SB Nation - Lamar Cardinals

RPI WATCH: 11/23/09

BracketCat — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:00:13 -0000

Well, it's officially basketball season here at BOTC, so I'm going to try and get some basketball-related stuff on here on a more consistent basis. Big 12 Outlook will return after New Year's, but in the meantime, I need to resume the Big 12 previews and shift them into overdrive a little in order to make up for lost time.

The other thing I want to do is update you on all of our opponents on a daily basis. I'll look at how they performed in yesterday's games and maybe track the RPIs a little, too. The idea is to get a general picture, on a day-to-day basis, of how strong our non-conference schedule is, because I've seen some concern from various corners of late.

For a more detailed discussion, hit the jump. But here's a short preview: We did ourselves a lot of good in Puerto Rico.

Here's how our opponents have performed to date, in order to provide a baseline comparison and bring everyone up to speed. (After all, not everyone has been paying attention to hoops like I have, given our North-contending football team and what have you.)

Kansas State RPI = 28

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Good Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (2-1) | RPI = 64: Loss at Kansas State (92-54), Win over Canisius (89-69), Win at Holy Cross (76-73)
Western Illinois (2-2) | RPI = 112: Loss at Arizona State (87-35), Loss at Kansas State (82-50), Win over Truman State (71-59), Win at Central Arkansas (56-46)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141: Loss at Iona (82-73), Loss to George Washington (69-59), Loss to Kansas State (80-70), Win over Indiana (71-67), Loss to No. 21 Georgia Tech (85-67)
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76: Win over UALR (92-64), Win over Alabama State (90-53), Win over Indiana (89-71), Win over Kansas State (86-74), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (79-67)
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32: Win over Creighton (90-80), Win over No. 21 Georgia Tech (63-59), Loss to No. 5 Villanova (71-65), Loss to Kansas State (83-75)
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75: Win at Drake (88-82), Win at Eastern Illinois (69-66), Win over Austin Peay (77-63), Loss at Auburn (80-65), Win over Georgia State (67-56)
Fort Hays State (2-0) | RPI = N/A (D-II): Win over Friends (82-46), Win over Central Christian College (85-66)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140: Win over MVSU (94-66), Win over Eastern Washington (67-61), Win over IPFW (89-70)
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79: Win over Youngstown State (83-57), Win over Bowling Green (101-57), Win over Sacred Heart (105-65)
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1: Win over Pittsburg State (91-52), Win over Nevada (88-75), Win over Southern Illinois (78-69)
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186: Loss to Cornell (71-67), Win over Jackson State (86-69), Win over Providence (84-75)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166: Loss at Colorado (88-72), Loss at Denver (75-56), Loss at UTEP (70-52)
Cleveland State (3-1) | RPI = 260: Loss at St. Bonaventure (72-62), Win over Wilmington (99-74), Win over Florida A&M (78-64), Win over Sam Houston State (80-65)
South Dakota (2-2) | RPI = N/A (D-I transition): Loss at Texas Tech (88-49), Loss to Oregon State (62-47), Win over TAMUCC (76-73), Win over Mayville State (99-67)
Missouri (2-0) | RPI = 280: Win over UT Martin (83-68), Win over UTPA (100-64)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135: Win over Angelo State (88-69), Win at SMU (80-68), Win over Samford (68-49)
Colorado (3-0) | RPI = 128: Win over UAPB (88-72), Win over Coppin State (82-58), Win over Texas Southern (88-77)
No. 3 Texas (2-0) | RPI = 17: Win over UC Irvine (89-42), Win over Western Carolina (73-41)
Oklahoma State (3-0) | RPI = 21: Win over Seattle (86-64), Win over Southern (93-61), Win over North Texas (82-68)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60: Win over Norfolk State (86-58), Win over Hartford (71-69), Win over Southern (61-45), Win over Hardin-Simmons (106-45)
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46: Win over Hofstra (101-65), Win over Memphis (57-55), Win over Central Arkansas (94-44)
Nebraska (2-1) | RPI = 134: Win over SCUU (76-49), Loss at Saint Louis (69-55), Win over TCU (90-77)
Iowa State (4-0) | RPI = 188: Win over Idaho State (88-68), Win over Chicago State (72-50), Win at Drake (90-70), Win over MVSU (96-55)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65: Win over Mount St. Mary's (95-71), Win over UL Monroe (72-61), Loss at VCU (82-69)
Texas Tech (5-0) | RPI = 86: Win over South Dakota (88-49), Win over TAMUCC (66-59), Win over Oregon State (64-60), Win over Northwestern State (94-75), Win over Lamar (77-54)

