SB Nation - Trevor Cook

Texas Tech Basketball Preview :: Depth Charts and Looking Ahead to 2010 and 2011

Seth C — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:29 -0000

Texas Tech's Mike Singletary celebrates Texas Tech's 88-83 win over Texas A&M during an NCAA college basketball game at the Big 12 men's tournament in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Singletary scored 43 points. Via cache.daylife.com

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With the football bye week, DTN is taking this opportunity to look at the men's basketball team. Earlier this week, DTN took a look at the preseason storylines and preseason team MVP's and today, DTN takes a look at the depth chart and the 2010 and 2011 recruiting classes.

Preseason Depth Chart

Point Guard	Shooting Guard	Small Forward	Power Forward	Center
John Roberson (5-11/165; JR)	Nick Okorie (6-1/195; SR)	Mike Singletary (6-6/217)	Brad Reese (6-6/189; JR)	Robert Lewandowski (6-10/240; SO)
Mike Davis (6-2/185; FR)	David Tairu (6-3/180; JR)	Theron Jenkins (6-6/211; JR)	D'Walyn Roberts (6-7/200; JR)	Darko Cohadarevic (6-9/242; SR)
	Wally Dunn (6-4/194; JR)	Jaye Crockett (6-6/186; FR)	Corbin Ray (6-7/225; SO)
			Trevor Cook (6-9/241; SR)

This is an extremely rough estimation of where I could see things shaping up this year. Guessing as to a depth chart is a somewhat risky proposition because there are so many players that could flip-flop between positions and there are a number of players that fit a 6-5 to 6-7 range and could play multiple positions. I still think that at the end of this process, Pat Knight will play the players who play defense first, or at least that's my hope.

Follow me after the jump for a look at each position as well as a look at the 2010 and 2011 recruiting classes and the JUCO conundrum.

Positions:

Point Guard: The problem with this team is that the one true point guard is actually Roberson and I'm not sure if Pat Knight would agree with me, but Davis shouldn't play very much, especially when you have guys that can swing from shooting guard to point guard in Okorie and Tairu. If Davis play, it should be primarily in a backup role on a very limited basis. I do think that Davis is a guy that will push the ball and is a true threat to get to the rim. I like his upside (I like everyone's upside), but he shouldn't see a bunch of time.

Shooting Guard: This is where things get a bit sticky. I think Okorie and Tairu are essentially replacable players in that I think they'll do the same thing, but differently. Okorie represents an upgrade in athleticism at the shooting guard over Voskuil from last year and I think that Okorie can fill those scoring shoes, although his biggest problem is that he doesn't have the true shooting guard height, but in today's 3-guard offense, that's not a huge concern. Tairu and Okorie were backcourt mates at South Plains College and I think they work well together. Tairu is supposed to be more defensive minded, although he can certainly score.

Small Forward: This is where the logjam begins. Singletary and Jenkins are similar players from a physical standpoing, although I'd guess that Singletary has an edge on Jenkins based on his previous work on the Big 12. This team is littered with 6-5 to 6-7 small forward types and if Jenkins doesn't get time at the small forward spot I'm not sure he sees much time at all. Crockett is a project and I'd love to see him redshirt this year. He was a great scorer for his New Mexico squad and supposedly he is still growing. Let him take a year to learn and get bigger.

Power Forward: Again, mid-ranged athletes and I'm struggling to find the minutes. The only other solution would be if the centers didn't get all of the time at center and PK goes with a relatively small lineup. That really hurts from a rebounding perspective, but we'll see. In any event, I think Reese plays the power forward position in name only. He's truly a small forward, but I get the impression that he's more well-rounded than Jenkins and he's not afraid to mix it up offensively or defensively. Roberts continues to be a player that has all of the talent in the world, but has just never been consistent enough to get consistent minutes. He has all of the tools, except for a few extra pounds, to be a tremendous forward in the collegiate level. I'd love it if Roberts developed a low-post game over the summer. Ray is another combo forward and he has the bult to play power forward against most collegiate power forward, but I do worry a bit about his quickness. The one thing that I was impressed with Ray was his athleticism and shooting touch. Pretty nice for a forward. Cook gets on the list here simply because I still have questions about Cook's back, which kept him out all last year. Until I see him on the floor this year, I'm not going to count on him.

Center: I'll fully admit that Darko had a very rough first year on the college level. There were times that he couldn't his the backboard on shots, he worked hard, but was a liability defensively, and sometimes made really bad decisions on the floor. I've been praying, every night, that Darko has turned the corner. PK needs a big guy inside to go along with Lew and if Darko can give PK 10 to 15 minutes a night of good solid basketball, I'll be happy. I mentioned earlier in the week that I'd really look for Lew to make a jump in terms of his ability to contribute at the Big 12 level. He has good size, good mobility and a tremendous attitude. I think Lew wore down a bit as the season progressed, but he gave PK very solid minutes at the center position as a true freshman. Expect big things from Lew.

2010 Commits:

Player	School	Ht/Wt	Rivals	ESPN	Scout
Paul Cooper	Gulf Coast JUCO	6-8/260	-	-	1
Javarez Willis	Pinkston HS	5-11/170	-	82	1
James Outler	Bellaire HS	6-4/180	3	87	2

I think this class is essentially finished. There are 3 seniors on this year's team: Darko Cohadarevic, Trevor Cook and Nick Okorie. I'll have more on this below, but getting Cooper, a big man who apparently rebounds, is going to be big for PK because there's very little frontcourt depth behind Lew. Willis is spending the year at a prep school after failing to qualify from high school and having a guy that is a year more mature is an advantage for the Red Raiders. James Outler is a true shooting guard with athleticism, something that Texas Tech has not had in quite some time (I'm calling both Okorie and Tairu combination guards, not true shooting guards).

2011 Commits:

Player	School	Ht/Wt	Rivals	ESPN	Scout
Kevin Wagner	Estacado HS	5-8/145	-	40	1

This is about a good start to a class that I can envision. I'm very excited that PK was able to get a local player to commit to his program, and not only is it great that Wagner is local, but he's immensely talented. The 2011 class is going to be one of the bigger of the Pat Knight era because there are currently 7 juniors on this team, which means there should be 7 scholarships available (although I seem to recall something about a limit to the number of scholarships given out in a 2 year period). In any event, there will be plenty of holes to fill in this class, but the nice part is that all of the freshman from the 2009, 2010 and probably JUCO's of the 2011 class, will be more than ready to contribute to this team.

JUCO Conundrum:

I'm right there with you guys in terms of the issue as to how appropriate it is to sign JUCO players versus high school players. I've always thought that there's a balance that a coach has to weigh, which is winning quickly to satisfy a fanbase versus taking the time to build the program. Most coaches, Pat Knight included, tries to do both. I have no idea how long PK has on his contract and I'm guessing that if the losing continues, his leash may not be very long, which means that I can understand why he would go the JUCO route. If Knight goes only the high school route, then he could go through a period of really bad teams before making that eventual jump.

I have no doubt that Knight feels the pressure to win now, which is why I think you see an influx of JUCO players on this year's squad. He needs to show improvement and that he can get the job done. Quite a bit hinges on his 2009 recruiting class and their ability to contribute immediately. If you want to use a footblal analogy, Leach has utilized the JUCO player more often than not, especially to help build his program. It is a risky move, but it can pay off some times (McKinner Dixon of 2008 was unbelievable, but couldn't keep it together to play in 2009 vs. Daniel Howard and Brandon Sharpe, who have both been tremendous players and people for the football program).

We all need to watch the 2011 recruiting class and if there are 7 spots available, the ratio of JUCO players to high school players should tell us quite a bit about where Knight believes the program is. If PK is signing 1 JUCO player for every 2 high school players, like the 2010 class, then I'm okay with that. But if the ratio is more 1:1 then I think there's real concern about where things are going and his long-term strategy.

BtB 2009-10 Big 12 Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:10:30 -0000

With six NCAA entrants, all of whom won at least a game in the Tournament, with two reaching the Elite Eight, the Big 12 had a pretty good 2008-09 season.

Thanks to some returning star power and some high-profile recruits, 2009-10 could be a banner year for the conference.

Sure the Griffin brothers left Oklahoma, but Willie Warren is ready to turn into a star. Chinemelu Elonu may have shocked everyone by going to the NBA, but Bryan Davis could be a more than capable replacement at Texas A&M. Their archrivals, Texas, lost J.J. Abrams, but Damion James is back, and he'll be joined by McDonald's All-American Avery Bradley and the highly-touted Jordan Hamilton.

And then there's Kansas, where Cole Alrdich and Sherron Collins decided to return, the Henry brothers are now on board, and a star recruit named Elijah Johnson may struggle to see the floor.

But that's just the start of what should be a very exciting year in the Big 12. This year's league should be similar to the Big Ten in that while the bottom teams--three in the case of the XII--don't stand much of a chance at all, the remainder of the squads all have somewhat legitimate NCAA hopes. More on each team's specific chances after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Big 12 standings.

Big Twelve Conference Standings

(updated 4.2.2009 at 10:13 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Kansas Jayhawks	14	2	27	8
Oklahoma Sooners	13	3	30	6
Missouri Tigers	12	4	31	7
Texas A&M Aggies	9	7	24	10
Texas Longhorns	9	7	23	12
Oklahoma St. Cowboys	9	7	23	12
Kansas St. Wildcats	9	7	22	12
Nebraska Cornhuskers	8	8	18	13
Baylor Bears	5	11	24	15
Iowa St. Cyclones	4	12	15	17
Texas Tech Red Raiders	3	13	14	19
Colorado Buffaloes	1	15	9	22

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team's name appears in red, click the link to visit the school's SBN site for further analysis throughout the season. You can also visit Big 12 Hoops for more info and analysis.

