LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech is set to compete in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday and Friday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The No. 12-ranked Red Raiders (5-0) open the tournament at 7 p.m. (CT) on Thursday against Iowa and will then play on Friday against either Creighton or San Diego State.
Tech is coming off a 96-66 non-conference win over Long Island and 72-57 victory against Tennessee State last week in the campus games of the tournament. The Red Raiders overcame a 42-41 halftime deficit on Sunday to earn a 30-point win over the Sharks where the team shot 51.5 percent from the field, 57.9 percent on 3-pointers (11-for-19), was 15-for-20 (75%) at the free-throw line and committed only 10 turnovers. The Hawkeyes (4-1) are on a three-game winning streak with wins over Cal Poly, North Florida and Oral Roberts after suffering their only loss of the season against DePaul on Nov. 11.
GAME COVERAGE: The game will be broadcasted on FS1 with Jeff Levering and Casey Jacobsen on the call and on the Texas Tech Sports Network's flagship station Double T 97.3 in Lubbock with Geoff Haxton and Clark Lammert. Fans can also find the game on any streaming device by using the FOX Sports Go app and can follow the game at @TexasTechMBB.
SERIES: Iowa owns a 4-1 all-time advantage in the series over Texas Tech with the Hawkeyes earning an 83-53 win on Dec. 21, 2004 in the last matchup. The Red Raiders are 5-0 against Big 10 opponents under Beard, including going 3-0 last season with wins over Nebraska at the Hall of Fame Classic and then Michigan and Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.
MTE SUCCESS: Along with postseason success the past two seasons, Texas Tech has won the 2017 Naismith Hall of Fame Tipoff in Uncasville, Conn. and the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. The Red Raiders secured last year's Hall of Fame Classic with wins over Southern Cal and Nebraska. In 2017, the team won the multi-team event with victories over Boston College and Northwestern.
POLLS: Texas Tech will travel to Las Vegas this week as the No. 12-ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll after improving to 5-0 on the season with a pair of non-conference home wins last week at the United Supermarkets Arena. Tech is also at No. 10 in the NCAA March Madness Power 36 by Andy Katz and is No. 12 in the ESPN Power Rankings. The Red Raiders rolled to wins over Tennessee State and Long Island to extend a 51-game home non-conference winning streak and remain at No. 12 in the poll for the second straight week. Tech began the year at No. 13 in the preseason poll, jumped to No. 11 after the first week and then dropped back a spot last week. Most of the AP Top 25 remains the same this week, including Duke (6-0) at No. 1 followed by Louisville (6-0), Michigan State (3-1) and Kansas (3-1). The Red Raiders and Louisville are set to square off on Dec. 10 in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. Kentucky, which travels to Lubbock on Jan. 25 for the Big 12/SEC Challenge is currently ranked No. 9 with a 5-1 record. Along with Tech and Kansas, the Big 12 is represented by No. 19 Baylor (5-1) in the rankings.
STAT RANKINGS: In the NCAA statistical rankings, Texas Tech leads the nation with 22.0 assists per game, is fifth with a 26.8 scoring margin of victory and is 11th with a 12.2 rebounding margin. The team is shooting 42.4 percent on 3-pointers which is 10th nationally and the 110 assists through five games is the 14th most throughout the NCAA entering the week. The Red Raiders are coming off a 96-66 win over Long Island where they had 22 assists on 35 shots and were 11-for-19 on 3-pointers (57.9 percent). Individually, TJ Holyfield is second in the nation with a 77.8 shooting percent. A senior from Albuquerque, Holyfield is averaging 13.8 points per game after shooting 28-for-36 from the field. Tech freshman Jahmi'us Ramsey leads the Big 12 with 19.4 points per game after going off for a career-high 27 with five 3-pointers. His 19.4 points per game ranks 50th nationally. Ramsey is currently 36-for-69 from the field this season and is tied with Davide Moretti for the team lead with 12 3-pointers. Kyler Edwards and Moretti both lead the nation at the free-throw line without a miss, Edwards at 15-for-15 and Moretti making all 11 of his attempts. Chris Clarke ranks third in the conference with 5.8 assists per game and is seventh with 7.8 rebounds per game. Clarke had eight rebounds in both games last week against TSU and LIU and also has an 11-assist performance on his resume coming against Houston Baptist. The Red Raiders are scoring 87.0 points per game which leads the Big 12 and is 12th nationally. The Red Raiders averaged 72.8 points per game and only had two games with 90 or more points last season. Through five games, the team already has a 103-point performance in the win over HBU and the 96-66 win over LIU.
