive team, 75-69.
The Red Raiders will head to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
"We kept working at it and working at it, and we got a program where everybody was grinders, especially our head coach [Chris Beard], who believed in us and was willing to push us and push us to the next level that we knew we had," Owens said.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: The Texas Tech Red Raiders celebrate their victory against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haff
The two teams went back and forth, and back and forth, but a clutch three-pointer and free throws by Davide Moretti halted a late Bulldogs surge led by Josh Perkins. The senior point guard hit a deep three with 22 seconds remaining but committed a technical foul that ultimately sealed the deal for Texas Tech.
Everyone knew coming into this game how formidable Texas Tech was defensively, but it's one thing to watch a team defend on film and another thing to experience the pressure up close. To feel how relentless, how passionate, how fundamentally sound and skilled it is for 40 minutes straight.
Texas Tech made Gonzaga earn every look. That's why the Red Raiders defense is so disruptive: They will not allow you to go where you want to go, to do what you want to do. There is no letting up. There are no easy drop steps, no easy putbacks. When they're guarding the ball, their feet are always moving, which the team calls "pulsing."
Gonzaga committed 16 turnovers and scored well under its season average of 88.2 points per game. It was just the fourth time in 37 games the Bulldogs were held below 70 points this season.
"They are really good at reaching, poking and digging things outta there," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "That defense is real, and Chris has done a great job with it, and it definitely impacted us tonight. They took a lot of balls from us when we had the ball in a great position for us where I'm feeling, 'Yes!' And then we just lost it. It's tough. It's real."
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs loses the ball against Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 201
Texas Tech guard Matt Mooney did a superb job of containing Perkins. Owens and Norense Odiase seemed to be everywhere inside, effectively pulling the Bulldogs' Brandon Clarke out of his comfort zone. They forced Clarke to put the ball on the floor. It seemed like wherever he chose to go, he ran into two or three red jerseys, outstretched arms and whip-quick hands nipping at his waist. When he caught the ball? Red. Spun baseline? Red. Spun middle? Red.
Clarke, one of the nation's best defensive players and shot-blockers himself, still managed 18 points and 12 boards but looked out of rhythm offensively when he wasn't able to get easy buckets in transition or baskets off of putbacks.
He committed six turnovers, five in the first half alone (two of them because of traveling).
"Something I've never done," Clarke said of his turnover total. "I think five is my season high, if not my career high, so props to them, really.
"They forced us to make passes or plays we probably shouldn't have made," Clarke said. "But I still feel like it just came down to us missing some shots and them hitting some big shots."
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Brandon Clarke #15 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs posts up against Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019
Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver was named the West Region's Most Outstanding Player. The likely NBA lottery pick finished with 19 points but shot a poor 5-of-19 from the field. He never seemed to sway out of the offense though, trusting his teammates, like Mooney, to deliver. Mooney finished with 17, while Moretti chipped in with 12.
Hachimura, who had 22 points, kept Gonzaga close all night, muscling his way into the paint, trying to get to the charity stripe. He seemed like the only Bulldogs player unfazed by the contact, willing himself farther inside no matter the double-teams that greeted him once he beat his first defender.
As for the Red Raiders, with their 30th victory of the season, they tied a program record for wins.
Their battles against top offensive teams are far from over. Both potential future opponents Michigan State and Duke rank high in terms of offensive efficiency (MSU at No. 4 and Duke at No. 7).
Though it has always emphasized defense, Texas Tech will have to continue to make big plays on the other end of the floor in Minneapolis. The team proved tonight, as it has all year, that it has enough players not named Culver willing to take big shots toward the end of regulation.
"It's cliche, but hard work pays off," Mooney said. "For believers, you reap when you sow. They didn't pick us to win the [Big] 12 or to be here right now, but we keep believing in each other, and we're going to keep doing it."
Mirin Fader is a writer-at-large forB/R Mag. She's written for theOrange County Register, espnW.com, SI.com andSLAM. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the Football Writers Association of America and the Los Angeles Press Club. Follow her on Twitter:@MirinFader.