Colorado (last NCAA: 2003) During the offseason, Jeff Bzdelik talked to the Minnesota Timberwolves about a coaching role but ultimately remained in Boulder, where he's won less than one-third of the games he's coached. This year may not be much better. The backcourt will be the Buffaloes strength, as Cory Higgins averaged over 17 points and nearly 3 assists a game, Dwight Thorne III was the team's only other player to average in double-digits (12 ppg), and Australian point guard Nate Tomlinson had a solid freshman campaign (7.4 ppg, 3 apg). The returning frontcourt players don't offer much in terms of anything, as last year's Big 12 rebounding and defensive statistics will tell you, but another Aussie, 6-11 C Shane Harris-Tunks, and 6-7 JC transfer Marcus Relphorde may be the prescription for those woes. The Buffs travel to Maui this year, where they seem destined for the consolation bracket, as they open with Gonzaga.

Nebraska (last NCAA: 1998) The Huskers had a respectable season last time around, finishing at .500 in the Big 12 and earning an NIT invitation. Neither of those results is likely for Doc Sadler's club this year, as he lost four key players from that team, including leading scorers Ade Dagunduro (12.8 ppg) and Steve Harley (10.8 ppg). Point guard Cookie Miller (7.3 ppg, 3.6 apg) transferred to Miami (OH), leaving another hole. Guards Sek Henry (8 ppg) and Ryan Anderson (7.1 ppg) lead the returnees, who are joined by a busload of newcomers. The theme of the class is size. 6-11 Puerto Rican C Brian Diaz will play after a redshirt year, and he'll be joined by two German big men, 6-11 Christopher Niemann and 6-8 Christian Standhardinger. Sadler even picked up 6-8 Quincy Hankins-Cole from the JC ranks. He's joined by his Polk State College (FL) teammate, G Lance Jeter, who is expected to bring a new dimension to the backcourt. NU will play Tulsa in the Las Vegas Classic in December, then either Nevada or BYU.

Texas Tech (last NCAA: 2007) The Red Raiders won only 3 Big 12 games last year, and Pat Knight will be counting on five new arrivals, including three JC transfers, to help improve that total. Leading scorer John Roberson is back to lead the offense. Roberson averaged nearly 14 points and more than 6 assists a game last year, so he's a pretty good building block. Senior Nick Okorie averaged 11.3 points a contest, so the starting backcourt is pretty well set. Knight may even go to a three-guard set, as JC transfer David Tairu, a former teammate of Okorie, is expected to boost the Double-T's defense. Frosh Nick Davis could be a bench scoring threat, especially outside, where the graduated Alan Voskuil will be missed. In the frontcourt, Mike Singletary (12.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Trevor Cook (7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), and C Robert Lewandowski (6.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg) are all serviceable players. Two 6-6 JC transfers, Brad Reese and Theron Jenkins, will be expected to contribute immediately; however, as they give Knight some flexibility the current forwards don't offer. The Red Raiders will host the Duel in the Desert, a four-team round-robin tournament, where Oregon State figures to be their main opposition for the crown.

Baylor (last NCAA: 2008) The Bears had high hopes last year, and a 15-3 start, featuring a run to the 76 Classic final seemed to justify them. Then, the wheels came off completely. Baylor then dropped 10 of their next 12, a run that started with a six-game Big 12 losing streak. They nearly stole the league's auto bid, but fell to Missouri in the Big 12 final. Scott Drew's team then built on that momentum and reached the NIT final, which they lost to Penn State. Now Baylor will have to attempt to be more consistent without three of last year's prominent performers. Point guard Curtis Jerrells (16.3 ppg, 4,9 apg), the team's heart and soul is gone. So are F Kevin Rogers (12.76 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and guard Henry Dugat (9.4 ppg). Drew has a strong backcourt, even without Jerrells, as LaceDarius Dunn (15.7 ppg) and Tweety Carter (10.6 ppg) can both score, and Carter can do a decent job running the point (3.2 ppg). Expect freshman A.J. Walton to see some time running the offense as well. The arrival of Mark McLaughlin and Nolan Dennis means the Bears will be set at shooting guard for the next four years. Meanwhile, the frontcourt will be bolstered by 6-10 Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh, who will be supported by returnees Quincy Acy, Josh Lomers, Anthony Jones, and Fred Ellis, none of whom averaged more than 5.4 a contest last year. Baylor plays in another tournament near a Disney park this year, featuring in the Old Spice Classic in Florida, where they'll open with Alabama.

Iowa State (last NCAA: 2005) Greg McDermott hasn't had much luck in his three seasons in Ames, but he must have felt like he found a four-leaf clover and horseshoe while a shooting star flew overhead when Craig Brackins announced he was foregoing NBA millions for at least one more season. Brackins very nearly averaged a double-double last year, scoring more than 20 a game and grabbing nearly 10 boards. While the Cyclones may not have enough besides him to challenge for a conference crown, his return makes them a serious postseason threat. ISU's biggest issue is scoring, as they ranked 10th in the league last year in offensive output, and Brackins was the only player to average in double-figures. Expect the two starting guards, Diante Garrett, who very nearly averaged 10 a game, and Lucca Staiger (8.2 ppg) to step up. 6-11 Canadian Jamie Vanderbeken (5.5 ppg) should also benefit from the attention opposition defenses will pay to Brackins. McDermott also has high hopes for his two JC transfers, 6-9 F LaRon Dendy and 6-6 Marquis Gilstrap. The Cyclones will play in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, facing St. Louis in the semifinal, then either Northwestern or Notre Dame.

Missouri (last NCAA: 2009) Considering that he was losing three starters to graduation, including his two leading scorers and rebounders, you couldn't have really blamed Mike Anderson if he left Columbia after reaching last year's West Regional final. Yet, Anderson spurned the advances of numerous suitors to stay at Mizzou. Now he has to figure out how to get more out of the many returnees on the roster, none of whom matched the contributions of the departed DeMarre Carroll (16.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Les Lyons (14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), or Matt Lawrence (9.2 ppg). The Tigers two leading returning scorers and rebounders are both in the backcourt, J.T. Tiller (8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Zaire Taylor (6.7 ppg, 3 rpg). Both also averaged more than 3 assists per game, so Anderson can rest assured that his offense will be run well. Missouri's Mr. Basketball from last year, Mike Dixon, Jr., is the point guard of the future. 6-6 Kim English averaged 6.5 points in only about 14 minutes per contest, so his numbers should increase significantly with more action, especially if he continues to shoot well from the perimeter. The frontcourt is a major concern, however, as none of the returnees even cracked 4 ppg or 3 rpg last year. Junior Justin Stafford did average 3.4 points in 9-plus minutes of action, so he could turn into a consistent performer. The fact 6-10 freshman Keith Dewitt couldn't get eligible for this season was a major blow to MU. The Tigers will play in the South Padre Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend, opening with CAA contender Old Dominion, then facing either Mississippi State or Richmond.

Oklahoma State (last NCAA: 2009) I saw the Cowboys drop two of three at the Old Spice Classic last year, and not look terribly good doing it. (They managed to beat Siena in the 7th/8th place game that was delayed by a leaky roof caused by a freak November thunderstorm.) In the end, Travis Ford's squad improved enough to win 9 league games, beat Tennessee in the NCAA tournament, and scare Pittsburgh in round two. This time around, Ford will have to run his four-guard offense without two key cogs, as point guard Byron Eaton (14.3 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 2.2 spg) and Terrel Harris (13.9 ppg, 1.7 spg) graduated. Swingman James Anderson (18.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), a challenger for all-Big 12 honors, is back, as is Obi Muonelo (12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Keiton Page (8.6 ppg), a sharpshooter who's 5-10 on a very good day, will see more action this time around. Eaton's spot at the point will probably be filled by a freshman--most likely Ray Penn. 6-6 Marshall Moses (7 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is the only frontcourt player to see significant time last year, so Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim will be asked to contribute immediately. The Cowboys will play in the Thanksgiving Las Vegas Invitational. Bradley will be their first opponent, followed by either Illinois or Utah.

Texas A&M (last NCAA: 2009) The Aggies easily knocked BYU out of the tournament for the second year in a row, part of one of the dreariest NCAA sessions I've ever experienced. Somehow, the Aggies are one of only six schools to win an NCAA game in each of the past four seasons, but that's a streak they may have trouble extending without C Chinemelu Elonu, who decided to go to the NBA, despite only averaging 9.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg, and swingman Josh Carter (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg). The good news for Mark Turgeon is that just about everyone else is back, led by 6-9 Bryan Davis (10.8 ppg, 6.5 apg), who should move over to the center spot., and point guard Donald Sloan (11.8 ppg, 3.2 apg). With sophomore Dash Harris averaging 2 assists per game, while seeing only 13 minutes a contest, Turgeon could even move Sloan off the point to give himself another scoring option. 6-7 freshman Khris Middleton could be a replacement for Carter. The fact that 6-9 Kourtney Roberson won't be eligible for the Aggies is a major blow to a thin frontcourt, however. A&M will have a good idea of how they'll fare nationally after their three games in Anaheim at the 76 Classic, where they open with Clemson.

Kansas State (last NCAA: 2008) The Wildcats lost four contributors after last season, most prominently F Darren Kent (9 ppg, 5.8 ppg). but hopes are high in Manhattan. The starting backcourt is highly-regarded, in a league full of highly-regarded backcourt performers. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen are the team's two leading scorers, averaging 15 and nearly 14 points per contest respectively, but both were equally adept at dishing the ball to their teammates, combining to average nearly 7 dimes a game. But the depth of the backcourt will be tested after Buchi Awaji and Fred Brown both left the program. Incoming freshmen Martavious Irving and Nick Russell will be expected to replace them. Frank Martin also expects big things from two other newcomers in the frontcourt, 6-9 F Wally Judge, another highly-touted recruit from the DC area and 6-8 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly. They'll join a unit led by returnees Jamar Samuels (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Dominique Sutton (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Martin will hope his team will gel enough for the Puerto Rico Tip-off, where the Wildcats open with Boston University.