My plan is to update this daily with the games are played the previous day, and I'll probably start looking at RPIs some time after Thanksgiving (they're pretty meaningless before that point due to the disparity in scheduling).

Update: Got bored and added the RPIs around midnight. I'll save the analysis for tomorrow's edition.

BtB 2009-10 Southland Conference Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:34 -0000

Northwestern State claimed the Southland's two NCAA victories in the ‘00s, knocking off Winthrop in the inaugural Opening Round game in 2001, then upsetting third-seeded Iowa in 2006 before falling to West Virginia in the second round. Fittingly, the Demons were also the only Southland team to make it to the Big Dance more than once in the decade. The only members who didn't claim a bid were Texas State, Nicholls State, and Central Arkansas, who is tournament-eligible for the first time this season.

The last three conference tourney winners, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas-Arlington, and Stephen F. Austin, all claimed their first NCAA bid with the crown, and Southeastern Louisiana did the same in 2005. As the defending champion Lumberjacks lost the bulk of their championship team, it's likely the Southland will start the decade of the 10s by again sending a different representative to the tournament. The top eight finishers during the regular season-regardless of division-will make the fight for this privilege, and the 14 to 16 seed in the NCAA tournament that is the inevitable result. Given that sixth seeded Texas-San Antonio made the final last season and 5th seeded Northwestern State and 7th seeded Texas-Arlington made the 2008 final, that's a place where the unexpected becomes the norm. And that's why each team in this topsy-turvy conference bears watching.

More on the 12 teams who will try to defy convention after the jump.

Here's a look at last season's Southland Conference standings.

Southland Conference Standings

(updated 3.14.2009 at 4:24 AM EDT)

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Sam Houston St. Bearkats	12	4	18	12
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders	11	5	18	15
Texas-Arlington Mavericks	9	7	16	14
Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners	8	8	19	12
Texas State Bobcats	7	9	14	16
Lamar Cardinals	6	10	15	15

West	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Sam Houston St. Bearkats	12	4	18	12
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders	11	5	18	15
Texas-Arlington Mavericks	9	7	16	14
Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners	8	8	19	12
Texas State Bobcats	7	9	14	16
Lamar Cardinals	6	10	15	15

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order, starting with the East Division.

East Division

Central Arkansas (last NCAA: None) The Bears are finally full, tournament-eligible Division I members, but they shouldn't threaten for a bid after losing three starters from a year ago. Two seniors, 6-1 guard Mike Pouncy (10.1 ppg) and 6-6 forward Mitch Reuter (11.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg), lead the way, but none of the other returnees managed to average even 4 points per contest last season. UCA visits Memphis and Kansas in the Hall of Fame Showcase event. They also take part in a unique showcase at Stephen F. Austin, where they and the Lumberjacks will both face Cal State-Fullerton and Southern on consecutive evenings.

