Chuck Carlton's column in the Dallas Morning News.
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/col...n-progress-tubby-smiths-third-year-texas-tech
Tubby Smith didn't break out any viral-video worthy dance moves or offer a memorable soundbite after Texas Tech recorded its second consecutive win over a ranked opponent.
The Red Raiders coach was almost professorial, glancing down at the stat sheet and noting things like the number of deflections (an impressive 46) generated by the defense in an 84-66 road win Saturday night over No. 21 Baylor.
At the end of the locker room talk captured on Periscope and broadcast over Tech's Twitter account, Smith closed with congratulations for a job well done and reminded the players of Oklahoma coming to Lubbock on Wednesday.
"Validate on three," Smith said, as the players joined together.
The chant was as appropriate as anything. The back-to-back victories over Iowa State and at Waco have validated the progress made in Smith's third season. With an RPI rising to 32, Tech (15-9, 5-7 Big 12) is legitimately back in the NCAA Tournament discussion and seeking its first appearance since 2006-07 - the last time Tech had consecutive wins over ranked teams.
While a lot of basketball remains beginning with the Sooners, updated bracket projections Sunday by CBS Sports and USA Today put Tech in the 68-team field.
"As for a certain number of wins, I don't think we have one set," Smith said a few minutes after his locker-room talk Saturday. "If you have a chance to make the postseason I think you have to give yourself a chance by playing well this time of the year and get wins."
Of its six remaining regular-season games, Tech has three games against teams currently ranked in the top 10, although two are road games at Kansas and West Virginia, which are hard places to win at.
Would victories in four of the remaining six games and in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament be enough to vault Tech in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee?
The dismantling of Baylor provides plenty of evidence that Tech should remain in the hunt if it continues to play that well. The 18-point win represented Tech's largest victory margin against a ranked team on the road.
It was a veteran Baylor team that was called for an intentional foul, a technical foul and a flagrant foul in the second half. Sophomore point guard Keenan Evans finished with 21 points, five assists and four steals as four Red Raiders scored in double figures. Tech shot 57.6 percent for the game and 66.7 percent in the second half, often using more of the shot clock.
"You work so hard and then one little slip up or hot-hand and they get a wide-open shot, or a last-second shot when we're backed off," Baylor junior Ishmail Wainright said. "Yeah, it's frustrating."
A victory over Oklahoma would get everyone's attention. It won't be easy, not with the Sooners still stinging from a frustrating home loss to Kansas. Oklahoma won the first meeting in Norman 91-67 behind 30 points from Buddy Hield.
"But there is excitement around our program, for our players, for our fans and for our administration," Smith said. "We came here to change the culture, so whatever good things happen for our program, it's because the guys are believing in each other and playing hard for one another."
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/col...n-progress-tubby-smiths-third-year-texas-tech
Tubby Smith didn't break out any viral-video worthy dance moves or offer a memorable soundbite after Texas Tech recorded its second consecutive win over a ranked opponent.
The Red Raiders coach was almost professorial, glancing down at the stat sheet and noting things like the number of deflections (an impressive 46) generated by the defense in an 84-66 road win Saturday night over No. 21 Baylor.
At the end of the locker room talk captured on Periscope and broadcast over Tech's Twitter account, Smith closed with congratulations for a job well done and reminded the players of Oklahoma coming to Lubbock on Wednesday.
"Validate on three," Smith said, as the players joined together.
The chant was as appropriate as anything. The back-to-back victories over Iowa State and at Waco have validated the progress made in Smith's third season. With an RPI rising to 32, Tech (15-9, 5-7 Big 12) is legitimately back in the NCAA Tournament discussion and seeking its first appearance since 2006-07 - the last time Tech had consecutive wins over ranked teams.
While a lot of basketball remains beginning with the Sooners, updated bracket projections Sunday by CBS Sports and USA Today put Tech in the 68-team field.
"As for a certain number of wins, I don't think we have one set," Smith said a few minutes after his locker-room talk Saturday. "If you have a chance to make the postseason I think you have to give yourself a chance by playing well this time of the year and get wins."
Of its six remaining regular-season games, Tech has three games against teams currently ranked in the top 10, although two are road games at Kansas and West Virginia, which are hard places to win at.
Would victories in four of the remaining six games and in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament be enough to vault Tech in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee?
The dismantling of Baylor provides plenty of evidence that Tech should remain in the hunt if it continues to play that well. The 18-point win represented Tech's largest victory margin against a ranked team on the road.
It was a veteran Baylor team that was called for an intentional foul, a technical foul and a flagrant foul in the second half. Sophomore point guard Keenan Evans finished with 21 points, five assists and four steals as four Red Raiders scored in double figures. Tech shot 57.6 percent for the game and 66.7 percent in the second half, often using more of the shot clock.
"You work so hard and then one little slip up or hot-hand and they get a wide-open shot, or a last-second shot when we're backed off," Baylor junior Ishmail Wainright said. "Yeah, it's frustrating."
A victory over Oklahoma would get everyone's attention. It won't be easy, not with the Sooners still stinging from a frustrating home loss to Kansas. Oklahoma won the first meeting in Norman 91-67 behind 30 points from Buddy Hield.
"But there is excitement around our program, for our players, for our fans and for our administration," Smith said. "We came here to change the culture, so whatever good things happen for our program, it's because the guys are believing in each other and playing hard for one another."