Oklahoma (last NCAA: 2009) Look for the Sooners to play a completely different style this year, without Blake and Taylor Griffin manning the frontcourt. The Willie Warren-led (14.6 ppg, 3.2 apg) backcourt will be the focus this time around. Warren will have to take on more of a leadership role now that Blake Griffin and point guard Austin Johnson (8.6 ppg, 3.9 apg) is gone. Expect him to not spend as much time on the perimeter this season. Tony Crocker (9.6 ppg) and Cade Davis (4.7 ppg) will be expected to take on more of the scoring load as well. In the frontcourt, Orlando Allen and Ryan Wright averaged under 2 points a contest each in very limited action, so who knows if they can adequately fill in for the Griffins. 6-9 300 pound freshman Keith "Tiny" Gallon, a big man who can shoot the ball well will see a lot of action. The Sooners head north for Thanskgiving, where Jeff Capel's men will face at least San Diego and Houston in a six-team Great Alaska Shootout field.

Texas (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Barnes has few question marks this year. Unlike the Sooners, his frontcourt is pretty well set, thanks to the return of 6-7 swingman Damion James (15.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg). James will again team up with 6-6 Gary Johnson (10 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and 6-10 Dexter Pittman (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form one of the most formidable frontcourts in the college game. While Texas has three returning guards who saw significant time last season, their roles will undoubtedly diminish because of three newcomers. 5-9 junior Jai Lucas will be eligible after sitting out last year after transferring from Florida. He'll run the offense. Lucas will be joined by two highly-regarded freshmen, 6-3 Avery Bradley and 6-7 swingman Jordan Hamilton, both of whom should challenge for more than just All-Freshman honors. The Longhorns will get to showcase their old and new talent at the CBE Classic in Kansas City, where tjhey should make the final, as they face rebuilding Iowa in the semifinals. Pittsburgh or Wichita State awaits them on night two.

Kansas (last NCAA: 2009) The Jayhawks fell five points short of a regional final appearance last year, but this time around such a result would be considered a major disappointment, when you consider all that Bill Self has coming back and coming in. Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5 apg) and Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg) will obviously lead the way, but the Morris brothers, Marcus (7.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Markieff (4.6 ppg. 4.4 rpg) should be better in their second go-round, as should Tyshawn Taylor, who nearly averaged 10 points a contest. 6-6 Xavier Henry, one of the top recruits in the country, will provide even more scoring punch to the backcourt. His brother C.J, a Memphis transfer, even came along for the ride. Another transfer, Jeff Withey, got to practice against Aldrich last year, so the 7-footer who left Arizona could turn into another force inside. In the early season, the Jayhawks will be tested by games against Memphis (in St. Louis), La Salle (in Kansas City); at UCLA, Temple, and Tennessee, and in Lawrence against California and Michigan.

As the Jayhawks are virtually everyone's preseason number 1, they'll hold the Big 12 auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. The conference should have a big presence in this year's tournament, so check back in then to see how many at-large bids I'm predicting at the start of the year.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big 12 team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Player of the Year: Sherron Collins, 5-11 G, Sr. (Kansas)

Remainder of the Team
Cole Aldrich, 6-11 C, Jr. (Kansas)
Craig Brackins, 6-10 C, Jr. (Iowa State)
Damion James, 6-7 F, Sr. (Texas)
Willie Warren, 6-4 G, So. (Oklahoma)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big 12 this season?

Baylor

4 votes

Colorado

1 votes

Iowa State

2 votes

Kansas

31 votes

Kansas State

2 votes

Missouri

12 votes

Nebraska

1 votes

Oklahoma

3 votes

Oklahoma State

2 votes

Texas

74 votes

Texas A&M

3 votes

Texas Tech

1 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

KNOW THY ENEMY: Texas Tech Red Raiders

BracketCat — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:27 -0000

Are you still pissed off about Saturday night?

Well, have no fear, because the football team shall be avenged on the hardwood.

Click the jump for a preview of a basketball team with some of the laziest-looking media photos you ever will see, and one whose season prospects don't look so hot...

The Coach

Pat Knight
Third Season (sort of*)

18-26 (7-19)

Knight begins his second full season as the Texas Tech head coach and his ninth season on the Red Raider basketball court.

As a collegiate player and nearly nine seasons as an assistant coach, he was on the sidelines as a player or a coach for 308 of Bob Knight's 902 career wins.

*Knight became the head coach following the 20th game of the 2007-2008 season.

The Departures

Starters

Michael Prince (15.6 minutes per game, 3.8 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game)
Alan Voskuil (35.7 minutes per game, 14.1 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game)

Reserves

Rogdrick Craig (6.7 minutes per game, 2.6 points per game, 0.8 rebound per game)
Tyree Graham (14.3 minutes per game, 3.9 points per game, 1.7 rebounds per game)
Esmir Rizvic (10 minutes per game, 1.3 points per game, 1.6 rebound per game)
Damir Suljagic (8.8 minutes per game, 2.4 points per game, 1.5 rebound per game)

The Veterans

		#4 Corbin Ray Sophomore Forward 6-7 \| 225 Katy, Texas Ray saw his first action as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis, in which he played seven minutes, scored two points and grabbed three rebounds. He played in 17 games during the season, started against Sam Houston State, averaged 5.7 minutes per game and 1.6 points per game for the season, played 14 minutes in the home game against Texas A&M, had a season-high five rebounds over East Central University, and had his best showing in the win over New Mexico, in which he played 10 minutes and scored 10 points, was 4 of 6 from the field, and canned two 3-pointers.

		#5 D'walyn Roberts Junior Forward 6-7 \| 200 Dallas, Texas Roberts started the first 19 games for the Red Raiders; played in each game during the season and had 21 starts; averaged 16.5 minutes per game, four points per game, and 3.6 rebounds per game; played 20+ minutes in 13 contests; played 35 minutes at Lamar, made 7 of 8 field goal attempts, and recorded his season-high of 14 points; scored in double figures in six games; was perfect from the free-throw line six times for a combined 13-for-13; registered a double-double in the win over Stephen F. Austin, with 11 points and 11 rebounds; was second on the squad with 21 blocks for the season; and shot .545 from the field for the season.

		#10 Wally Dunn Junior Guard 6-4 \| 194 Midland, Texas Dunn saw his first action as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis, in which he played eight minutes, had a rebound and scored 5 points. He played in 14 games during the season as a walk-on, played a season high of 12 minutes against East Central University, scored 16 points on 6 of 8 field-goal attempts and 4 of 5 3-pointers, shot .588 from the field and made .500 of his 3-point attempts, and had no turnovers for the season. Dunn graduated from Midland College, where the Chaparrals were the 2007 NJCAA National Champions. He was a redshirt his freshman season. The team garnered conference championship honors in 2007-2008, and he played in 32 games as a sophomore and averaged 4.3 points per game.

		#15 Robert Lewandowski Sophomore Forward 6-10 \| 240 Overland Park, Kan. The freshman from Blue Valley West High Sschool played and scored in the first game of the season against St. Francis. Lewandowski scored two points, made a block, and had three rebounds in his eight minutes on the court. He played in 32 games for the season and started 19 times; averaged over 15 minutes per game and played 20+ minutes in 13 contests; averaged 6.6 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game for the year; shot .581 from the field for the season; scored in double figures 10 times, with 8 of those games during conference play; recorded his season-best of 20 points at Texas A&M, when he made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and had four rebounds in the game; had a double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) at Oklahoma State; grabbed 5+ rebounds in 10 games; and led the squad with 23 blocks.

		#21 John Roberson Junior Guard 5-11 \| 165 Plano, Texas Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2009) U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District 7 (2009) Roberson and Alan Voskuil were the only players on the 2008-2009 squad to start each game during the season. He was the leading scorer on the team, with 13.9 points per game, and second on the team with 35 steals for the year. Roberson's 212 assists top the previous single-season mark of 182 assists, set by Jason Martin during the 1995-1996 season. He was the assist leader for the Big 12. His 13 assists at Texas A&M were one shy of Stan Bonewitz's single-game record of 14 assists, set against Fresno State in the 1996-1997 season. Roberson's 6.4 assists per game for the season now are the best among all Red Raiders. His 71 3-pointers rank eighth among all Red Raiders in a single season. His 201 3-point attempts equal Bonewitz's mark in the 1997-1998 season and are fourth on the all-time single-season list. Roberson's 35.2 minutes per game were second on the squad. He played 40 minutes in five games; was second on the squad in free-throw percentage (.829), making 97 of 117 attempts; was perfect from the line in 15 games, totaling 58 for 58; averaged 3.5 rebounds per game and had at least five rebounds in six games; established a career high of eight rebounds at Iowa State; had a double-double performance at Texas A&M, with 13 assists and 20 points; and scored 20+ points in five games. Roberson's 33 points at UTEP were a career-best and made him the 36th Red Raider to score 30 or more points in a game, earning him All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and USBWA All-District 7 honors.

		#23 Nick Okorie Senior Guard 6-1 \| 195 Houston, Texas Okorie started his career as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis. He played 19 minutes and scored 16 points. Okorie played in 29 games during the season and had 19 starting spots. He missed four games due to an ankle injury; averaged more than 25 minutes per game and played 30+ minutes in eight games; played 36 minutes at Texas and at Iowa State; was perfect from the free-throw line in nine games, totaling 40 of 40; was third on the team with 21 steals; averaged 3.1 rebounds per game; and grabbed 5+ boards in nine games. His scoring average of 11.3 points per game was fourth among squad members. Okorie scored 15+ points in nine games, with six of those games against conference opponents; sank 10 of 10 free throws and had 17 points against Kansas; scored 24 points at Oklahoma and at Texas; averaged 16.3 points per game over the last 10 games; and started nine times.