Jarrett Culver, No. 3 Texas Tech Upset No. 1 Gonzaga to Advance to Final Four
Mar 30, 2019
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Zach Norvell Jr. #23 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Jarrett Culver scored 19 points and Matt Mooney added 17 more as No. 3 seed Texas Tech withstood a late rally to beat No. 1 Gonzaga 75-69 on Saturday in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
Red Raiders guard Davide Moretti added 12 points, including two three-pointers in the final four minutes. Tariq Owens pitched in nine points, seven rebounds and five blocks.
Rui Hachimura scored 22 points for the 33-4 Bulldogs, who Vegas Insider listed as 5.5-point favorites entering the game. Brandon Clarke added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Neither team led by more than seven points in a wild game punctuated by a frenetic ending.
Gonzaga guard Zach Norvell Jr. made a layup to cut the Red Raiders lead to 71-69 with 12 seconds remaining. On the ensuing inbounds play, Bulldogs guard Josh Perkins accidentally knocked the ball from Mooney's hands as he tried to inbound:
As rules analyst Gene Steratore explained in-studio on the TBS postgame show, a technical foul was called because the ball was deflected before breaking the plane separating the out-of-bounds area from the court. Texas Tech then got to choose its free-throw shooter, leading to two successful charity-stripe shots from Moretti.
It was a devastating ending for Perkins and the Zags, who wouldn't have been in position to win the game without the senior guard's 16 points (4-of-9 three-point shooting) and team-leading six assists.
The Zags were then forced to foul Culver, who hit two more free throws to seal the game.
The Perkins foul wasn't the only notable official ruling (or non-ruling) down the stretch. With Texas tech up 68-62, Owens blocked a Hachimura three before saving the ball from going out of bounds and then passing to teammate Brandone Francis:
However, further review revealed that Owens had stepped out of bounds and had not established himself back in bounds before corralling the loose ball. In sum, Gonzaga should have received possession.
Following a Francis free throw, the Red Raiders hung on for dear life down the stretch despite taking an apparently safe 69-62 lead with 52 seconds left.
Perkins hit a layup, and then Texas Tech turned the ball over on two straight possessions. The Zags made them pay the second time around with a Perkins three to cut the score to 69-67 with 22 seconds left:
Mooney hit two clutch free throws after being fouled, but Norvell responded with the layup before the game's finishing sequence.
The loss was an undoubtedly disappointing result for the Zags, who held a potential top-five NBA draft pick in Culver to 5-of-18 shooting but still fell short.
However, Gonzaga did not fare well on the offensive end, committing 16 turnovers. Inside the Kennel, which is Scout Network's Gonzaga site, noted the issue during the game:
Would love to see a stretch without those unforced turnovers. Just been a killer
Moretti came up big on an emotional evening. His family, which lives in Italy and had not seen Davide in about a year, flew to the United States and surprised him during a team meeting before watching him play in person:
Davide Moretti tells his team why he plays basketball as his family sits in the back to surprise him
However, the star of the game was Mooney, who came up clutch on both ends.
On offense, Mooney shot an efficient 6-of-12 from the field. On defense, he came up with three steals.
Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports gave him deserved compliments:
Matt Mooney is way underrated, and it's not just his scoring. Clever passer and hands that move as fast as hummingbird wings in that rover role in Tech's defense.
John Gaskins of KWSN Sports 98.1 FM out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, noted that the graduate transfer was this good when he was playing for the University of South Dakota:
Matt Mooney 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Driving, shooting, passing, defending stealing for a Big 12 school in the Elite 8, making Mark Few blow a fuse.
We saw this a lot in South Dakota a couple years. So fun to see it on this stage.#GoYotes
Despite the disappointing loss, the Zags put forth an excellent campaign led by two potential first-round picks in Hachimura and Clarke. The two dominated the paint for much of the night, as partially evidenced by the 37-29 edge on the boards.
Clarke, who led NCAA Division I in blocks, also made his presence felt on the defensive end:
As for Hachimura, he continued to impress analysts after a season in which he was named to theUSA TodayAll-American team, including Myron Medcalf of ESPN and Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press:
Against Duke in Maui, Rui Hachimura claimed "I'm the best" after the game. He's coming out aggressively again, on a mission.
However, the Red Raiders are the ones now moving on. They have advanced to their first Final Four in school history and will face the winner of No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Michigan State on Saturday.
The Blue Devils vs. Spartans matchup will take place Sunday at 5:05 p.m. ET.