McNeese State (last NCAA: 2002) Dave Simmons’ team was defensively stout last season, but will be a smaller team now that 6-6 John Pinchon (11.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-11 Kleon Penn (8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) are now gone. That means 6-9 Elbryan Neal, a senior who averaged 5 points and 4 boards a game off the bench in ’08-09, and 6-7 junior forward Will Morning, who missed last season with a knee injury, will have to step up, as will another key returnee, 6-5 P.J. Alawoya (7.4 ppg. 7.3 rpg). The backcourt should be solid with the return of McNeese’s leading scorer, 6-2 senior Diego Kapelan (11.7 ppg) and 6-4 PG C.J. Collins (4.9 ppg, 3.2 apg), though Simmons brought in two freshman PGs, Dontae Cannon and Jeremie Mitchell to push the holdovers. The Cowboys open up at the Rainbow Classic, against Hawai’i, Northern Colorado, and Southern Utah.

Nicholls State (last NCAA: 1998) Nicholls was another solid defensive team in 2008-09, but their offense could dip a bit in '09-10 after the departure of leading scorer Ryan Bathie, the Colonels all-time best 3-point shooter who averaged nearly 16 points a contest, and PG Justin Payne (6.8 ppg, 3.1 apg). The good news is, J.P. Piper has two players back who should be able to pick up the slack, 6-6 Australian swingman Anatoly Bose (15 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and 6-5 off guard Fred Hunter (10.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg), along with defensive stalwart Kellan Carter (5.2 ppg, 2.4 spg). Not only does Piper need to find a new point guard, he needs to get more production out of a thin frontcourt. If he doesn't the Colonels will take their lumps during a tough non-conference slate that includes a round-robin tournament at New Mexico and the Great Alaska Shootout.

Stephen F. Austin (last NCAA: 2009) Danny Kaspar's team finally broke through and made the NCAAs last season, but they'll have to attempt a repeat without the last two Southland Players of the Year, Josh Alexander (14.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Matt Kingsley (15.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg). In fact, Kaspar only has one starter back, 5-3 (yes, you read that right) PG Eric Bell (3.5 ppg, 3.6 apg), and his leading returning scorer is reserve guard Eddie Williams (7.4 ppg). A flock of JC transfers, led by 5-7 Denzel Barnes, 6-7 F Jordan Glynn, and 6-5 Mark Gomilla, will have to produce immediately, as will 6-10 freshman C Will Reinke. Texas Tech will visit Nacogdoches, as will Southern and Cal State-Fullerton-for a showcase event with Central Arkansas. The Lumberjacks will also fly out to California to take on Binghamton and Howard at an event hosted by St. Mary's, who they won't actually play.

Northwestern State (last NCAA: 2006) The Demons lost two starters from a season ago, but it shouldn't be too hard to adjust to life without them. That's because Mike McConathy had already suspended both Devin White and C.J. Clark for the last month of the season for rules violations. McConathy's son, Michael (8 ppg, 4 apg), and Damon Jones (12.2 ppg) anchor the backcourt, while defensive fixture Michael Mosley (6.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg), a 6-7 C, is the only returning frontcourt starter. 6-10 freshman O.J. Evans and 6-7 Cory Dixon, another first year player, will be called on to provide frontline support. Besides a trip to Hawai'i, the Demons will also travel to Indiana, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech this season.

Southeastern Louisiana (last NCAA: 2005) Jim Yarbrough returns three starters from a team that just missed recording a .500 Southland mark last season. 6-9 C Patrick Sullivan (12.1 ppg, 7rpg) is the key man in the frontcourt, while the offense is in good hands thanks to the return of 6-2 point guard Brandon Fortenberry (8.3 ppg, 4 apg). The unexpected offseason departure of 6-3 guard Chris Cyprian means 6-3 Damon Forrest (9.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg) will see more time this season. 6-6 F Robert Tibbs (5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg) will help Sullivan out in the frontcourt, while Mississippi transfer Rodney Jones, a 6-3 guard, is eligible this season. The Lions visit LSU, Mississippi State, and Nebraska in their non-conference travels.