		#24 Trevor Cook Senior Forward 6-9 \| 241 Coppell, Texas Legends Classic All-Tournament (2008) Cook was awarded his undergraduate degree in May 2009. He played in 14 games during the season and had eight starts, but missed 19 games due to a back injury. Cook averaged 14 minutes per game and played 25+ minutes in three games, and was perfect from the free-throw line in four games, totaling 16 for 16. His eight rebounds against East Central University equal his top mark from the previous season. He had 13 blocks in his abbreviated season, averaged 7.6 points per game, scored in double figures six times and had 20 or more points in two games. His 24 points against Pittsburgh mark his best scoring performance as a Red Raider, and he was selected to the Legends Classic All-Tournament Team for his performances against Pittsburgh and Mississippi State.

		#31 Darko Cohadarevic Senior Forward 6-9 \| 242 Belgrade, Serbia Cohadarevic played his first game as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis. He played 12 minutes, grabbed two rebounds and scored four points. Cohadarevic played in 26 games and started twice; averaged nearly 11 minutes per game and had five games in which he played 15+ minutes; was perfect from the free-throw line in four games; averaged 2.2 rebounds per game and had at least five rebounds in five games; scored double figures in three contests; had 12 points against East Central University and against Stephen F. Austin; and scored 10 points and had six rebounds in the win over Texas A&M in the opening round of conference championship play.

		#32 Mike Singletary Junior Forward 6-6 \| 217 Humble, Texas Second Team Academic All-Big 12 (2009) Big 12 Championship All-Tournament (2009) Singletary was one of four players to play in each game during the season. He had four starts and averaged 23.1 minutes per game; played 30+ minutes against six opponents; was perfect from the free-throw line in four games; attempted more free throws than all other teammates (187) and made more free throws than all other teammates (136); had three games in which he made 34 of 40 free-throw attempts; was the leading rebounder on the team, with 5.8 boards per game; had three games (Centenary, Kansas and at Iowa State) of 10+ rebounds and 12 games with at least seven rebounds; and had double-double performances against New Mexico, Kansas and at Iowa State. His 12.2 points per game were third on the squad and he scored at least 15 points in 13 games, averaged 18.2 points per game over the final nine games of the season, was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team, and gained Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team honors after scoring 60 points in two games (Texas A&M and Missouri). Singletary made 21 of 33 attempts during those two games. He set a Big 12 Championship scoring record with 43 points in the opening round game against Texas A&M (the previous record was 38 points by Marcus Fizer of Iowa State vs. Baylor in 2000). His 43-point game equals Dub Malaise's 1966 performance against TCU as the fourth-highest scoring output in Texas Tech history. Singletary led the biggest rally in Big 12 championship history, erasing the Red Raiders' 21-point, second-half deficit and taking Texas Tech to an 88-83 win over Texas A&M (the previous record was 20 points by Texas two seasons ago). He scored 29 consecutive points for the Red Raiders, with no other Tech player scoring, to become the NCAA's No. 2 consecutive-points scorer, behind Temple's Bill Mlkvy's 54 consecutive points against Wilkes on March 3, 1951.

My thanks to the Texas Tech sports information department for the photos and most of the information for the bios.

The Newcomers

#1 Brad Reese
Junior Forward
6-6 | 189
Laurel Hill, Fla.

Reese played two seasons for Jay Powell at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. He started all 30 games in his first season with the Commodores, played 30 minutes per game, and averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on the 18-12 squad.

Reese was named the Panhandle Conference Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, Reese was named NJCAA Player of the Week (Jan. 7) as he powered GCCC to three wins, which included a pair of 30-point performances. He started 32 of 33 games as a sophomore, and averaged 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on the 24-9 squad, which earned him All-Panhandle Conference First Team honors in his second season.

#2 Mike Davis
Freshman Guard
6-2 | 185
Houston, Texas

Davis played for Willie Patrick III as a senior at Phillis Wheatley High School, but previously played at St. Pius X, where the Panthers were in the TAPPS 6A Final Four in his junior year.

As a senior, Davis averaged 24 points per game over four games to lead the Wheatley Wildcats to the Whataburger Tournament title in Fort Worth from Dec. 29-31. He also earned MVP honors at the tournament.

The Wheatley Wildcats were 32-5 in Davis' final season and he was selected Co-MVP for District 22-4A. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and five assists per game as a senior, and was selected to the TABC All-Region (3) Team, the TABC 2009 All-Star Team and the TABC Class 4-A All-State Team.

#13 David Tairu
Junior Guard
6-3 | 180
Temple Hills, Md.

Tairu played two seasons for Steve Green at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. The Texans (30-5) claimed the NJCAA National Championship in 2007-2008 in Hutchinson, Kan. He was named All-Conference in 2007-2008, averaged 14.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in his freshman season, scored in double figures 29 times, led the 2008-2009 squad with 17.5 points per game and a 27-4 season, was named to the National Junior College third-team All-American squad, was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference and also named to the Region 5 team, and was selected to the 2009 NJCAA Men's All-Star team.

#20 Theron Jenkins
Junior Forward
6-6 | 211
Flowood, Miss.

Jenkins played two seasons for Marty Cooper at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss. In his two seasons, the Indians were 49-13. As a freshman, he played in all 34 games and averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. ICC captured the division, state and regional championships in its 30-4 season.

Jenkins averaged 13.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and played in all 28 games in his second season. The ICC Indians were 19-9 and won their third-straight north division title for the first time since 1974.

#30 Jaye Crockett
Freshman Forward
6-6 | 186
Clovis, N.M.

Crockett played for J. D. Isler at Clovis High School. The Wildcats were 29-2 in his junior season. The Purple and White completed the season as the Class 5A State Runner-up.

Crockett averaged 20.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game as a junior, and was the only junior named to New Mexico's first-team all-state squad. Clovis won the 2008-2009 district championship on the road at Hobbs.

As a senior, Crockett scored 31 points in his final game to become the second-leading scorer in Clovis High School history. He averaged 29 points and 12 rebounds, and earned all-state first-team honors, as a senior.

The Analysis

Although Texas Tech returns several starters and even more returners, I'm not sure this is a team that many teams in the conference should fear. The chief reason for that is the departure of Alan Voskuil, the sharpshooter who fueled the upset win over Kansas with his many treys.

Now that Voskuil has graduated, it will fall to Mike Singletary to provide most of the Red Raiders' scoring. His ridiculous 43-point outburst against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Tournament singlehandedly won the game and nearly broke Michael Beasley's/Denis Clemente's Big 12 single-game record.

That game was a freakish deviation from the mean, though, as Singletary only averaged 12.2 points per game and hasn't yet shown that he is capable of being a 25- to 30-point scorer night in and night out. But he will have help in trying, in the form of honorable-mention All-Big 12 point guard John Roberson. Roberson has established himself as one of the best point guards in the league and should provide the Red Raiders with the leadership presence they need in the backcourt to challenge most Big 12 teams.

Guard Nick Okorie and forward Trevor Cook both were banged up at various times last season, but now both are healthy and look to secure starting spots in the Tech lineup. I predict that Robert Lewandowski, an Overland Park native, will step up in the post as the fifth starter, after Tech lost a slew of Eastern European big men to graduation last year.

Predicting the reserves is trickier, and that's one of the reasons I think Tech will struggle in 2009-2010. D'wayln Roberts started several games last season before being demoted, and he seems like a sure bet to net some serious playing time. David Tairu is a highly touted juco prospect who probably will have a big impact, too. But it drops off after that.

Corbin Ray started one or two games, but is not a particularly impressive player. Nor is Darko Cohadarevic, the only remaining Serbian on the roster after the Eastern bloc exodus of 2009, who is Tech's only other sizable, experienced option in the paint.

Tech is so thin that I have penciled in true freshman Mike Davis as the backup point guard, if that tells you anything. Brad Reese, like Tairu, is a juco player who probably will factor in somewhere, but he doesn't really project strongly to a certain position right now. Other players who probably won't be a factor, unless injuries pile up, are Wally Dunn, a walk-on guard of little consequence; Theron Jenkins, and incoming juco forward; and Jaye Crockett, a raw forward fresh out of high school.

Projected Starting Lineup


John Roberson	Nick Okorie	Mike Singletary	Trevor Cook	Robert Lewandowski
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Reserves


Mike Davis	David Tairu	D'walyn Roberts	Corbin Ray	Darko Cohadarevic
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

When your team looks as though it only can field a serious lineup of 7-8 players, in terms of functional, athletic depth, and you play in the Big 12 South, a good season probably is not in your near future. That seems to be the case for Texas Tech. Yes, they showed some drastic improvement at the end of last year — upsetting Kansas at home (a game I greatly enjoyed watching), mounting the frenzied comeback against Texas A&M and nearly knocking off Texas in Austin — but how much of that simply was due to the hot hands of Voskuil and Singletary?

If that's all that it was, Tech will struggle in a deep Big 12 and Pat Knight's seat will be plenty toasty by the end of the season. But if Tech added some underrated pieces and the rest of the team continues to improve, it potentially could move up the pecking order a few notches. I don't see it happening, though. To me, the Red Raiders look like a less talented version of Baylor: a team that is dangerous if it is knocking down the threes, but otherwise is somewhat toothless.

Predicted finish: 10th

Best-case scenario: 8th

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

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Iowa State
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Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 09.21.09

Seth C — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:13:59 -0000

Odds and Ends

Spanning the Globe: How about this, we've got news and notes on all three sports that DTN has the time to cover: football (a given), basketball and baseball.

Texas Tech Football

Full Attention: LAJ's Don Williams writes that the Texas Tech received the Longhorns full attention on Saturday night and perhaps there's no longer

Texas coach Mack Brown sounded a little bit like a fan afterward.