RAMSEY EARNS BIG 12 HONOR: Texas Tech freshman Jahmi'us Ramsey earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday after dropping a career-high 27 points on Long Island on Sunday where he had five 3-pointers and also contributed six rebounds. Ramsey, who leads the Big 12 with 19.4 points per game this season and was named All-Big 12 Preseason Honorable Mention, also scored 13 points and seven rebounds last Thursday in the win over Tennessee State. An Arlington native, Ramsey has scored in double figures in all five games for the Red Raiders and comes into the week averaging 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Against LIU, Ramsey scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half where Tech turned a 42-41 halftime deficit into a 96-66 victory to improve to 2-0. He is the second Red Raiders to earn Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors this season, following TJ Holyfield who earned the recognition after the first week of the season. Ramsey averaged 20 points and 6.5 rebounds per game to earn this week's honor. Ramsey finished the game shooting 10-for-16 from the field, including going 5-for-6 on 3-pointers. Along with his impressive performances last week, Ramsey also has a 25-point game against Houston Baptist on his early-season resume after he opened the season with a 19-point output against Eastern Illinois. His 27 points were only four point shy of matching the Tech single-game freshman record of 31 points by Jason Sasser and Lance Hughes.
UP NEXT: No. 12 Texas Tech returns to action at 7 p.m. (CT) on Thursday against Iowa at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational before playing either Creighton or San Diego State on Friday. The Red Raiders, who are off to a 5-0 start and extended a 51-game non-conference home winning streak with the victory over LIU, will play at DePaul on Dec. 4 in Chicago and against No. 2-ranked Louisville on Dec. 10 in New York before hosting Southern Mississippi on Dec. 16 in their next home game.
PLAYER NOTES: Ramsey arrives in Las Vegas leading the Big 12 with 19.4 points per game after his career-high 27 point performance against Long Island. He has already scored 97 points through five games and is shooting 52.2 percent (36-for-69) from the field, 12-for-25 (48.0 percent) on 3-pointers and is 13-for-19 on free throws. He has had at least one offensive rebound in all five games, including three against HBU and TSU. A former 5-star recruit, Ramsey came to Texas Tech after leading Duncanville HS to the Class 6A State Championship and was named All-State. Along with Ramsey, Terrence Shannon, Jr. has made all five starts this season during his freshman year. A Chicago native, Shannon is coming off back-to-back 13-point performances against TSU and LIU and is now averaging 10.0 points per game. He started his career with 11 points in the season opener against EIU and had a career-best seven rebounds against TSU. Shannon, a 6-foot-6 guard, is now averaging 3.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 41.7 percent from the field.
Moretti continues to shoot lights out this season where he is at 62.2 percent from the field (23-for-37), 60.0 percent on 3-pointers (12-for-20) and is 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. A junior from Italy, Moretti led the nation from the free-throw line last season at 92.4 percent and is now at 132-for-144 (91.7 percent) in his career. He played in his 80th career game on Sunday against LIU where he scored 12 points after going 5-for-6 from the field. He has now scored 635 career points with 111 3-pointers made and has 150 assists. Moretti is currently averaging 3.4 assists per game this season, including dishing out six against HBU and five against Bethune-Cookman. Along with leadership and experience from Moretti, the Red Raiders are being led by Holyfield and Clarke who are the two seniors. Holyfield is a grad transfer from SFA, while Clarke arrived in Lubbock after three seasons at Virginia Tech. Holyfield is averaging 13.8 points per game, including a season-high 21 points against HBU after going for 20 against Bethune-Cookman. He is coming off a season-high seven rebounds against LIU and also had two assists. Holyfield also had six rebounds in games against EIU and BCU and is now averaging 4.6 rebounds per game. Along with his 1,081 points from three years at SFA, Holyfield has now scored 1,150 points in his collegiate career and has 618 rebounds. Clarke scored a season-high eight points on Sunday against LIU and also had eight rebounds in the win. A Virginia Beach, Virginia native, Clarke leads the team with 7.8 rebounds per game that includes as season-best 12 rebounds in the win over TSU. He had 11 assists against HBU and eight in the opener against EIU. Clarke is averaging 5.8 assists per game and also has five steals. Combined with his Virginia Tech stats, Clarke has now 556 rebounds, 239 assists and 744 points in 84 career games.
