Listen Tech had its chances, and this will probably get taken down by the NCAA, but down two late in OT, this play turned the game.
This is a foul. In real speed it was a foul. In slow mo it was a foul.
Instead, a Tech turnover, and UVA went on a 6-0 run to close out the game.
Chris Beard couldn't help but tear up when asked to describe what he said to his players before they walked off the court.
What a coach, what a leader of men.
Here's a list of schools that this season made a bowl game in football, the Elite Eight in mbb, and the College World Series in baseball:
Texas Tech
That's the whole list. Heck of a school year for Red Raider Athletics.
Chris Beard with just a next level quote on SVP tonight when asked about him going to his first Final Four compared to Tom Izzo's eighth.
"I've been to like 24 Final Fours, I was drinking draft beer in the lobbies....but I've been to the Final Four."
Vanilla Ice performs "Ice, Ice, Baby" at halftime of the Texas Tech Basketball game. The Red Raiders then outscore Iowa State by 14 in the second half.
Coincidence? I think not.
Most Power 5 Basketball wins the past two seasons
1.) UVA (66 wins)
2.) Michigan (63 wins)
3.) Michigan State (62 wins)
4.) Duke (61 wins)
5.) Texas Tech (58 wins)
Chris Beard got emotional postgame when talking about this season's Red Raider basketball team following Texas Tech's second round loss against Arkansas.
"These guys, they made our city so proud...I love those guys in that locker room."
Former Red Raider Basketball player Andrew Sorrells, who was a member of the National Championship game team, gave his thoughts on Chris Beard leaving for Texas.
"Texas Tech has always had a chip on its shoulder, and I think that chip just got a lot bigger."
By punching its ticket to Omaha, Texas Tech becomes the ninth school ever to go to the Final Four and College World Series in the same year joining:
Louisville (2013)
UNC (2009, 2008)
Texas (2003)
Kansas (1993)
LSU (1986)
UCLA (1969)
Houston (1967)
Oklahoma A&M (1949)
Dave Aranda mentioned today that six or seven scouts at Pro Day told him that Baylor was the only place, along with Cincinnati, where they saw a whole team come out and support the guys that were taking part in it.
You wonder why guys wanna play for Chris Beard?
This moment in the second half is a perfect example...Kyler Edwards a big three-pointer to put Tech up double digits and then receives the bear(d) hug as he heads back over to the bench...as good as it gets right there.
So Matt Wells had some thoughts on the illegal snap that took away a fumble recovery in the first OT, said he didn't get much of an explanation from the officials.
When asked if he thought it wasn't an illegal snap, he said "Absolutely, I just watched the replay on two phones."
Cool moment after the game, as nearly the entire Baylor roster surrounded
@cj1rogers
, who transferred to Texas State this summer, to show some love to their former teammate
Oklahoma State Mike Boynton had some really high praise for the Texas Tech basketball program postgame.
"What Chris Beard has done here in three years now is beyond phenomenal."
The entire collective Baylor/Kentucky fan and media base frantically tracking private planes and staking out airports all while Scott Drew snacks on the free pre meal chips and salsa at a Mom-And-Pop restaurant in Waco is the most Scott Drew storyline I've ever seen.
Mark Adams just confirmed that on top of Kyler Edwards and Kevin McCullar, all four players who showed up to the presser (Santos-Silva, Nadolny, Agbo and Benson) are all coming back for next season.
Tim Tadlock got emotional postgame when addressing the crowd that showed up this morning for Texas Tech's game against UCONN.
"That's gotta be the best baseball crowd in the country on a Monday morning. Who else can get that type of atmosphere at 10 am on a Monday morning?"
Mark Adams on Chris Beard trying to bring him to Austin with him:
"He wanted to give me a middle seat and wanted me to wear orange, and I didn't want to do either of those things."
Chris Beard ends 2020-21 with 9 NCAA Tourney wins @ Tech in 4 years (that a tourney happened)
How rare is that? Well, it took
Izzo 5 years @ MSU
Barnes 6 years @ Texas
Coach K 7 years @ Duke
Few 7 years @ Gonzaga
Wright 8 years @ Nova
Calhoun 9 years @ UCONN
to reach that mark
Three former Red Raiders combined for 39 points today in Vegas.
If you missed any of their performances, here's a supercut to help you catch up on a stellar Summer League Saturday for Texas Tech Basketball.
For those curious when it comes to most NCAA Tournament wins the past two seasons in all of D1 it goes as follows:
1.) Texas Tech (8 wins)
T2.) Michigan (7 wins)
T2.) Villanova (7 wins)
T4.) Duke (6 wins)
T4.) Virginia (6 wins)
At the end of his signing ceremony today,
@TaureanYork5x
got emotional as he discussed his journey to get to this point.
"It was the hardest four years of my life."
Chris Beard started his post Utah State game presser with a special shoutout to Joe Lunardi, after he picked the Aggies to upset Texas Tech in his bracket 😬
Following his last game at Baylor, Dillon Doyle spoke about his time as a Bear.
"I wanted to commit to a place where I was proud to go back and visit. I'm proud to go back and visit Baylor. I'm just so thankful for everybody in Waco. Baylor means the world to me."