"I thought it was one of the harder hitting football games that I’ve been around,’’ Brown said. "It was a great football game. There were times when things weren’t easy for either team. You have to give each team credit for continuing to compete and fight back. It was a slow start, then all of a sudden we start scoring, then they start scoring. That’s usually the way the Texas-Texas Tech game goes.’’

Well, not always. Tech has lost six in a row in Austin, including by scores of 58-7, 42-7, 52-17 and 59-43.

Those are some ugly scores and its understandable to think that the oddsmakers or fans might think that Texas Tech has not turned a or any corner. Again, you hate to talk about moral victories, and after today, we move on to Houston, but I think the tide is turning.

Unexpected Praise: I could have sworn that someone else on DTN caught the Chron's Richard Justice article on Sunday morning where the Red Raiders have received mentions and actual compliments from some of the major papers in Texas. Here's Justice:

America almost never gets it where Mike Leach is concerned, but maybe now America will. He has to earn his respect every year, and when he does it one year, he has to do it all over again the next year.

No other coach in college football is better. Leach complains about being overlooked, but he may secretly love it.

Even as he rolls out another new version of college football’s best offense, even as he plugs in new players and keeps rolling, he loves the underdog role.

This was a game second-ranked Texas was supposed to win easily. Inside the UT program, some thought the Longhorns would hang 70 points on the outmanned Red Raiders.

The game was nothing like that. Texas won 34-24 on Saturday night but was pushed to the edge. That Texas Tech is unranked is beyond ridiculous. These two teams are really close, and this was a heavyweight bout from start to finish.

Then, SAEN's Mike Finger had this to say about Texas Tech:

The Red Raiders lost in Austin on Saturday, but they also provided another reminder about their staying power. Like Missouri, Tech had to replace a decorated quarterback and receiver, but Taylor Potts looks every bit as capable as Graham Harrell was.

A tough test at Houston awaits this week. But if Tech survives that? A run through the rest of the Big 12 schedule isn't out of the question.

And then, FWST's Jimmy Burch is buying what QB Taylor Potts is selling:

Potts threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns against No. 2 Texas in his first road start. Although the Red Raiders lost 34-24, Potts showed lots of poise, as well as the ability to bounce back from some big hits levied by the Longhorns’ defense.

After the contest, Tech coach Mike Leach said, "Anybody that really had any doubts about Taylor Potts’ ability to be a really good Division I quarterback, I think those were pretty well dispelled."

I wholeheartedly concur with Leach.

Houston Wants to Play Passing Offense: The Chron's Steve Campbell features UH cornerback Jamal Robinson, who is excited about playing the Air Raid offense of Texas Tech:

UH cornerback Jamal Robinson can't make any promises about how the 17th-ranked Cougars will hold up under the barrage. The one thing Robinson can guarantee is that he won't be ducking for cover or trying to hide.

"As a corner, you can't have fear," Robinson said. "If you have fear, you're automatically beat."

Robinson is a 5-10, 185-pound junior who has been through too much to play scared. Three years into his stay at UH, Robinson had as many surgeries on his left knee (two) as tackles to show for his efforts. Robinson quietly emerged as the starting right cornerback during the preseason, but that secret's out of the bag.

Texas Tech Links: Tortilla Retort with plays of the game and post-mortem . . . LAJ's Don Williams has his report card from the Texas game.

Texas Tech Basketball

Early Power Rankings: Yahoo! Sports Jason King has come out with some all too early Big 12 power rankings and has some nice things to say about Pat Knight and Texas Tech, who are initially 9th, but admits that the two two teams, Texas and Kansas, are at the top, but there's parity with all of the rest:

The Red Raiders went just 3-13 in league play last season, but by the end of the year they were improving at a rapid pace with wins over Kansas and Texas A&M and a near-victory over Texas in Austin. Virtually every key piece of that team returns, including forward Mike Singletary, who reached double figures in seven of his last nine contests and erupted for 43 points in the victory over the Aggies. Texas Tech is also hoping to get a big contribution from Trevor Cook, who missed most of last season with a back injury. Guard and former juco transfer Nick Okorie also returns after emerging during the second half of the 2008-09 season. He’ll be part of a backcourt that also features John Robertson, who averaged 6.4 assists as a sophomore. David Tairu, who teamed with Okorie at South Plains (Texas) Junior College when the school won the 2007-08 title, will be a key player on the perimeter, as well.

Texas Tech Baseball

Tired of Settling: LAJ's George Watson writes that head coach Dan Spencer is tired of small improvements (it's only been one year), but wants his team to start thinking Big 12 title as organized fall workouts begin today. Here's Spencer:

"I don’t know that we’re looking at the fall differently in the way we do things or what we’re trying to get out of them," said Spencer, who in his first season in 2009 led the Red Raiders to the Big 12 Championships for the first time in three years. "But we’ve got to win more and push for those goals to give us a chance for where we need to be. We got a taste of it last year playing in some big games and winning some games, but we want more."

Watson does a good job of looking at the pitching staff as well as the fielders, and Spencer talks about how he wants his team to play:

"We’re confident enough in the arms we have here to do that, and then we’ve got to get guys to buy into roles," Spencer said. "Baseball is a long season and consistency is the key. Relentless consistency. We’re always going to play defense and we’re always going to pitch and throw strikes. If you can be consistent in the little things in the game, if we can be more consistent in pitching and defense, that will mean more wins."

BIG XII PREVIEW: (No. 12) -- Texas Tech Red Raiders

markallanpeterson — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:29:24 -0000

How will Pat Knight fare in his second season in Lubbock?

View full size photo »

**Before Reading**
Please vote HERE for our upcoming interview/feature candidate.

TEXAS TECH 2009-2010 PROSPECTUS
Written by Mark Allan Peterson
Big12Hoops.com

This is the first of a 14 part series on the 2009-2010 Big 12 season.
Parts 1-12 will preview each Big 12 team from last to first.
The final two parts will look at the top players, freshmen and newcomers in the league as well as a look at the 2009 and 2010 recruiting classes.

Impact Losses
G Alan Voskuil (13.8 ppg/4.1 rpg/2.1 apg)
F Michael Prince (3.8 ppg/2.7 rpg/15.5 mpg)

Impact Newcomers--(Rivals ranking and Scout score in parenthesis)
F/PG-Aaron-Mike Davis 6-3/190 (***)(86)
F/SF-Jave Crockett 6-6/190 (***)(88)
JR/SG-David Tairu 6-3/177 (***)(91)
JR/SF-Theron Jenkins 6-6/211 (***)(92)
JR/SF-Brad Reese 6-6/200 (***)(94)(Initally committed to LSU)

Projected Starting Lineup
PG-John Roberson, Jr.
W-Nick Okorie, Sr.
W-David Tairu, Jr.
P-Mike Singletary, Jr.
P-Robert Lewandowski, Soph

THE NEWCOMERS
How should we read the addition of three Juco transfers as opposed to just two incoming freshmen? 10-20 years ago, a recruiting class highlighted by Jucos (and transfers) was the norm for many, but major programs these days, especially the cream of the Big 12, spend little time on Jucos, instead typically picking up one or two top 150 players.

Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor had a Top-20 team ranking for their 2009 [Rivals] recruiting class. Texas Tech, for the second straight year, has perhaps the worst recruiting class in the Big 12.You have to wonder what Coach Knight is thinking, following a very disappointing first full season at the helm. Perhaps the plan is to get things turned around [not that they needed to be under the previous Knight] as quickly as possible, hence the Jucos. Most likely, it was an occasion of getting the best players possible, regardless of class. Understandably, but it still makes me nervous for Coach Knight and the long-term prospect of the program.

What to expect, then? Voskuil is a significant loss, and the incoming class will have a difficult time filling the void, especially with the many intangible qualities Voskuil brought to the team.

Tairu has the best chance of starting off the bat. The Raiders' best chance at success is to go as small as possible and run the ball. Knight brings in a very athletic group of players, and Tairu is the best scorer in the bunch.

Overall, this is a disappointing class for Knight, perhaps making this a make-or-break season, a la that of former OSU coach Sean Sutton's second [and final] year in Stillwater. Gerald Myers is not one to consider posterity in decision making, and another losing season by the Raiders will most likely mean significant financial loss, leaving him with very little reason to retain his head coach.

Freshman point guard Mike Davis has decent size and will be groomed to replace, or at least get a chance to replace Roberson in two years.

BUT...let's try to stay positive here.

IMPACT PLAYERS
It starts as the point with John Roberson, yet another diamond in the rough for the Red Raiders. How do they find some of these guys?! Personally, I'm a big fan of both Roberson and Singletary, so forgive me if I seem overly positive [for a change]. But, I think I'll be proved right. Expect Roberson to step it up another notch or two. He has All-Big 12 potential and should up his scoring average to around 17-18 ppg.

Singletary was the big break-out story late last season in the Big 12, but this kid has been in the Texas High School spotlight for quite some time. He's an old school baller, able to adapt based on the players and type of play around him, and could be the biggest breakout player [non-freshman, non-newcomer] in the Big 12. Okorie is a great scorer as well, and provides as a safety net to Roberson. D'Walyn Roberts is athletic and could be a big contributor for many other Big 12 teams. Robert Lewandowski, Trevor Cook and the Jucos will in the end make or break the heart of this team. If these guys overachieve, the Raiders are in line for a postseason bid. If not, there's only so much the Big 2 can do.

OVERALL SEASON OUTLOOK
The fact of the matter is that this could be a very good team. They are much too good to be sitting here at my No.12 spot, but I honestly do not think that Pat Knight should be coaching at THIS LEVEL at this point in his career. In the end, it's coaching and coaching only that separates Colorado, Iowa State and Nebraska from Tech.