West Division

Texas State (last NCAA: 1997) The fact Doug Davalos' team managed a 14-16 record with such a defensively challenged team is commendable; however, thanks to the loss of his key backcourt performers, who averaged a combined 38 points per contest, the Bobcats have an uphill climb this season. Texas State's strength this season will switch to the frontcourt, thanks to the return of 6-5 John Ryback (10 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 6-7 Cameron Johnson (9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and 6-7 Emmanuel Bidids a Moute (6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Davalos will need two of last year's bench performers, John Bowman (4.7 ppg) and Ryan White (3.7 ppg, 2 apg), and two of his incoming freshmen, 6-1 Dylan Hale and 6-3 JC transfer Uriel Segura, to replace his departed backcourt stars. The Bobcats travel to Tempe to face host Arizona State in the NIT Season Tip-Off's West Regional. Texas State also visits Texas and DePaul, with a home-and-home against SMU also on the schedule.

Lamar (last NCAA: 2000) The Cardinals somehow managed to finish 15-15 in a year that would have probably gone better if Steve Roccaforte's players hadn't missed so many games due to injury. They'll struggle to even match that win total this season, and improve on their 6 league wins of '08-09, as three starters are gone. But the news isn't all bad in Beaumont, as two players are back after missing all of last year because of injuries--6-6 Justin Nabors (who averaged over 11 points and 6 boards a game in 2007-08) and 6-8 Lawrence Nwevo (4.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg in '07-08). Rice and Tulane visit the Montagne Center this season, while the Cardinals are one of several Southland schools to visit Hawai'i.

Texas-Arlington (last NCAA: 2008) The Mavericks lost two double figure scorers from a year ago, as junior Roge'r Guignard (12.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) left after coach Scott Cross suspended him last season and Anthony Vereen (17.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) graduated. However, there's still talent in Arlington, especially in the backcourt. 6-3 G Marquez Haynes (16.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg), a Boston College transfer, and 6-1 Brandon Long (12.1 ppg) return. Their support will be young, as Cross brought in a guard-heavy class of freshmen. In the frontcourt, 6-5 Tommy Moffitt (7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) will need some help from returnees 6-5 LaMarcus Reed (3.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg) and 6-11 Trey Parker (2.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and the lone freshman big man, 6-11 Jordan Reves. The highlights of the Mavericks schedule include trips to Michigan State and Baylor, along with a spot in a traditional tournament at Drake, where UTA will open with with North Dakota.

Texas-San Antonio (last NCAA: 2004) After a .500 league regular season, UTSA made it all the way to the Southland final, where they fell to SFA. Brooks Thompson lost two key players off that team, 6-7 F Travis Gabbidon (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and 3-point specialist Joey Shank (9 ppg), but there are pieces in place for the Roadrunners to contend again. UTSA's backcourt remains strong, thanks to the presence of 5-7 PG Omar Johnson (12.6 ppg, 4.2 apg) and 6-0 Devin Gibson, a player who excelled at both ends of the court, scoring 12+ a game while nabbing 3 steals a contest. To make up for the loss of Gabbidon, Thompson will expect more out of 6-4 senior Morris Smith IV (9 ppg, 3 rpg), 6-6 Josh Bonney (5.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg), 6-7 C DeMarco Stepter (6.5 ppg, 6 rpg), along with 6-5 JC transfer Stephen Franklin. The Roadrunners will participate in this season's CBE Classic, where they'll visit Iowa before traveling to Richmond, Kentucky to face host Eastern Kentucky, UC Irvine, and Fairleigh Dickinson. C-USA contender Houston also visits UTSA.

