23 Personnel

Spencer and Michael give their reactions and breakdowns of the final game of the 2018-2019 Texas Tech men's basketball season that ended in agonizing defeat. We also briefly discuss Texas Tech baseball, spring football, and nearly getting ejected from a tee ball game. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spencer and Michael give you some of that juicy instant reaction as Texas Tech takes down the Michigan State Spartans to advance to its first ever National Championship Game appearance. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

INTRO

“Texas Tech is in the Final Four”

BASKETBALL

“No Middle” defense

Averaging 7.4 steals pg (#54 nationally); 15.7 turnovers forced pg (#22); Tariq Owens 88 blocks

Tech opponents averaging 57 pts; 37.4% FG; 23.4% 3PT

Switch on everything, no weak link in defense; switched less on Gonzaga in second half as part of adjustment

Weakest part of TTU defense is rebounding, rank #131 (MSU is #6)

3 point shooting

Texas Tech is 17-0 when making at least 7 3-pointers

Tech has 6 players who made at least 20 3-pointers this season; four are shooting 38% or better (Davide Moretti 46.3%; Kyler Edwards 43.8%; Deshawn Corprew 40.8%; Matt Mooney 38.1%)

Tech averages 7.2 make 3-pointers on 19.6 attempts pg, ranks #67 nationally in 3PT%

Tech fell below that in games vs NKU, Buffalo, and Michigan

Sweet Sixteen Wrap; defeated Michigan 63-44

https://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14439&path=mbball

We went into this game worried about Michigan’s defense and Moretti’s inaccuracy beyond the arch (0-7 from 3pt in first two games)

Moretti ended up with 15 points on 5-7 shooting (3-4 3PT) 2-2 FT

Initially felt that rebounds would tell the story. Michigan still outgained TTU 35-31 on the glass.

TTU was up 8-6 after 11 min - 14 total points. This. Is. March.

TTU allowed 16 points in the first half while scoring 24

Elite Eight Wrap; defeated 1 seed Gonzaga 75-69 on Saturday

https://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14452&path=mbball

Tech outscored Zags 40-32 in second half

Culver 19 pts; Mooney 17 pts; Moretti 12 pts

First time in the tournament this year to allow 60 or more points; to no. 1 offensive efficiency ranked team

19 points below Gonzaga season scoring average

Final Four

Tech’s path to the Final Four; eliminated BPI teams 2, 8, & 22

MSU eliminated 3, 24, 53 (best win was 1 point)

Virginia (9, 29, 34; best win in OT); Auburn (7, 5, 18)

Matchup with Michigan State, Sat. 4/6, 7:49 p.m., US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis; defeated 1 seed Duke 68-67 on Sunday

Guard Cassius Winston averaging 19 ppg in tournament

ESPN Jeff Borzello “How the Final Four Teams Were Built (ESPN Top 100 Recruits)” Michigan State: 7, Texas Tech: 0

Detroit News James Hawkins “Texas Tech’s Chris Beard admires Tom Izzo and Michigan State, won’t let them be cowed by Spartans”

Beard’s admiration of Izzo

MSU terminology “Michigan State toughness” “Tom Izzo rebounding”

Beard: “The last two years, when we get to March, no matter who’s in front of us, we’ve played against a team just as good in the Big 12. So as  as Michigan State is - and believe me, they’re really, really good, obviously - we have played teams this year, Kansas State and Iowa State, we have played Duke in non conference. So for us, it’s another great game.”

BPI 39.3%; FiveThirtyEight 46%; Haslametrics 66.3 - 65.8; Las Vegas MSU -155 (Tech +135), -3 (implied odds MSU 60.8 - 42.6 TTU)

Texas Monthly Dan Solomon “A Handy Guide to Hopping on the Texas Tech Basketball Bandwagon”

Brian Hamilton (@_Brian_Hamilton) has had excellent articles on The Athletic profiling Mooney, Moretti, Culver (today), and chronicling how TTU made it to Minneapolis

FOOTBALL

DeMarcus Fields has returned to the team and is practicing (suspended with Da’Leon Ward, Joseph Wallace, Corey Fulcher)

There was a scrimmage in Lubbock on Saturday, apparently

https://texastech.com/news/2019/3/30/football-wells-takes-in-first-scrimmage-to-start-spring-series.aspx

Coach Wells, “"I liked the way the defense tackled," Wells said. "I thought we tackled well in space. I thought Ta'Zhawn Henry ran with good balance. He had some runs with good vision and good balance. SaRodorick (Thompson) made a nice run on the touchdown run. Those were the three things that stood out the most to me."