However, I love the the potential in coach Knight. Even if he's not ready, I am still a big fan of the offense he's putting in place. It won't win a national title. It probably will never win a Big 12 title. But it will put every game up for grabs (from Samford to Stanford) and makes for a great spoiler team come Big 12 Tournament time.

As I said earlier, there are about five or six guys that will make or break this team, and ultimately this program: Lewandowski, Cook, Tairu, Reese, Big Darko and Jenkins. This will be a strong and competitive team by the time Big 12 play starts IF (a) the three Jucos are able to pick up the offense [and defense!] quickly and accurately, (b) are able to provide double-digit scoring on a consistent basis and, (c)in the case of Darko and Lewandowski, provide as a strong presence inside on D. If not, which I suspect will be the case, this will be a failure of a season.

OVERALL PROGRAM OUTLOOK
Risky. Very very risky. The recruiting was never great under big Knight, but it was at least effective. The remnants of Bob's final classes keep this program alive. Pat Knight is throwing all of his marbles in the ability of this new offense to produce, much like Bob did with a very different offense. Will it work? Let me know your thoughts.

REGULAR SEASON PROJECTION
11-18 Overall. 3-15 Conference. (12th place, Big 12)

POST-SEASON PROJECTION
NCAA Tournament: 1% The only way the Raiders will receive a bid will be from winning the Big 12 Tournament (not out of the realm of possibility. See Baylor from last season).
NIT chances: 10% The Big 12 is strong and could send as many as 11 or even 12, in the age of FOUR post-season conference tournaments. If Raiders finish 8,9 or 10...all possible but not likely...an NIT bid would then be very possible.
OTHER: 25% Raiders were offered a bid to the CBI after Pat Knight's first season. There is almost no question that Knight would take the offer this time around. It helped to raise the buzz on Craig Robinson, another beneficiary of nepotism.

COACH PAT KNIGHT
"I'm fortunate enough to get this job, and I'm not stupid," Knight said. "I don't know if I deserved to be a Big 12 coach right now. Probably not, but I was offered a situation, so I felt like I had to take it.

Coaching Experience
• 1996: Scout, Phoenix Suns.
• 1997: Assistant coach, Connecticut Pride of the CBA
• 1998: Head coach, Wisconsin Blast of the IBA.
• 1998: Head coach (Fired), Columbus Cagers of the USBL.
• 1999: Assistant coach, University of Akron.
• 2001: Assistant coach, Texas Tech University.
• 2003: Turned down for head coaching position, Wright State University.
• 2008: Head coach, Texas Tech University.

09-10 SCHEDULE/PROJECTED RESULTS
No Projection--Nov. 13 - 15--Duel in the Desert
W--November 19--Northwestern State
W--November 21--Lamar
W--November 24--at Stephen F. Austin
W--November 28--Samford
W--December 3--Washington
W--December 8--at TCU
L--December 19--at Wichita State
L--December 22--Stanford
L--December 29--at New Mexico
W--January 1--McNeese State
W--January 3--UTEP
L--January 9--at Oklahoma State
L--January 13--Missouri
L--January 16--at Kansas
W--January 20--Iowa State
L--January 23--Oklahoma
L--January 27--at Texas
L--January 30--at Texas A&M
L--February 6--Oklahoma State
L--February 9--at Oklahoma
W--February 13--Texas A&M
L--February 16--at Baylor
L--February 20--Texas
L--February 23--Kansas State
L--February 27--at Nebraska
L--March 2--Baylor
L--March 6--at Colorado
W--Big 12 Tournament (Game 1)
L--Big 12 Tournament (Game 2)

Double-T Nation Basketball Review // Power Forward

Seth C — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:14 -0000

Power Forward

D'Walyn Roberts; 6-7/194; Junior

Positives: There is no one more athletically gifted than D'Walyn Roberts on Texas Tech's roster. Roberts has the ability to go above the rim and get to the basket. Roberts is very long and can cause matchup problems for opponents. Defensively, Roberts has the ability guard bigger opponents because of his length and should be one of Texas Tech's best defenders. Again, Roberts has the physical gifts to be a matchup nightmare. Long arms. Decent outside shot. Athletic ability. He's got it all, it's just a matter of translating this to the court against Big 12 competition.

Negatives: Much like Singletary, I think Roberts needs to improve his consistency. There were too many times last year that Roberts would have 3 or 4 turnovers and that would lead Pat Knight to take out Roberts and his minutes would be limited, despite all of his athletic gifts. Obviously, I'd love to see Roberts add some more weight and putting him in the category of power forward rather than small forward is perhaps an indication that PK, who recruited Brad Reese, Theron Jenkins and Jaye Crockett (all small forwards), needs Roberts to be a bigger force on the boards and defensively. I'm hoping that Roberts can add some weight and be a bigger player next year.

Trevor Cook; 6-9/241; Senior

Positives: Unfortunately for Cook, there weren't many positives last year, in part because a fairly serious back injury sidelined him for almost the entire year. I think people tend to forget that Cook missed to much time and as a result, I think Texas Tech's frontcourt struggled a bit, especially when players weren't performing on the court. I really like Cook's game: outside shooting, athletic ability, ability to block shots and rebounding. Damn, I missed Cook last year.

Negatives: Cook's biggest negative is that he can rack up early and silly fouls. It's been over a full year since I watched him play, but as a sophomore, there were times that he lost his man inside while helping out and when that happens, it can get ugly. I'd like to see Cook be a better rebounder, especially considering his size and leaping ability. For Cook, it has to be about attitude on the court.

Corbin Ray; 6-7/225; Sophomore

Positives: Pretty small sample size last year, but when Ray did play, there were some positives. I was pleasantly surprised by Ray's strength. He was much bigger than expected, which is part of the reason I have him as a power forward. Ray may lack the height, but he has the size and he's a good enough athlete to compete with most Big 12 power forwards. I was impressed with Ray's outside shot, but I don't remember him mixing it up inside much. Other than having a relatively smooth offensive game, I could see how Ray could be one of those glue guys that every team needs, a little like Michael Prince.

Negatives: As briefly mentioned above, I thought that considering Ray's size and strength he could have been a little more effective inside. Again, we're talking about a really small sample size when Ray was on the floor, but I'm hoping that other than the outside game, that Ray maybe worked on some post moves and spent quite a bit of time inside the paint during his offseason.

Post Game Review: Texas Tech 81, St. Francis (PA) 47

Seth C — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:44:11 -0000

This is a much more athletic team and I think Nick Okorie is going to be a big part of this team's future success. There's a lot to like with Okorie and the bottom line is that he can play. Also loved D'Walyn Roberts, I thought he looked bigger than last year and he didn't look lost on either end of the floor. I said it last year that I'd love to see Roberts be this team's Damion James and although he doesn't have near the size, he does have incredible length and athletic ability and his added size is a huge improvement from last year. Keep it going.

Player	Comment
Nick Okorie 16 pt; 1 rb; 2 ast	Okorie is going to be a player. This guy has good size for a guard, has some hops and can shoot the ball. I could see Okorie leading this team in scoring easily.
John Roberson 13 pt; 5 rb; 5 ast	The thing I like about Roberson is that he can spot up and shoot the ball and has learned, perhaps, to get his shot off with a man on him. I'd like to see a little more ball control on offense and reduce the turnovers (3).
Alan Voskuil 8 pt; 3 rb; 2 ast	Seemed to force his shot early, but did well in the 2nd half. The offense needs to go ahead and get him going offensively as he doesn't create his own shot very well.
D'Walyn Robertsj 4 pt; 3 rb; 1 ast.	Looked much bigger to me as last year Roberts was really skinny. Looks much better out under the boards and can be a difference maker on defense. Roberts brings something that no one else can, length and defense.
Darko Cohadarevic 4 pt; 2 rb; 1 blk	Does a nice job of handling the ball on the perimeter and calling for the ball on the block. I like what he brings to the table.
Trevor Cook 10 pt; 3 rb; 1 ast	Early spark off the bench and the added weight isn't obvious. Can still shoot from the perimeter and like Cohad, can handle the ball outside.
Tyree Graham 6 pt; 3 rb; 1 ast	Does not look like a freshman. Graham can play and he's got nice athleticism. I could see him pushing Roberson for playing time if Roberson gets careless. Really like his game.
Michael Prince 5 pt; 5 rb; 1 ast	An energy guy but I hate how he continually defers rather than take the ball to the basket. Prince has a decent shot so I'm not sure why he doesn't take advantage of it, but played well inside.
Mike Singletary 6 pt; 5 rb; 1 ast	Thought he might start, but came off the bench and did well. Would like for his teammates to find him inside matched up against smaller forwards as I think he can do damage underneath.
Robert Lewandowski 2 pt; 3 rb; 1 blk	A legitimate big man with some nice moves. Is still a bit raw, but I like his long term prospects and he stays inside. Had a nice block, he's going to see quite a bit of time.
Damir Suljagic 0 pt; 1 rb	Had minimal minutes, but this may be a guy left out a bit because he's not as polished offensively or defensively as other players.
Rogdrick Craig 0 pt; 1 rb; 1 ast	Handled the point guard duties when in the game and like the idea of a bigger guard being on point. Not afraid to shoot the ball and I like that, but was a little rusty offensively.
Corbin Ray 2 pt; 3 rb	I kinda like his game and he reminds me of Cliff Owens. I'm not sure what else to expect, but he does have talent.
Wally Dunn 5 pt; 1 rb	Somewhat surprised, as was Ray, to see him get off the bench, but he's a capable shooter who isn't afraid to shoot the ball, again, a trait I appreciate.

Miscellaneous:

The offense was a little ragged, but it's the first game and Texas Tech won by 34. I'm not complaining. Would like to see more of an inside game as the offense seemed to be dependent on the outside shot, evidenced by only 18 free throws on an over-matched opponent.
Held St. Francis to 26% from the field and loved that. Defense played very well and like the offense, they aren't perfect but they were pretty good.
Out rebounded St. Francis by 7 and although this wasn't great, it's a start. Baby steps.
Too many turnovers (15).