Sam Houston State (last NCAA: 2003) Bob Martin's team, the West Division winners, fell short of the NCAAs last season after opening falling to UTSA in their first Southland tournament game. While the Bearkats have the backcourt to contend, thanks to the return of starters 5-11 PG Ashton Mitchell (12.5 ppg, 6.8 apg) and 6-1 SG Corey Allmond (15.3 ppg), both serious Southland Player of the Year threats, and reserve Lance Pevehouse, a 3-point specialist like Allmond, who averaged more than 9 points a game off the bench. The frontcourt is a concern for Martin, however, as there isn't much after 6-6 senior Preston Brown (9.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg). If the Bearkats can get production from 6-7 reserve C Antuan Bootle (1.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg), 6-9 Zambian C Arthur Zulu, or 6-7 Delaware transfer DeMarco Cooper, they'll be serious contenders. Sam Houston State's schedule features trips to Kentucky and Cleveland State as part of the Cancun Challenge, where they'll face Oral Roberts, then either Florida A&M or Rider in the undercard portion of the tournament.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (last NCAA: 2007) Perry Clark's Islanders will be a serious threat for the crown thanks to the return of all five of last year's starters, plus that of point guard LaMarr Drake (6.2 ppg, 3 apg) from suspension. Swingman Kevin Palmer, a 6-6 senior who averaged over 18 points and 5+ boards a game, is the Islanders' go-to guy. Shamar Coombs, who averaged 8 points and 2.4 dimes last season, played the point during Drake's absence, and is an excellent option. The frontcourt--featuring 6-7 Desmond Watt (8.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg), 6-8 Justin Reynolds (8.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 6-8 Horace Bond (4.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and 7-foot C Filip Toncinic (6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg)--isn't the flashiest group, but they're productive. Clark was aggressive with his non-conference scheduling, as the Islanders will visit Mississippi, Houston, Texas, and Florida State, as well as Lubbock, where they'll face host Texas Tech, Oregon State, and South Dakota in a round-robin event.

The Islanders are my pick to claim the overall Southland crown, so they'll appear in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9.

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

Preseason All-Southland Team

Player of the Year: Kevin Palmer, 6-6 G/F, Sr. (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)

Remainder of the Team
Corey Allmond, 6-1 G, Sr. (Sam Houston State)
Anatoly Bose, 6-6 G/F, Jr. (Nicholls State)
Devin Gibson, 6-0 G, Jr. (Texas-San Antonio)
Marquez Haynes, 6-3 G, Sr. (Texas-Arlington)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Southland Conference this season?

Central Arkansas

0 votes

Lamar

2 votes

McNeese State

0 votes

Nicholls State

2 votes

Northwestern State

1 votes

Sam Houston State

4 votes

Southeastern Louisiana

0 votes

Stephen F. Austin

1 votes

Texas-Arlington

2 votes

Texas-San Antonio

1 votes

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

0 votes

Texas State

0 votes

13 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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Preveiew and Open Game Day Thread: Texas Tech vs. Lamar

Seth C — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:26:31 -0000

Texas Tech Red Raiders
vs.
Lamar Cardinals
December 13, 2008
7:05 CST
TV: None
Game Cast: Fox Sports

The Numbers:

Texas Tech	Statistic	Lamar
51	K.P. Rank*	188
110.5 (51)	Adjusted Offensive Efficiency*	100.6 (155)
92.8 (74)	Adjusted Defensive Efficiency*	103.6 (227)
90.4	Points Scored	73.4
75.9	Points Allowed	67.9
40.6	Rebounds	36.8
18.1	Assists	12.6
13.8	Turnovers	13.3

Probable Starting Lineups:

Texas Tech	Ht.	Wt.	Pos.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG
John Roberson	5-11	165	G	So.	15.0	3.4	5.9
Alan Voskuil	6-3	181	G	Sr.	14.9	6.0	2.8
Mike Singletary	6-6	230	F	So.	11.9	4.6	1.8
D'Walyn Roberts	6-7	194	F	So.	6.8	3.6	0.9
Trevor Cook	6-8	241	F	Jr.	10.1	4.0	0.3
Lamar	Ht.	Wt.	Pos.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG
Kenny Dawkins	5-9	155	G	Sr.	15.7	3.7	3.6
Brandon McThay	5-11	170	G	Sr.	12.7	3.3	1.9
Skyler Williams	6-2	195	F	So.	3.4	2.7	1.9
Jay Brown	6-7	230	F	Sr.	13.9	9.0	1.9
Coy Custer	6-10	260	C	So.	5.3	3.0	0.1