Important update for Tech students this basketball season...
Chris Beard says if you're a student and you show up to the first four home games (EIU, Bethune-Cookman, Tennessee State, LIU) and the first conference game (OSU) you'll be 100% guaranteed a seat for the Kentucky game.
Apparently when an athletic program
Shares the 2nd longest current FBS bowl drought
Hasn't been to an NCAA Basketball Tournament in 23 years
And has the same amount of NCAA Tournament wins as Tech has CWS appearances
They have to recycle jokes to feel superior in some way 🤷♂️
For those interested in an update, the only two schools to win a game in the Final Four and College World Series in the same year are:
Texas Tech (2019)
North Carolina (2009)
Red Raiders joining an elite group with the win over Arkansas.
By punching its ticket to Omaha, Texas Tech becomes the ninth school ever to go to the Final Four and College World Series in the same year joining:
Louisville (2013)
UNC (2009, 2008)
Texas (2003)
Kansas (1993)
LSU (1986)
UCLA (1969)
Houston (1967)
Oklahoma A&M (1949)
Best moment of the postgame presser was Dave Aranda reminding Abram Smith and Terrel Bernard to take their name plates from the press conference.
Gotta appreciate all the little things.
Chris Beard's summation of tonight's loss to Baylor....
"When you don't (win close games) people are looking at you like somebody died. Nobody died, we just lost to the number four team by five points."
After the game, Des Smith immediately found fellow Midland/Odessa native McLane Mannix and consoled him after Mannix's fumble on the final Texas Tech drive.
Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Wells and Wes Welker were all present today at Tommy McVay's memorial service to share stories about the Red Raider Football legend.
Many people dream of getting to relive their college days.
Scott Drew got to do that today for a half as he joined the Baylor Basketball student section.
And it seems like he had just a little bit of fun doing so.
On one of the biggest stages in college basketball.
Without its leading scorer.
Texas Tech handed Louisville its worst regular season non-conference loss in almost two years.
Jahmi'us Ramsey put on a show offensively today in Texas Tech's 96-66 win over LIU.
With 27 points, he tied Jordan Tolbert for the fourth most points in a game ever by a Red Raider freshman.
In three seasons at Texas Tech, Davide Moretti finished...
- 8th in career 3-pointers made and percentage (165 and 39.7%)
- 1st in career and single season free throw percentage (92.4% in 2018-19, 90.6% for career)
Ended up just 31 points short of 1,000 for his career.
During this current four game losing streak, Kliff has received and accepted the blame for the product on the field.
When asked about that situation, Eli Howard had this to say.
Listen I get this is an extremely disappointing loss to end an extremely disappointing season, and feel free to disagree all you want, but I'll stand by this take...
Texas Tech should not fire Kliff Kingsbury.
Dave Aranda with an all-time quote tonight about his experience calling plays again.
"I was angry a lot...It's like you're a fighter pilot and you've got this jet but there's people that want to kill you. You get to fly it, but you don't want to die. I feel that all the time."
With the win, Texas Tech (7th) becomes the lowest ranked team in the history of the Big 12 preseason poll to win any part of the regular season basketball title.
We asked Justin Gray what he thought his former Red Raider teammate Jarrett Culver said to Robin Lopez after putting him on a poster last night....
"He probably said something like, 'I'm going to pray for you' or something like 'God Bless' or something like that."
Kirby Hocutt shared the story of his first face-to-face meeting with Chris Beard during Texas Tech's coaching search back in 2016 and it is an absolutely incredible tale that's worth the listen.
Just over an hour after turning down interest from the University of Kentucky, Scott Drew made his return to the Ferrell Center to rejoin his coaching staff and players at Baylor.
Chris Beard announces that if the football team goes undefeated at home during the 2019 season, he'll buy put a block on Broadway and throw a party for the entire Texas Tech student body on his dime.
We already know Chris Beard's passions include basketball, Whataburger, country music and talking by fireplaces.
Now add to the list.....the Soarin' ride at Disneyland.
In the postgame locker room, Baylor senior Jalen Bridges called this team "probably my favorite team I've ever played on at any level."
"My number one best decision was coming back to school. My second best decision in my life was probably transferring to Baylor."
Still thinking about the emotion in Kirby Hocutt's demeanor today when talking about Kliff Kingsbury. As Tech turns the page to a new coach, you can debate whatever you want about his on-field performance, but man he had an impact on those he interacted with on a daily basis
Cool moment from yesterday as Jarrett Culver took some time to shout out Lubbock and Texas Tech during his Minnesota Timberwolves introductory press conference.
After a last-second loss to Brock in the State Quarterfinals, Shallowater Head Coach Bryan Wood took the time to thank his team for the effort they showed.
Postgame, Scott Drew gave his public support for
@CoachJTang
for National Coach of the Year.
"Coach Tang should be National Coach of the Year, period...He'll get my vote, and that's not because he's my brother. He's earned it."
🎥:
@caroline_soro
Play this moment of seven foot point guard Russel Tchewa putting the ball on the floor and getting the and-one at every Texas Tech athletic event for the next decade.