Midland Scrimmage this Friday (April 5th) - 7pm - Grande Communications Stadium

Spring Game Sat (April 13th) - 2pm - The Star in Frisco

BASEBALL

19-7 (3-3); def. UNM 15-6

Went 2-1 in Manhattan

Playing at New Mexico tonight (7pm) and tomorrow (2pm)

Back at home against KU this weekend (Texas Tech TV only)

QUESTIONS

https://twitter.com/LSRR07/status/1113134262113521666

GOIN YARD

WHAT WE LEARNED

Someone made a Spotify playlist of Coach Beard’s Fireside Chat recommendations (thank you, Tyler): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ZGvcIKRDpQrRLjWvKLpYR?si=3p66KYZ-RWqNT9XhurK-yQ

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Basketball

3 TTU takes down 14 Northern Kentucky Norse, 72-57

https://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14438&path=mbball

Tech pulled away after a 30-26 halftime lead

Held Drew McDonald to 5 pts on 2-13 shooting (came in to game averating 19.1 ppg

Culver (29 points, 10-17 FG, 3-5 3pt, 34 minutes)

Turnovers: TTU 11 - NKU 17

NKU Shooting: 37% FG, 23% 3PT, 75% FT

TTU Shooting: 53% FG, 35% 3PT, 59% FT

NKU (ORB-DRB REB) 12-27 39

TTU (ORB-DRB REB) 2-29 31

3 TTU demolishes 6 Buffalo Bulls, 78-58

https://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14441&path=mbball

Tech went on an 9-0 run to end the half and lead 33-25; eventually goes on 26-3 run spanning end of 1H into 2H

Buffalo went without a field goal for over an hour real time

TTU lead by 29 at one point in the second half

Odiase (14 points, 4-4 FG, 6-7 FT, 15 REB 25 minutes)

Turnovers: TTU 14 - Buffalo 16

Buffalo Shooting: 37% FG, 33% 3PT, 50% FT

TTU Shooting: 48% FG, 31% 3PT, 76% FT

Buffalo (ORB-DRB REB) 13-19 32

TTU (ORB-DRB REB) 15-30 45

Anaheim, California

Will face 2 Michigan on Thursday at 8:39pm (central) on CBS

By the Numbers: http://www.stakingtheplains.com/2019/03/26/by-the-numbers-texas-techs-ncaa-tournament-odds-sweet-16/

TTU BPI 17.4

Michigan BPI 18.4

FiveThirtyEight has TTU at slight favorite (51-49)

Haslam has Tech losing 60.8-61.4

Spread is Michigan -1.5 or -2

Michigan at -135 (O/U total at 126)

Am seeing -120 in places for Michigan and +110 for Techhttps://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/texas-tech-michigan-odds-march-28-2019-1106423

Translation: IT’S GONNA BE CLOSE, FOLKS

Charles Matthews v. Culver https://971theticket.radio.com/articles/john-beileins-plan-slow-down-texas-tech-star-jarrett-culver-charles-matthews

Red Raiders rank First in Defensive Efficiency

Michigan ranks third behind VCU

TTU ranks third in ppg (59.2) only behind Michigan and Virginia

Dan will have an interview with Dylan Burkhardt of UMHoops.com

Sweet Sixteen

Thursday

1 Gonzaga v 4 FSU West; 6:09 PM CBS

2 Tennessee v 3 Purdue South; 6:29 TBS

2 Michigan v 3 Texas Tech West; 8:39, CBS

1 Virginia v 12 Oregon South; 8:59, TBS

Friday

2 Michigan State v 3 LSU East; 6:09 CBS

1 North Carolina v 5 Auburn Midwest; 6:29 TBS

1 Duke v 4 Virginia Tech East; 8:39 CBS

2 Kentucky v 3 Houston Midwest; 8:59 TBS

Football

Saddle Up - Episode 2 https://texastech.com/watch/?Archive=18631&type=Archive

Lubbock Spring Game - Saturday, 3/30

Baseball

Three game sweep of #22 Michigan, outscored Wolverines 29-10

Split a two-game series on Sun-Mon with Stetson

Big 12 Play resumes this weekend in Manhattan vs. Kansas State (Fri-Sun) on ESPN3

Two game mid-week series the following Tue-Wed against New Mexico in the ‘Querque on Mountain West Network

Questions

https://twitter.com/B_DonCarlos/status/1110647866903707649?s=19

Going Yard

2nd mow, first fertilizer application down; almost time for you Bermuda folks

What we learned

Cooked my first Hello Fresh meal. Did not burn down the house or contract food poisoning. https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/figgy-balsamic-pork-5a5ce49ed56afa5c2710c852

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Basketball

TTU goes down to WVU 79-74 in the Big 12 Tourney

https://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14423&path=mbball

WVU looked tough against OU the night before. OU almost took it to overtime on a last second shot from beyond the arc, but the toe was on the line.