Jarrett Culver Stating Case as NCAA Tournament's Top Rising NBA Prospect
David Kenyon
Mar 24, 2019
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders scores on a lay up past Jeremy Harris #2 of the Buffalo Bulls during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
TULSA, Okla. ― While a friendly rim saved Zion Williamson and the Duke Blue Devils five states away, Jarrett Culver ensured the Texas Tech Red Raiders wouldn't need a fortunate roll to make the Sweet 16.
On the possession after the sixth-seeded Buffalo Bulls took a 25-24 lead, Culver helped No. 3 Texas Tech get it back―and ensured it never slipped away.
Culver scored or assisted on seven of the Red Raiders' next nine points, helping build a 33-25 halftime edge. He wrapped up the 78-58 triumph with a team-high marks of 16 points and five assists, adding 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The long story short? Texas Tech fans better be savoring every last moment of Culver leading their team, because he won't be here much longer.
Jarrett Culver is the first Tech player with 16-10-5 in a tournament game
In a few months, Culver will be walking onto the stage as a first-round pick, preparing to shake NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's hand.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman and Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo consider Culver the third-best prospect in the 2019 class behind only Williamson and Ja Morant. Both CBS and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic list Culver at seventh overall.
Any way you slice it, Culver is a projected high pick.
"He's a tough matchup," Northern Kentucky coach John Brannen told reporters after losing to Texas Tech in the first round. "He can put the ball on the floor and score. We wanted to make him a passer. Wanted to have him have a high assist night. He had seven assists. We didn't think that's what he did well."
While the statement felt like a slight underestimation, the point was well-taken. Culver can struggle with turnovers, as he showed against Buffalo with five of them. Still, his on-ball ability suggests a secondary playmaker role in the NBA.
After dishing five assists Sunday, Culver now has 21 games of four-plus this season. The sophomore's most notable feeds against Buffalo came in the second half.
BR Video
The hesitation dribble that stalled the defense is easy to overlook, but it's a perfect example of Culver's innate feel for the game.
Miss it the first time? No worries. He did it twice.
One point of debate on Culver's scouting report will probably be the absence of an elite trait. Because of that, it's important to temper expectations about his upside. Culver won't necessarily be an All-Star, but he can be an above-average NBA player. Relative to the draft class behind Williamson and Morant, that makes Culver a top option.
What will define his career is whether he develops as a shooter.
"You'd like him to be a little more consistent with his shot," former NBA coach P.J. Carlesimo told Bleacher Report. "But his stroke is a good stroke. There's no reason to believe when he gets to the NBA he won't continue to improve."
Heading into Sunday, Culver owned a 33.3 clip from long distance and 69.8 at the free-throw line. Per Hoop-Math.com, he was shooting 35.5 percent on two-point jumpers.
Still, he knocked down a pair of fadeaway jumpers early and buried a triple as part of Texas Tech's game-sealing 10-0 run in the second half. The potential for improvement is apparent.
And with a 6'6" frame (that in person looks a whole lot closer to those of his 6'8" teammates), Culver has room to grow physically. Combine that expected development with his current body control, and his creativity can translate to the NBA.
The sting of what he lacks offensively, however, is somewhat offset by his ability and intelligence defensively.
In the first half, Culver's help defense forced Dontay Caruthers to forgo a layup and swing a pass to the corner. Culver then monitored two players at once, keeping one player in front of him but recovering across the lane to block Caruthers at the rim.
BR Video
Culver added another two blocks and two steals. Especially in today's high-tempo, perimeter-oriented league, teams covet his type of versatility.
"He can do everything," 14-year NBA player Jim Jackson told Bleacher Report. "And he's still growing as a player."
Including Sunday's stat line, Culver is now averaging 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals. He'll lead the Red Raiders into a Sweet 16 matchup with Michigan, which boasts the nation's second-best defense, per KenPom.com―only behind Texas Tech's.
While Michigan senior Charles Matthews is a quality player, Culver will provide a massive test on both ends of the floor. And if he plays anywhere near his potential, Culver will only continue impressing.
"His ability to put the ball on the floor, his ability to defend, the way he passes the ball, he's an excellent prospect," Carlesimo said. "I'd be all over him in a minute."