Keys to the Game:

No Okorie: Because Okorie won't be available for tonight's game, I'd like to see a little more emphasis inside, especially with Roberts and Singletary, if he starts. I have no issue with Cook taking his man outside, but Singletary and Roberts should be able to take advantage of the smaller Lamar defenders.
What Is Lamar: Per KenPom, they stink, and it's not even close. They've played some teams very close for a while (Indiana State was a close game) but statistically, Lamar is horrible defensively and Junior Knight should be able to take advantage of that.
The Bench: With Okorie and Prince out, the bench is just a tad thinner. Expect to see more Tyree Graham, Rogdrick Craig, Robert Lewandowski and Darko Cohadarevic in their absense.

GO RAIDERS . . .

*Stats can be found at Ken Pomeroy: K.P. Rank = the Ken Pomeroy Rank; Offensive Efficiency = the national rank in terms of points scored per 100 possessions; Defensive Efficiency = the national rank in terms of points allowed per 100 possession. Numbers in parentheses are national rank.

Louisville sweeps Marques Maybin Classic

Mike Rutherford — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:50:40 -0000

It wasn't quite the Big East Tournament, but the last three days provided exactly what Louisville fans needed to see after the disaster in Nashville: three convincing wins over a trio of outclassed opponents. That's the good news. The bad news is that after Saturday's tilt with Austin Peay - a team that lost to Ohio by 11 last month - the talent level of the opposition hits a fairly significant spike, and will remain pretty constant for the next three months.

Absolute statements pronounced in the realm of the sports world are almost always made solely for effect, and this one is no different: Earl Clark is the difference between this team being good and this team being great. When Clark is motivated, aggressive on the defensive end, willing to attack the glass, scoring points through the offense and looking to involve his teammates, then Louisville is a legitimate top five team capable of beating anyone in the country. When he's lethargic on defense and in the press, taking contested jumpers, content to go 1-on-3 and relying on T-Will or Samuels to come down with a rebound, then Louisville is a team that can lose to Western Kentucky by 14 on a neutral court.

Ninety-nine percent of the teams in the country don't have any answer for Clark, and can only hope that he takes the night off. In his junior season, it's time for that to stop being an option.

We've been over all the things that Terrence Williams brings to the table a number of times on here over the last couple of years, but if he really wants to assume the role of leader then he needs to learn what not to do. T-Will was the only one who played with any urgency down the stretch against Western Kentucky, but he spent most of his energy attempting to create shots for himself. This wouldn't be a problem if he were a good shooter; he is not. The same holds true for the holding the defender while coming off of a screen in order to draw a foul move he likes to utilize when the Cards are in the bonus. If you can't make free-throws then don't work hard to get to the line.

Williams makes this team go with his rebounding, passing and defense. He's going to go through some stretches where he knocks down consecutive outside jumpers, but this is never going to be the norm. When trailing late in the game, the best thing T-Will can do as a senior leader is play great D, board and try to create shots for his teammates. It's something he needs to understand as soon as possible.

More of the same from Samardo Samuels, who continues to eat up opposing low-major talent in the post. I'd really like to see him work more on turning to his right and hitting the face-up jumper or trying a half-hook with his left hand, because if he doesn't prove he can score in either of these manners then Big East centers are going to drape themselves on his left shoulder the same way they did with David Padgett near the end of last season.

Token Samardo picture

Yet another erratic string of performances from Edgar Sosa, which is disappointing. He has to understand that if his unneccessary, at times out-of-control right-handed drive to the bucket works about 50% of the time against the likes of Lamar and Indiana State, then it's only going to work about 20% of the time against Pittsburgh and Connecticut. Also, I'm not sure where the flying elbow on his jump shot came from, but it needs to tuck itself away.