Kyler Edwards has started all five games this season after playing an important reserve role in all 38 games last season as a freshman. An Arlington native, Edwards is averaging 10.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game to begin his sophomore season. He has scored in double digits in three straight games, starting with a season-high 15 against Houston Baptist before dropping 10 on Tennessee State and LIU. Edwards averaged 5.5 points per game as a freshman, including a career-high 19 points in a win over Northern Colorado and 12 against Virginia in the NCAA Championship Final. He had a career-high seven rebounds in the win over HBU two weeks ago and matched his career high with six assists against LIU. Edwards also had six assists in a road win at Oklahoma last season and now has 64 assists and 258 points through the first 43 games of his career.
While Clarke has been the key reserve for the Red Raiders, the team has solid depth that has provided contributions throughout the season. Kevin McCullar is coming off a career-high with 10 points in the win over LIU after going 4-for-7 from the field with two 3-pointers and Clarence Nadolny is averaging 4.6 points per game after scoring five against the Sharks. A San Antonio native, McCullar redshirted last season and was with the team throughout its historic run along with fellow redshirt freshman Andrei Savrasov. McCullar is currently averaging 6.0 points per game after also scoring seven in the win over Tennessee State. Avery Benson is adding 2.8 points per game as a redshirt freshman where he is 5-for-6 from the field with three 3-pointers, while freshman Russel Tchewa is averaging 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. A 7-foot center from Cameroon, Tchewa matched his career-high with six points on Sunday against LIU after going 3-for-5 from the field and also secured two rebounds in 12 minutes of play. He also added a block for the Red Raiders who had three blocks in the game.
WATCH LISTS: Moretti was named to the 2020 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List following a season where he helped lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA National Championship Final and the Big 12 regular season championship. Moretti averaged 11.5 points per game, had 91 assists and shot 53.5 from the field, 53.5 percent on 3-pointers and 93.1 percent at the free-throw line during conference play as a sophomore. A Bologna, Italy native, Moretti earned All-Big 12 Third Team honors and led the nation by finishing the season at 92.4 percent at the line (97-of-105). Clarke was announced as one of 20 players on the watch list for the 2020 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. Clarke transferred to Texas Tech this season after averaging 9.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.03 steals in 79 games played at Virginia Tech. With the Hokies, Clarke would average 8.2 points and 6.3 rebounds as a junior after going for 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his sophomore season. For his career, he has scored 728 points, secured 517 rebounds and has 210 assists in his collegiate career.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its watch list with 20 candidates for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its seventeenth year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates. Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
SPANNING THE GLOBE: The Red Raiders are represented by eight players by five international players: Moretti (Italy), Nadolny (France), Ntambwe (Congo), Savrasov (Russia) and Tchewa (Cameroon). The program his two players from Arlington, Texas in Kyler Edwards and Jahmi'us Ramsey, Kevin McCullar is from San Antonio and four from out of state: Avery Benson (Arkansas), TJ Holyfield (New Mexico), Tyreek Smith (Louisiana) and Terrence Shannon (Illinois).
COACHING STAFF: The Red Raiders are led by head coach Chris Beard who is in his fourth season. Beard was named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year last season along with earning Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Beard has led the Red Raiders to an 81-31 record coming into Thursday's game against TSU, including a 54-5 record at home after the win over BCU. Beard is joined on the coaching bench by assistant coaches Mark Adams, Brian Burg and Ulric Maligi, Tim MacAllister (Chief of Staff), Bob Donewald(Player Development), Sean Sutton(Executive Advisor), John Reilly (Strength & Conditioning), Mike Neal (Athletic Trainer) and graduate assistants Casey Perrin, Ronald Ross, Matt Temple, Elliott De Wit, Khristian Smith, Joey Kuhl, Rusty Grafeland Mike Fallone. Adams was named the TABC Assistant Coach of the Year last season for his role in helping Beard and the Red Raiders reach the national championship final. Burg was listed by The Athletic as one of the top rising assistants in the game as he enters his fourth season at Tech and fifth with Beard after also being at Little Rock with Beard and Adams. Maligi is in his first season at Texas Tech after working at Texas A&M last year. Neal is also new to the program, joining the Red Raiders after working at Little Rock where he was also a player before going into athletic training. Adams and Burg were previously on Beard's staff at Little Rock along with athletic trainer Mike Neal who is in his first season at Tech. MacAllister was named to the NABC 30 Under 30 list after last year and enters his second season with the Red Raiders. Along with being 19 wins away from 100 at Tech, Beard is 177-61 as a collegiate head coach after prior leadership at Little Rock, Angelo State and McMurry.