Tech trailed by as many as 17 in the first half and didn't take the lead until two minutes left in the game (the Culver blocked-three, coast-to-coast spectacular)

WVU 22-11 advantage in second-chance points.

Freshman Emmitt Matthews, Jr. went supernova. Averaging 3.9 pts/game coming into the game, came up with 28 points on 10-14 shooting (2-4 3PT), 6-6 from the line in 30 minutes. 6 ORB-2DRB.

Culver with a double-double (26 points, 10 boards) and 1000 career points (0-6 from 3).

Rebounds:

TTU - 7 ORB - 23 DRB (30 TOTAL)

WVU - 19 ORB - 25 DRB (44 TOTAL)

“Learn & Burn” Beard on SVP: https://twitter.com/TexasTechMBB/status/1107657334497730561?s=19

Headed to Tulsa

Picked a 3-seed and will face 14 Northern Kentucky on Friday at 12:30pm

BPI 91.8% chance for TTU win; predicted margin of victory 15 points

http://www.stakingtheplains.com/2019/03/18/linking-up-texas-techs-ncaa-berth/

Dan will have a Q&A with Austin Elmore - Producer of ESPN Radio (Cincinnati) and Northern Kentucky alum going up Thursday morning

Winner to face 6 Buffalo vs. 11 Arizona State/St. Johns (play-in game is Wed 8:10pm)

Interview with Rick Broering!

Football

Debut of Saddle Up: https://texastech.com/watch/?Archive=18590&type=Live

http://www.stakingtheplains.com/2019/03/18/a-clearer-view-of-matt-wells-coaching-philosophy/

Four Players Suspended (DaLeon Ward, Joe Wallace, Demarcus Fields, and Corey Fulcher)https://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20190319/wells-suspends-four-tech-players-indefinitely

Open scrimmage Friday night

Baseball

1-2 in Austin

Game 1 (L 4-3): TTU with no hits after 5th inning. Struggled scoring. Two run error in the 6th. Haveman had his first walk of the season, but terrible timing

Game 2 (W 3-0): Cutting it close with a potential walk-off to take the lead in the bottom of the 9th. Great pitching - UT with only 1 hit on the day.

Game 3 (L 4-3): More trouble at the plate

Three game series at Home against Michigan (Thur-Sat) then two game series vs Stetson (Sun & Mon)

Questions

Going Yard

What we learned

Lubbock’s Two Docs Brewing Co. makes some fine beer (Red Dirt Red & Steampunk Ale).

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Intro

Appetizers as entrees

Paradise French Fries Update from Brian: pulled pork and chicken nuggets

Basketball

1-0 this week; 9 game win streak; 26-5, 14-4 - BIG 12 CHAMPS

80-73 @ ISU on Saturdayhttps://texastech.com/boxscore.aspx?id=14038&path=mbball

KSU went on to beat OU for their share of the title

TTU up to #7 in the AP poll - only team in top 10 unranked preseason

Honors (others I’ve missed?)

Culver named AP Big 12 Player of the Year (Beard name AP Coach)https://apnews.com/45a35bdad4af423a90d96db850a8da13

Culver named Big 12 Player of the Year

ISU Stats: 12-19 FG, 4-8 3PT, 3-3 FT, 31 points, 37 min

Beard named Big 12 Coach of the Year (not “co”)

http://www.stakingtheplains.com/2019/03/10/jarrett-culver-named-big-12-player-of-the-year-chris-beard-named-big-12-coach-of-the-year/

NBC sports names Culver to first team and Beard shares the coaching award with Purdue’s Matt Painterhttps://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2019/03/11/postseason-awards-2018-19-all-american-teams-player-of-the-year-coach-of-the-year/

4-star recruit SF Terrence Shannonhttp://www.stakingtheplains.com/2019/03/11/quick-reaction-4-star-sf-terrence-shannon-commits-to-texas-tech/

Big 12 Tourney - Tech with a first round bye will play winner of OU/WVU on Thursday at 8pm (ESPN/ESPN2)https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/2019-03-11/2019-big-12-tournament-bracket-schedule-scores-seeds

Beard contract extension?