Up Next: Sam Houston State @ Texas Tech, Monday, November 17, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. (Television - TTTN).

Texas Tech Friday Morning Notes - Deion Said It Was Edition

Seth C — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:02:27 -0000

Double-T Nation News:

Wanted to use this note to check out NM99's retrospective of the evolution of this current football team, Michael Lewis' look back at Mike Leach, 3 years after his very famous interview, and the NY Times profile on Graham Harrell. And just in case your curious, Lewis writes about a lot more than just sports, and has a really interesting piece on the the current economic crisis.

And make sure and check back at 10:00 a.m. for some recruiting thoughts on the quarterback and running back at Texas Tech.

via www.shorpy.com

I just thought this was a cool photo, click here for the original size and check out the guy with the white bandages on his hand about to lay an absolute beat-down on someone.

Texas Tech Football:

LAJ's Don Williams files his Red Raiders Football Notebook with notes about new recruit Michael Bowie, the part-time punter job at Texas Tech and Michael Crabtree's assault on the Texas Tech record books.

Yahoo! Sports' Jason King has a lengthy profile on Michael Crabtree. This is really worth your time and I'll pull out a few quotes that I thought were pretty intriguing. When Leach was recruiting Crabtree, Leach would call often to check up on him:

Even though he committed to Texas Tech a few weeks before National Signing Day in 2006, Michael Crabtree continued to field calls from Mike Leach up until the morning he faxed in his letter of intent.
"He absolutely hated talking on the phone," Leach said. "He would always say, ‘Coach, I told you I was going to Tech. I don’t know why you keep calling. I enjoy talking to you, but we had a late practice today, so I’m going to bed. I’ll see you later.’

"It was always very abrupt. He’s not into these long, flowery conversations. He just focuses on football."

I also enjoyed this enchange:

A few weeks ago Michael Crabtree picked up his cell phone and called Deion Sanders and asked him if he ever used to dream.
Not about money or cars or women or fame, but about making plays and scoring touchdowns.

"I’d been doing that a lot," Crabtree said, "and I wanted to find out if it was normal. Deion said it was."

That’s why Crabtree wasn’t surprised when he made the game-winning catch with one second remaining in Texas Tech’s 38-33 victory over Texas on Oct. 25. He said he’d visualized the play countless times in his sleep.

Some snickered at Crabtree’s comments, but Leach believed every word.

"I bet he thought it through thousands of times," Leach said. "That’s the thing about Michael: He’s not doing this for a bunch of attention or trophies. Michael just loves football at a level that most players don’t."

I've never known what to think about Michael Crabtree other than he's just an incredible talent who I believe should leave for NFL next year. Before the 2007 football season I thought that Michael Crabtree was the 4th most indispensible player on the team, before even seeing him take a snap on the college level. I've always thought he was special and he's a pleasure to watch on the field.

I thank you Mr. Crabtree.

FWST's Gil Lebreton and DMN's Kevin Sherrington talk about BCS tiebreakers and the Big 12 South possibilities

DT's Alex Ybarra believes that the Heisman Trophy is not far away from being in Graham Harrell's hands and talks with HeismanPundit.com's Chris Huston.

Texas Tech Basketball:

LAJ's Jeff Walker writes about Trevor Cook adding some weight during the offseason:

After playing most of last season at 215 pounds, the 6-foot-8 forward needed to bulk up. He got with Texas Tech strength and conditioning coach Chris Braden and developed an offseason workout plan that helped Cook get his weight as high as 247. Since fall practice began, he’s trimmed his weight down to 235, which is what he and the coaching staff believe will be an ideal playing weight for him this season.
"I think he’s played well. He’s more physical," said Tech head coach Pat Knight, whose team will open its season at home today against St. Francis. "He’s not just a jump-shooter anymore. He’s playing tougher overall instead of being just a fringe player. He battles more."

I'm glad to hear that he's battling more, which means that he's under the boards grapling for rebounds. But perhaps the most important part of the article describes where Cook gave up his scholarship so that Tyree Graham, a late qualifier, could come on board at Texas Tech.

"I went to the staff and said early on that I’d be willing to give back the scholarship," Cook said. "Tyree had played with us a couple times and I knew he was good. He’s a true point guard, a pass-first type of player and that’s what we needed. So, I thought it was just doing what’s best for the team because he obviously makes the team better."

You get a loud round of applause from me Trevor.

DT's Alex Ybarra previews tonight's game against St. Francis (PA) and Junior Knight says that he's got 4 guards, all who can play:

"I have four guards that I really like with Alan (Voskuil), John, Tyree and Nick," Knight said. "I'll play three at a time, two at a time. You may even see us play four at a time if people are zoning us."

Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation was featured on Yahoo! college basketball blog, The Dagger, to talk about the Big 12, RP.com's Bill Hipple previews this Red Raider team and DMN's Chuck Carlton previews the Big 12.

DTN's 2008-2009 Texas Tech Basketball Preview

Seth C — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:00:07 -0000

Basketball season is right around the corner and I thought it was high time to take a look at this year's squad. All numbers are based on last year's performances and you'll note that Texas Tech has quite a few new players that are expected to contribute immediately.

Probable Starters

No.	Player	Ht./Wt.	Pos	Year	Pts	Reb	Ast	A/TO	Stl	Blk
23	Nick Okorie	6'1"/195	PG/SG	Jr.	17.2	3.4	-	-	-	-
21	John Roberson	5'11"/165	PG	So.	12.3	2.5	3.3	1.2/1	0.8	0.0
20	Alan Voskuil	6'3"/181	SG	Sr.	13.1	3.8	1.4	1/1.2	1.4	0.0
32	Mike Singletary	6'6"/230	SF	So.	7.3	3.0	1.0	1/1.5	0.4	0.3
31	Darko Cohadarevic	6'9"/242	PF	Jr.	15.4	8.0	-	-	-	-
24	Trevor Cook	6'9"/241	PF	Jr.	4.9	2.4	0.6	1/1.9	0.3	0.6

I understand the rules of basketball and there are only 5 starters, but I've included 6 starters because I think that Pat Knight will utilize these 6 guys depending upon the opposing team. Junior Knight has already said that Cohadarevic and Okorie will start and I think that's a good thing. I think it's also safe to assume that Roberson and Voskuil will also continue to start. I think that Junior Knight would prefer to have an athletic 3-guard lineup, much like Texas has run out in recent years (Augustin, Abrams and Mason) and now, Texas Tech has something similar, although Voskuil is not quite as athletic as Mason, he's a much better shooter, is okay defensively (he does a good job of keeping his man in front of him) and with his shooting, makes up for some of the lack of true athleticism.

Okorie is supposed to be a jumping-jack of a guard and in JUCO he was a very good shooter. I think opposing teams are going to have a difficult time covering Okorie and he should have more than enough athleticism to cover opposing guards as well. Roberson's freshman season had some bumps along the way, but he was a true freshman and he'll improve on what he did last year, he just needs to watch the turnovers.

Singletary is another true sophomore who will need to improve defensively as well as adding to his offensive game. When I watched Singletary in the Futures Game he displayed a nice 3-point shot and I'm hoping that he continues to mature his game to the point that he's both an inside and outside threat, but would hate to see him abandon his inside game completely. Singletary has some good post moves and I think he can take advantage of opposing small forwards inside.

Cohadarevic is the wild-card. Cohadarevic adds intensity that this team hasn't seen, but worry about his ability to stay with opposing defenders. He should be able to cover opposing centers/power forwards. He certainly has the size to do that and with his offensive game, which is typical of a Euro, he's a good shooter and can handle the ball as well as a better than average passer.

Depending upon matchups, Cook could see more than a couple of starts. Cook has added some muscle to his frame, which should make him a greater asset defensively. Cook has always been able to shoot from the outside and much like Cohadarevic he's a decent passer.

The key for this unit, and hell for the entire team, is improving the rebounding. Last year's unit was awful rebounding the ball and if this team expects any improvement then Cohadarevic, Cook and Suljagic have got to improve the rebounding edge.

Key Reserves

No.	Player	Ht./Wt.	Pos	Year	Pts	Reb	Ast	A/TO	Stl	Blk
3	Tyree Graham	6'0"/190	PG	Fr.	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	D'Walyn Roberts	6'7"/194	SF	So.	2.5	1.8	0.2	1/4	0.3	0.2
41	Damir Suljagic	6'9"250	PF	Sr.	4.7	4.0	0.7	1/1.5	0.4	0.5
15	Robert Lewandowski	6'10"/240	C	Fr.	-	-	-	-	-	-
34	Esmir Rizvic	7'0"/262	C	Sr.	2.9	2.1	0.1	1/5.7	0.4	0.3
30	Michael Prince	6'7"/208	SF	Sr.	1.6	1.8	0.4	1.1.7	0.5	0.0
2	Rogdrick Craig	6'6"/217	SF	Sr.	0.9	0.4	0.0	1/1.2	0.4	0.0

Tyree Graham will be one of the first players off the bench, along with Suljagic and Roberts. Graham is especially important because he possesses a type of game much like Okorie's. A smaller guard who is capable of scoring, playing some point guard, and is all-kinds of athletic. This team is generally short on guards who can handle the ball and his development as a freshman will be important.

I'm hoping that Roberts makes some significant weight gains and improvement. Last year Roberts was somewhat hesitant and I think that in order for him to see significant playing time, he's got to improve his rebounding and defefnse. Roberts has a skill-set that this team doesn't have otherwise. He's incredibly athletic, has long arms and could be a force on the boards, again if added some weight, and defensively. Roberts has a nice outside shot, but for him to see significant playing time he needs to make his mark inside.