But the NBA will be waiting a few minutes. Culver has some unfinished business at Texas Tech.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
Chris Beard to Texas Tech: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction
Apr 15, 2016
FILE - In this March 18, 2016 file photo, Arkansas Little Rock head coach Chris Beard responds to questions during a news conference as the team prepares for a second-round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Denver. Beard has met with Texas Tech about its coaching vacancy, less than two weeks after being named UNLV's coach. UNLV athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy issued a statement Thursday, April 14, 2016, saying Beard met with Texas Tech after the school asked permission to speak with him. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Just weeks after accepting the position as UNLV's head men's basketball coach, Chris Beard reportedly spurned the Runnin' Rebels in favor of Texas Tech on Friday.
"We are proud and excited to hire a coach of Chris' caliber," athletic director Kirby Hocutt said in the official release. "Our program achieved tremendous success this year and I see that as something Chris will build upon and take us to even further heights. We are thrilled to have him back home at Texas Tech."
According to ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman, Beard agreed to become the Red Raiders' new head coach in a surprising move. Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com later confirmed the report.
Per Goodman, Beard's deal with Texas Tech is for five years, although financial terms have yet to be announced.
As provided by ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello, UNLV athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy released a statement following Beard's decision to depart from the school:
Upon officially announcing Beard's hiring on April 9, Kunzer-Murphy was extremely excited about how he would fit with the program, according to UNLV Athletics (h/t NCAA.com):
Coach Beard is a straight-forward, trustworthy, plain-speaking, highly talented, exceptionally successful teacher and leader—and we are absolutely certain he is the right person, the best person, to lead our program. He will help our student-athletes grow as young men; he will make our University and community proud, and I have no doubt that he will transform our program and restore its stature regionally and nationally.
The 43-year-old Beard spent the 2015-16 season as head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock, leading the Trojans to a 30-5 record and a first-round upset of Purdue in the NCAA tournament.
That success made Beard a hot coaching candidate after just one season at the Division-I level. While he initially chose UNLV, a potential dream job became available when Tubby Smith left Texas Tech for Memphis on Thursday, per ESPN.com.
Beard served as an associate head coach at Texas Tech from 2001 to 2011, primarily under Hall of Famer Bob Knight.
The Red Raiders went 19-13 this past season and returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign.
With five of the top seven scorers from a deep and talented Texas Tech team set to return for 2016-17, Beard has a chance to make even more headway in the Big 12.
Beard's decision will undoubtedly rub those involved with the UNLV program the wrong way, but his ties to Texas Tech are so strong and the opportunity is so great that it is easy to see why he had a change of heart.
Texas Tech G Toddrick Gotcher Proposes to Girlfriend at Half Court After Win
Mar 5, 2016
Saturday was a big day for Toddrick Gotcher.
The Texas Tech guard scored 13 points in the Red Raiders' 80-71 win over the visiting Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, finishing their Big 12 campaign at .500 for the first time since 2006-07.
The senior got down on one knee after the victory, popping the big question to his girlfriend at half court:
Texas Tech vs. Texas Southern Live Blog: Instant Reactions and Analysis
Nov 18, 2013
Final: Texas Tech Red Raiders 80, Texas Southern Tigers 71
After a relatively slow first half, these teams came out firing in the second half. The two combined for 57 first half points, but 94 after the break.
As was expected, the play of Aaric Murray was a determining factor in this contest. He saw limited action in the first half due to foul trouble, but came out in the second half with renewed energy, leading the Tigers back into the game. His presence inside stopped what had been a dominant performance down low by the Red Raiders.
But Murray drew his fourth foul with about 13 minutes to go, and with him on the bench the Red Raiders got back to driving the lane and cleaning up the boards.
Jose Rodriguez nearly kept the Tigers in it by himself. He forced the issue in transition and got to the line frequently, and finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds.
In the end, however, the Tigers could not defend the paint. Murray fouled out, and the Red Raiders converted from the free throw line while Texas Southern missed several critical opportunities at the charity stripe.
Both teams continue their play in the Progressive Legends Classic. Texas Tech (3-1) will face South Dakota St. on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. at home in Lubbock. Texas Southern (2-3) has a tough task as they visit Stanford on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET in Palo Alto.
