Is Texas Tech a National Title Contender?

[Global Havok]

I think you'll find our defense is getting better and better. Keldon is tenacious both offensively and defensively. Good luck containing PJ. He's extremely good at finding open shooters when his shot is not available. I think we would handle TT. And with Travis, we're as physical as any team. UK is more than capable....

Johnson is overrated as a defender, IMO. I'll take Hagans (duh) and Herro both over him defensively without digging into stats. Maybe I'm biased because I expected more out of him due to his reputation though.

I agree with you though, I think we beat TT 7/10 times.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Johnson is overrated as a defender, IMO. I'll take Hagans (duh) and Herro both over him defensively without digging into stats. Maybe I'm biased because I expected more out of him due to his reputation though.

I agree with you though, I think we beat TT 7/10 times.

Johnson come in with high expectations. MKG was constantly brought up. He's shown flashes of brilliance, but also he's shown inexperience. If he guard his man, LSU GT probably wouldn't have happened. Not just that play, but I'm looking forward to when he locks in. He has all the tools, just gotta get his mind right.

E: Forgot to bring up 17 rebounds last game against Auburn.

 

[ExitFlagger]

Yeah, I didn't see your accurate post. Just the Duke dude's. I stand corrected. They are actually still #1 in both since Feb 3.

They are not #1 in both since Feb 1st which is what I checked. Which shows how mundane picking a random date in the middle season to prove a point is. It is easy to get hot for 5 games and make your stats look better when you don't include a 16 point loss from the night before your arbitrary time period. Using stats from the entire season tends to minimize the effect of such hot streaks. When you do that, their offense isn't even top 40. Which is why I, and many others, don't consider them to be major contenders for the title.

Teams do improve sometimes.

And it can’t be dismissed as a hot streak until it ends.

 

[BeerPoisoning]

Duke (full health) is the only time that rises above everyone else. Only 1 loss at full strength. Outside of Durham, it’s anyone’s race in the top 10 or 15. Yeah - some teams look better than others but nobody else is having a statement year in terms of dominance.

Gonzaga’s record is pretty damn clean but they haven’t played anyone even moderately noteworthy since December. Judging by pre-conference they’re just in the same category below Duke mentioned above.

 

[Global Havok]

Teams do improve sometimes.

And it can’t be dismissed as a hot streak until it ends.

I agree, it is possible. I'm sure there is no question that they have improved, I just don't think they have improved that much.

 

[TechFan88]

I dare to dream about it sometimes.

I don't worry about Beard leaving for UCLA. I don't think its a good fit. Texas fans want to hire him as well but they ran off Barnes and don't support their team.

Our offense has improved in this recent stretch. We made 16 three pointers vs KU. I don't care if we are playing Duke, Kentucky, etc if we score 48 points from 3 then I expect to win. We only lost to Duke by 11 when we made just 5. They are finally gelling after losing 5 major contributors off the Elite 8 squad from last year. They know their roles, how to play together, and are playing with confidence. Early guys were playing hesitant and just looking to Culver. If we can knock down shots we can make another deep tourney run.

I look forward to recruits picking us and more schools scheduling us.

 

[HRTheCard]

I dare to dream about it sometimes.

I don't worry about Beard leaving for UCLA. I don't think its a good fit. Texas fans want to hire him as well but they ran off Barnes and don't support their team.

Our offense has improved in this recent stretch. We made 16 three pointers vs KU. I don't care if we are playing Duke, Kentucky, etc if we score 48 points from 3 then I expect to win. We only lost to Duke by 11 when we made just 5. They are finally gelling after losing 5 major contributors off the Elite 8 squad from last year. They know their roles, how to play together, and are playing with confidence. Early guys were playing hesitant and just looking to Culver. If we can knock down shots we can make another deep tourney run.

I look forward to recruits picking us and more schools scheduling us.

Beard is a heckuva coach.

 

[TechFan88]

Beard is a heckuva coach.

Yes he is. I think its because he had to work his way up. I mean he used to drive the bus at some of his coaching stops. He seems to be a coaches coach.

I'm still a little mad that he was Big 12 Co-Coach of the year last year with Bill Self.

 

[viviajm]

What Chris Beard has done there is remarkable too. They made an Elite 8 last year and gave eventual national champions Villanova their toughest game of the tournament.

If I were UCLA's trustees, I'd write Beard a blank check to woo him over to Westwood.

They can't write a check big enough. It's home for he and his wife. Like Bill Self at KU it's his dream job.

 

[Clonewithasigh]

Iowa beats them by 15

Not a chance. Your guards would be completely shut down and Culver would eat up cook.

 

[hawkit3113]

Not a chance. Your guards would be completely shut down and Culver would eat up cook.

By 20 now

 

[oldsports_]

Yes