Suljagic is one of those players who has done quite a bit in his time at Texas Tech. When he first arrived he struggled to make layups, but he's become much more well-rounded offensively and is a good rebounder. I'd expect Suljagic to continue his improvement, although I'm not expecting a huge jump in skill, but enough to see significant time in the post.

Lewandowski is something that this team doesn't have, which is a true post player. Lewandowski has low-post moves, but I worry about him from a size and strength standpoint because he is a true freshman, but I'd expect Junior Knight to work Lewandowski in early because he could be a tremendous asset in conference play. I'm also guessing that Knight will favor Lewandowski over Rizvic because there's a much better offensive game there over Rizvic. Rizvic is good in very short spurts, but he shouldn't see significant time. Also keep in mind that Rizvic will need to set out this semester or next due to the broken jaw received from Longar Longar, and I'd expect Rizvic to see time during the second half of the year.

Prince and Craig should be at the very end of the key reserves because I'm not expecting each of them to see significant time, but it wouldn't bother me if they did, especially if the younger guys aren't playing well. Prince is a good defender, but lacks offensive assertiveness and often defers to the point that it's maddening. I don't really think we saw enough of Craig to know what he could bring, but he's a decent athlete that could contribute.

End of the Bench

No.	Player	Ht./Wt.	Pos	Year	Pts	Reb	Ast	A/TO	Stl	Blk
10	Wally Dunn	6'4"/194	SG	So.	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Corbin Ray	6'7"/225	SF	Fr.	-	-	-	-	-	-

Walk-on Wally Dunn should be a deep reserve and could become a decent spot player. Dunn is a good shooter, but I don't know much else about him.

I'd love to see Ray redshirt this year. He's a decent prospect, but there are plenty of guys in front of him and Ray shouldn't play unless he forces Junior Knight's hand with excellent practices. If Ray plays that means that Singletary, Roberts, Prince, and Craig aren't playing well and that would probably not be a good scenario.

		#4 Corbin Ray Sophomore Forward 6-7 \| 225 Katy, Texas Ray saw his first action as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis, in which he played seven minutes, scored two points and grabbed three rebounds. He played in 17 games during the season, started against Sam Houston State, averaged 5.7 minutes per game and 1.6 points per game for the season, played 14 minutes in the home game against Texas A&M, had a season-high five rebounds over East Central University, and had his best showing in the win over New Mexico, in which he played 10 minutes and scored 10 points, was 4 of 6 from the field, and canned two 3-pointers.

		#5 D'walyn Roberts Junior Forward 6-7 \| 200 Dallas, Texas Roberts started the first 19 games for the Red Raiders; played in each game during the season and had 21 starts; averaged 16.5 minutes per game, four points per game, and 3.6 rebounds per game; played 20+ minutes in 13 contests; played 35 minutes at Lamar, made 7 of 8 field goal attempts, and recorded his season-high of 14 points; scored in double figures in six games; was perfect from the free-throw line six times for a combined 13-for-13; registered a double-double in the win over Stephen F. Austin, with 11 points and 11 rebounds; was second on the squad with 21 blocks for the season; and shot .545 from the field for the season.

		#10 Wally Dunn Junior Guard 6-4 \| 194 Midland, Texas Dunn saw his first action as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis, in which he played eight minutes, had a rebound and scored 5 points. He played in 14 games during the season as a walk-on, played a season high of 12 minutes against East Central University, scored 16 points on 6 of 8 field-goal attempts and 4 of 5 3-pointers, shot .588 from the field and made .500 of his 3-point attempts, and had no turnovers for the season. Dunn graduated from Midland College, where the Chaparrals were the 2007 NJCAA National Champions. He was a redshirt his freshman season. The team garnered conference championship honors in 2007-2008, and he played in 32 games as a sophomore and averaged 4.3 points per game.

		#15 Robert Lewandowski Sophomore Forward 6-10 \| 240 Overland Park, Kan. The freshman from Blue Valley West High Sschool played and scored in the first game of the season against St. Francis. Lewandowski scored two points, made a block, and had three rebounds in his eight minutes on the court. He played in 32 games for the season and started 19 times; averaged over 15 minutes per game and played 20+ minutes in 13 contests; averaged 6.6 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game for the year; shot .581 from the field for the season; scored in double figures 10 times, with 8 of those games during conference play; recorded his season-best of 20 points at Texas A&M, when he made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and had four rebounds in the game; had a double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) at Oklahoma State; grabbed 5+ rebounds in 10 games; and led the squad with 23 blocks.

		#21 John Roberson Junior Guard 5-11 \| 165 Plano, Texas Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2009) U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District 7 (2009) Roberson and Alan Voskuil were the only players on the 2008-2009 squad to start each game during the season. He was the leading scorer on the team, with 13.9 points per game, and second on the team with 35 steals for the year. Roberson's 212 assists top the previous single-season mark of 182 assists, set by Jason Martin during the 1995-1996 season. He was the assist leader for the Big 12. His 13 assists at Texas A&M were one shy of Stan Bonewitz's single-game record of 14 assists, set against Fresno State in the 1996-1997 season. Roberson's 6.4 assists per game for the season now are the best among all Red Raiders. His 71 3-pointers rank eighth among all Red Raiders in a single season. His 201 3-point attempts equal Bonewitz's mark in the 1997-1998 season and are fourth on the all-time single-season list. Roberson's 35.2 minutes per game were second on the squad. He played 40 minutes in five games; was second on the squad in free-throw percentage (.829), making 97 of 117 attempts; was perfect from the line in 15 games, totaling 58 for 58; averaged 3.5 rebounds per game and had at least five rebounds in six games; established a career high of eight rebounds at Iowa State; had a double-double performance at Texas A&M, with 13 assists and 20 points; and scored 20+ points in five games. Roberson's 33 points at UTEP were a career-best and made him the 36th Red Raider to score 30 or more points in a game, earning him All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and USBWA All-District 7 honors.

		#23 Nick Okorie Senior Guard 6-1 \| 195 Houston, Texas Okorie started his career as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis. He played 19 minutes and scored 16 points. Okorie played in 29 games during the season and had 19 starting spots. He missed four games due to an ankle injury; averaged more than 25 minutes per game and played 30+ minutes in eight games; played 36 minutes at Texas and at Iowa State; was perfect from the free-throw line in nine games, totaling 40 of 40; was third on the team with 21 steals; averaged 3.1 rebounds per game; and grabbed 5+ boards in nine games. His scoring average of 11.3 points per game was fourth among squad members. Okorie scored 15+ points in nine games, with six of those games against conference opponents; sank 10 of 10 free throws and had 17 points against Kansas; scored 24 points at Oklahoma and at Texas; averaged 16.3 points per game over the last 10 games; and started nine times.

		#24 Trevor Cook Senior Forward 6-9 \| 241 Coppell, Texas Legends Classic All-Tournament (2008) Cook was awarded his undergraduate degree in May 2009. He played in 14 games during the season and had eight starts, but missed 19 games due to a back injury. Cook averaged 14 minutes per game and played 25+ minutes in three games, and was perfect from the free-throw line in four games, totaling 16 for 16. His eight rebounds against East Central University equal his top mark from the previous season. He had 13 blocks in his abbreviated season, averaged 7.6 points per game, scored in double figures six times and had 20 or more points in two games. His 24 points against Pittsburgh mark his best scoring performance as a Red Raider, and he was selected to the Legends Classic All-Tournament Team for his performances against Pittsburgh and Mississippi State.

		#31 Darko Cohadarevic Senior Forward 6-9 \| 242 Belgrade, Serbia Cohadarevic played his first game as a Red Raider in the season opener against St. Francis. He played 12 minutes, grabbed two rebounds and scored four points. Cohadarevic played in 26 games and started twice; averaged nearly 11 minutes per game and had five games in which he played 15+ minutes; was perfect from the free-throw line in four games; averaged 2.2 rebounds per game and had at least five rebounds in five games; scored double figures in three contests; had 12 points against East Central University and against Stephen F. Austin; and scored 10 points and had six rebounds in the win over Texas A&M in the opening round of conference championship play.

		#32 Mike Singletary Junior Forward 6-6 \| 217 Humble, Texas Second Team Academic All-Big 12 (2009) Big 12 Championship All-Tournament (2009) Singletary was one of four players to play in each game during the season. He had four starts and averaged 23.1 minutes per game; played 30+ minutes against six opponents; was perfect from the free-throw line in four games; attempted more free throws than all other teammates (187) and made more free throws than all other teammates (136); had three games in which he made 34 of 40 free-throw attempts; was the leading rebounder on the team, with 5.8 boards per game; had three games (Centenary, Kansas and at Iowa State) of 10+ rebounds and 12 games with at least seven rebounds; and had double-double performances against New Mexico, Kansas and at Iowa State. His 12.2 points per game were third on the squad and he scored at least 15 points in 13 games, averaged 18.2 points per game over the final nine games of the season, was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team, and gained Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team honors after scoring 60 points in two games (Texas A&M and Missouri). Singletary made 21 of 33 attempts during those two games. He set a Big 12 Championship scoring record with 43 points in the opening round game against Texas A&M (the previous record was 38 points by Marcus Fizer of Iowa State vs. Baylor in 2000). His 43-point game equals Dub Malaise's 1966 performance against TCU as the fourth-highest scoring output in Texas Tech history. Singletary led the biggest rally in Big 12 championship history, erasing the Red Raiders' 21-point, second-half deficit and taking Texas Tech to an 88-83 win over Texas A&M (the previous record was 20 points by Texas two seasons ago). He scored 29 consecutive points for the Red Raiders, with no other Tech player scoring, to become the NCAA's No. 2 consecutive-points scorer, behind Temple's Bill Mlkvy's 54 consecutive points against Wilkes on March 3, 1951.