Everyone still refers to him as streaky, but Andre McGee has proven himself to be a pretty reliable outside shooter over the last year and one month. Statistcally, McGee was U of L's best three-point shooter a season ago, and he went 5-for-13 from deep over the weekend to pick himself out of an early slump. If he can force teams to pay extra defensive attention to him around the perimeter then it will really open things up for Jerry Smith or whomever is in at the two.

I get about as excited when an opposing player goes up for a shot against George Goode or Terrence Jennings as I do when Samuels catches the ball alone in the post on offense. Jennings has the potential to be tremendous in a few years if he keeps his heart and head in the right place, and Goode has easily been the most pleasant surprise of the season to this point.

When Preston Knowles has bronchial problems, we all have bronchial problems.

Some current national rankings:

Scoring Margin: 2 (25.2)
Three-Point FG Defense: 2 (22.1%)
Field-Goal Percentage Defense: 4 (34.2%)
Assist Turnover Ratio: 4 (1.78)
Scoring Defense: 5 (52.4)
Turnovers Per Game: 6 (11)
Turnover Margin: 6 (+8)
Assists Per Game: 7 (19.6)

Obviously these would be more impressive if the team had played anyone of any real consequence, but still, good stuff.

Apparently the halfcourt shot against Oklahoma last year was just the thing Will Scott needed. Here's hoping he avoids a second straight new calendar year slump.

I needed some Lee Steiden in my life at some point over the past three days. I needed it like I need air. And that's an awful lot, girl.

The phrase "high basketball IQ" seems to be attached without hindrance to smaller white players far too frequently, but I found myself saying it with regard to Kyle Kuric multiple times over the weekend. He has a great nose for the ball, a terrific outside stroke, and he's got the potential to really help this team against some of the bigger, zone-favoring squads in the Big East.

Reggie Delk seems frustrated. Maybe I'm seeing something that isn't there, but that's how it appears to me. I'd really like to see him knock down a string of outside shots and build a base of confidence.

Jared Swopshire does not look like Barack Obama. Sorry, University of Louisville teammates.

I always enjoy the comfort that comes with December games in the Hall against completely overmatched opponents, but the past three days have left me ready for some competition...or at least some expected competition (read: I did not take Western seriously). It shouldn't come on Saturday (read: I am not taking Austin Peay seriously), but the four games after that are all very losable. And after that there's a tiny rivalry game on the docket.

It's slow right now, but we're very close to things picking up in a hurry.

Marques Maybin rules.

Kentucky 103, Lamar 61: Post Mortem

Truzenzuzex — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:10:05 -0000

The entire Big Blue Nation anxiously awaits word about the condition of Ramon Harris tonight, who suffered a blow to the head when he collided viciously with Michael Porter in tonight's game with Lamar University. As of this writing, no further word is available other than that the initial tests to Razor Ramon have been positive. We cannot breathe easy yet, but so far, so good.

Props to the Lamar Cardinals for coming in and playing hard tonight, absent three of their better players. Lamar has been very successful so far this year, and my guess is, that success will continue despite the lopsided nature of this game. They are a very sound basketball team and did a lot of good things tonight, but they just ran up against a highly motivated and more talented Kentucky team.

While we await word on Harris' condition, let's see what we can take away from tonight's game. I apologize, first of all, for the lateness of the report, but my wife and I are both suffering from a bad cold we brought home with us, and that has made normal life rather more difficult than usual. I am also aware of the oddity on the blog that has created two open game threads. The servers were undergoing maintenance tonight, and I can only assume that is partially responsible for the problem, but rest assured that I have identified the issue to the technical team and they will be dealing with it as soon as possible.