SIGNING CLASS: Beard announced the signings of Chibuzo Agbo, Nimari Burnett and Micah Peavy to their national letter of intent for the 2020-21 academic year on November 13. The trio of talented recruits is ranked No. 5 nationally by Rivals.com and join a program that has advanced to the 2018 Elite Eight and to the 2019 NCAA National Championship Final over the past two season. Agbo signs with Texas Tech as a 4-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports after being named the 2019 Western League Player of the Year playing for Saint Augustine High School. He enters his senior season as the 2019-20 San Diego Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 20 points and 9.0 rebounds per game and shooting 42.0 percent on 3-pointers as a junior. He is currently ranked No.70 by 247Sports and No. 87 nationally by Rivals. Agbo chose Texas Tech over USC and was also recruited by Arizona, Cal, San Diego State and Marquette. Burnett is the highest rated recruit to sign in Texas Tech basketball history with a 5-star ranking by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. A Chicago, Illinois native, Burnett is ranked No. 19 nationally in the 2020 signing class by ESPN, No. 22 by Rivals and No. 28 in the 247Sports rankings. Peavy helped lead Duncanville High School to a Class 6A State Championship last season as a junior where he averaged 16 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He signs with Texas Tech as a 4-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports and is the No. 2-ranked prospect in Texas according to Mike Kunstadt's Texas Hoops. Peavy is the No. 32-ranked player in the nation by ESPN and No. 34 by Rivals.
STREAKING: Texas Tech has won 51 straight non-conference home games after its 96-66 win over LIU on Sunday. The team came into the season following a 67-64 win over Arkansas to complete a 9-0 mark in those games last year. TTU started the streak with a 100-69 win over St. Mary's on Dec. 30, 2013. Chris Beard is 32-0 in non-conference home games as the team's head coach.
SELL-OUT WITH ME: Fresh off the success of reaching the program's first NCAA Final Four, Texas Tech fans filled the USA during its season-opening week for the 20th and 21st sell-out in program history. It was the first time in program history with two sell-outs to begin the season and doubled the previous amount of non-conference games at capacity. The Red Raiders had four sell-outs last season where the program averaged 12,098 which was the second most ever behind only a 13,743 count in the 2001-02 season. Prior sell-outs in non-conference play came against New Mexico (2007) and UNLV (2006). Tech also sold out its neutral-court matchup against Houston Baptist in Midland before having 12,284 in attendance against Tennessee State and 13,286 on Sunday against LIU. The Red Raiders are averaging 14,016 fans through four home games.
DEPARTURES: Texas Tech will look to replace the winningest team in program history that is now without Jarrett Culver, Matt Mooney, Tariq Owens, Brandone Francis and Norense Odiase. Culver declared for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season and was selected No. 6 overall. After leading the Red Raiders with 18.5 points per and 6.4 rebounds per game and earning Big 12 Player of the Year and Consensus All-America honors, Culver is now on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mooney was the team's third leading scorer behind Culver and Moretti and is now with the Memphis Hustle in the G-League, while Owens established a new program single-season record with 92 blocked shots and is with Odiase on the Northern Arizona Suns (G-League). Francis was a member of the 2018 Elite Eight run and 2019 runner-up team and is on the Iowa Wolves roster. Along with players from last year's team, Max Lefevre is now with the Timberwolves working in video and athletic trainer Chris Williams joined the Timberwolves and Iowa Wolves athletic training staff.
WE PUBLISHED A BOOK: The story of the 2018-19 season has been chronicled in a commemorative book titled Raider Power: Texas Tech's Journey From Unranked to the Final Four. The Texas Tech Athletic Communications Office produced book is filled with images from our photographers and stories from throughout the season. The book is available now online and in stores. It is published by the TTU Press.