Tubby Smith to Texas Tech: Legendary Coach Will Resurrect Red Raiders' Program
Apr 1, 2013
Tubby Smith is reportedly the new head coach of the Texas Tech men's basketball program—a brilliant hire for the Red Raiders going forward.
The Red Raiders have missed out on participating in the NCAA tournament the past six years running, and it's been nine years since this program advanced past the second round.
Bob Knight, Pat Knight, Billy Gillispie and Chris Walker compiled a combined record of 117-142 from the start of the 2005-06 season until the end of this past season.
The program was nearly dead.
The arrival of Smith, however, will spark a resurrection and will usher in a new era of excellence in the years to come.
In Smith's illustrious 22-year career as a head coach in the NCAA, he's won nearly double the amount of games that he's lost and has won a national championship. His career record of 511-226 makes him the No. 50-ranked coach in NCAA history in terms of all-time wins.
Minnesota—the program that recently fired Smith—entered the 2013 NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed in the South Region. It lost a nail-biter in the third round to third-seeded Florida after it defeated sixth-seeded UCLA in the second round.
Smith took over at Minnesota when the program was in the dumps. The season before he arrived, the Golden Gophers won just nine games and hadn't gotten out of the first round in the NCAA tournament in 15 seasons.
Smith's record in his six seasons with Minnesota was 124-81.
His teams have won conference championships 14 times, have made it to 17 NCAA tournaments and have never once finished a season with a sub-.500 winning percentage.
Players will want to play for Tubby, and the program will begin to attract more talent. Simply put, Smith is a winner, and the Red Raiders will instantly become a winning program with Smith at the helm.
Texas Tech Reportedly Hires Former Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith
Apr 1, 2013
Despite conflicting reports, the Texas Tech Red Raiders will reportedly hire NCAA championship-winning coach Tubby Smith as their new head coach.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reported on Monday that Smith and the Red Raiders agreed to terms on a contract, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.
And whilst that was originally disputed, Texas Tech Associate Athletics Director Blayne Beal confirmed later that the Red Raiders will hire Smith as the new head basketball coach in a news conference on Tuesday.
Texas Tech will hold a 2 pm news conference tomorrow to introduce Tubby Smith as head basketball coach.
UPDATE: Monday, April 1, at 6 p.m. ET by Tim Keeney
Texas Tech has yet to make anything official, but there is another report (this one from ESPN) that Smith and the Red Raiders have come to an agreement:
Tubby Smith has agreed to terms to become the next coach at Texas Tech, a source confirmed to ESPN.com's Jason King Monday.
The Associated Press had earlier reported that the school had agreed to terms Monday with Smith on a contract.
The school wouldn't confirm an agreement, releasing a statement that read: "There is currently not an agreement in place between Texas Tech and Tubby Smith to be the basketball coach."
---End of update---
UPDATE: Monday, April 1 at 3:50 p.m. ET by Matt Fitzgerald
Marcus R. Fuller of the Pioneer Press confirms that Smith and the Red Raiders have reached an agreement in principle:
Confirmed the Tubby Smith to Texas Tech agreement in principle. Good hire for the Red Raiders. We'll see who he has on his staff.
Smith was recently fired as coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers after a 14-point loss to the Florida Gators in the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament.
If he does get this gig, it will not have taken long for Smith to find work again. He would bring plenty of credibility and experience to the Red Raiders' program, which just endured an 11-20 season in 2012-13.
Smith won the 1998 NCAA championship as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, and then took the Minnesota job beginning in 2007.
Coincidentally, he will be taking over a Texas Tech program whose last full-time head coach was Billy Gillispie, who succeeded Smith in Lexington.
Gillispie resigned in September after a tumultuous one-year tenure, and the Red Raiders could not manage better than 3-15 in Big 12 conference play under interim coach Chris Walker, as Krawczynski pointed out.
In his six years with the Golden Gophers, Smith led the program to three NCAA tournament appearances and broke out of the round of 64 this season with a dominant, 20-point victory over UCLA.
Minnesota wound up 21-13 this past year, marking Smith's fifth 20-win season in the Twin Cities.
However, the Golden Gophers posted a record of 8-10 in Big Ten play, the nation's best conference in the regular season. Competing in the Big 12 should be slightly easier for Smith.