But with all that aside, here are my takeaway's from tonight's action from the perspective of the players:

DeAndre Liggins was outstanding in every way. Liggins was 6-6 from the floor with seven rebounds, four assists and two turnovers, a block and a steal in 27 minutes of action.
Perry Stevenson's line looks nice, but he had only 4 total rebounds in sixteen minutes. Stevenson has been gradually disappearing from the team lately.
As Stevenson has faded recently, Josh Harrellson has risen. Tonight he had 12 points including 2 three-pointers in 24 minutes of action, along with 7 rebounds.
Darius Miller got back on track tonight including three very nice assists and a solid floor game. Only three unsightly turnovers marred an otherwise very strong performance.
Kevin Galloway saw his first extended minutes of the season, going 0-3 from the field but carting 5 assists and only 1 turnover. That had to bring a smile to Billy Gillispie's face.
Patrick Patterson got the ball early and often tonight, and his line reflects that -- 11-12 from the field for 31 points, 3 assists and 3 turnovers. The only troubling statistic are his three measly rebounds, which simply will not do.
Jodie Meeks had a solid 19 points tonight, but the really outstanding part of his game were the six assists vs. only one turnover, a complete reversal from his recent games with respect to ball handling.
Ramon Harris was on his way to a monster, career game before his injury. In only six minutes, Harris had five points, 3 assists and zero turnovers. I pray that his injury is minor, and not just because Razor Ramon gets better with every passing moment.

All in all, the players had good games and did some very nice things out there. It was far from a perfect game, but the team really brought the defensive intensity early and got up huge on Lamar, putting them away early and convincingly, which brings me to my remarks about overall team play:

The execution tonight, particularly in the first half, was a thing that had to warm the cockles of every Kentucky fan's heart. Sharp passing, tough defense and solid ballhandling all together at the same time are something we simply have not seen even once this year -- until now, at least for one half.
The running game tonight was by far the best I have seen from a Kentucky game since 2004. It was something we all suspected that UK could do, and even though the foe tonight was athletically overmatched, it was nice to see it return.
Twenty-five assists and sixteen turnovers. Folks, it doesn't get much better than that. That's called sharing the basketball.
Seven steals as a team is not very impressive. Steals are a stat that Kentucky has lagged in all year, and they continue to do so.
Only eight offensive rebounds would normally be another cause for concern, but UK shot 64% from the field, so not a lot of OR's were available.
UK allowed 13 OR's, and that is a cause for frustration. There is no excuse for that given Kentucky's advantages in size and athleticism.
UK shot 50% from the three-point arc, while giving up only 16%. The part I really like is the improvement in 3-point defense against a good shooting Lamar team.
UK shooting 80% from the charity stripe tonight continues to impress. Earlier in the year, I worried that free throw shooting might suffer due to all the new faces. It seems those concerns were unfounded after all.

Overall, this was the kind of game that makes me think that the team has carried the lessons they learned in Las Vegas back to Lexington with them, and that is a very good sign. Tonight, we got a taste of just how good this team can be when hitting on almost all cylinders, and ladies and gentlemen of the Big Blue Nation, that taste was pretty much delicious.

I am not ready to anoint UK as a national title contender or even the odds-on favorite to win the SEC, but what we saw tonight is a team making noticeable improvement from game to game, from week to week. That is really all you can ask, and right now, it feels like my intuition that this UK team turned a corner in the Las Vegas Invitational was more right than wrong. Despite that, it will take continued improvement to really put to rest the lingering doubts from the Gardener-Webb and VMI games as to how far the program has come in the last two years and in what direction, but there is no doubt that right now, this team seems to solidly on course to reach many of the objectives we had all hoped for this year.

The evidence of the eyes suggests that Gillispie's mild and somewhat controversial reaction to Liggins' insubordination in Sin City was exactly the right prescription to cure the ills we had seen in DeAndre's game up until this point. It is always hard to figure out how young players will react to adversity, and it is often possible for a coach to magnify the impact of that adversity on both the player and team by hewing too closely to conventional wisdom. Sometimes gambles like Gillispie made in his handling of Liggins pay off and sometimes they don't, but if this game is any indication, Gillispie may have hit a jackpot in Las Vegas by rolling the dice instead of making the safe and obvious play.

That's all for tonight. We'll have more, as always, tomorrow.

		#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.