Current contract: 6 year, $19 million ($3.167 million/year), signed March 2018

Bill Self: $4.95 million

Bob Huggins: $3.76 mil

Lon Kruger & Shaka Smart: $3.1 mil

Scott Drew: $2.86

Football

Spring break

Baseball

2-0 in San Diego

Notes from Dinger Derby pod:

New Nickname - Bam Bam O’Tremba

Played 10 pitchers in Game 2

Neuse - leading red raiders in batting average, slugging percentage, and on base percentage, 6 multi-RBI games, tied for most home runs (3)

3-0 sweep at home against Wichita State

Texas Series starts Friday in Austin

Questions

TTU Softball Stan Account @B_DonCarlosOut of the entire Full House cast, did you think it would be Aunt Becky that got nailed by the feds first?References: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2019/03/12/lori-loughin-indicted-full-house-aunt-becky-reactions/3139504002/ https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/12/us/college-admission-cheating-scheme/index.html

Going Yard

 

What we learned

Upgrading five generations in the smart phone world is quite the leap and I now know what it costs to have a doctor remove a bead from your toddler’s nose.

https://www.klll.com/chris-beard-sings-little-ditty-win-kansas-state/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Texas Tech defeats Iowa State on the road 80-73 to finish the season 25-5, 14-4 and win (at least a share of) the Big 12 Conference Championship. LaBarre joins Spencer for a quick, instant reaction podcast recapping the historic victory!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Intro

Houston Rodeo Foods - http://bit.ly/2Tnsbwu

Basketball

2-0 this week; 8 game win streak; 25-5, 13-4

81-66 @ TCU on Saturday

70-51 vs UT on Monday

Football

Spring practice started Sunday, March 3

WAY TOO SOON depth chartsOffenseQB: Alan Bowman, Jett Duffey, Colt Garrett (Carter recovering from surgery, Xavier Martin working with QBs)

RB: DaLeon Ward, SaRoderick Thompson, Jax Welch (Tazhawn Henry out)

WR: TJ Vasher, Caden Leggett

WR: Seth Collins, Erik Eukanma

IR: KeSean Carter, Dalton Rigdon, Sterling Galban

TE: D. Thompson, Tyler Carr

LT: Bruffy; Troy Bradshaw

LG: Akamnonu; Demarcus Marshall

C: B. Smith; Clayton Franks

RG: Jack Anderson; Zach Adams; Will Farrar

RT: T. Steele; Casey Verhulst

DefenseDT/WDE: B. Washington; N. Mbanasor

NT: N. McCann; J. Wallace; Jaylon Hutchings

DE/SDE: E. Howard; L. Gilmore; Q. Yontz

OLB/Raider (Rush end): Xavier Benson; JaQuay Pough

OLB/Spur (S/LB hybrid): Justus Parker

ILB: J. Brooks; B. Stringer

ILB: R. Jeffers; Patrick Curley

CB: D. Smith; John Davis (Octavious Morgan is still out)

CB: D. Fields; Jaylon Lane

S: A. Frye; T. Leggett

S: D. Coleman; Q. Addison

Dakota Allen Letter to NFL GM’s https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/dakota-allen-nfl-combine-letter-to-general-managers

Kyler Murray CombineSupposedly interviews went WAY BAD“Murray better hope Kingsbury takes him no. 1 because this was not good. These were the worst comments I ever got on a high-rated QB and I’ve been doing this a long time. Leadership - not good. Study habits - not good. The board work - below not good. Not good in any of those areas, raising concerns about what this guy is going to do. Now, people will say “we’re going to compare him to Patrick Mahomes, we’re going to run an offense like Mahomes, we’re going to run an offense like Baker Mayfield,” ...but those guys are much different. Those guys, you never questioned them about their ability on the board, you never questioned them about their leadership ability, their work habits. They were outstanding in those areas. This guy is not outstanding in those areas and it showed up in the interview.”

Baseball

0-2 in FriscoLineup changes

Defensive struggles

2 games @ San Diego St

Home this weekend vs Wichita St

 

What we learned

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Intro

Staked Plains BBQ

Track & Field

Men’s Track takes first place in Big 12 Meet, Women 2nd

“The Big 12 Indoor Championships' first-ever trip through Lubbock ushered in world-leading times, broken records and the most dominant victory in the history of the conference.”

Football

Spring practice starts Sunday, 3/3

Special teams coach Joe Lorig - he gone as of 2/21

Wells hired Mark Tommerdahl 

Basketball

Defensive efficiency - article by BleacherReport’s Kerry Miller 

0.806 ppp

Culver’s Draft Stock 

Up to #11 in AP (as of 2/26)

Culver named Big 12 Player of the Week

Kansas Game - never trailed and boat raced 'em by 29

Upcoming schedule

Wed. 2/27 vs OSU

Sat. 3/2 @ TCU

Monday 3/4 vs UT

Sat. 3/9 @ ISU

Big 12 standings as of 2/26 (including TCU v. WVU game)

KSU (11-4) - Lost to KU 64-49 Monday night

TTU (10-4)

Kansas (10-5)

Baylor (9-5)

Iowa State (9-6)

Texas (7-7)

TCU (6-9) - Lost 104-96 in OT against WVU

OU (5-10)

OSU (3-11)

WVU (3-12)

Baseball (Dinger Derby - @dinger_derby @keithbpatrick)

Kentucky Series Recap (3-0 SWEEP)

New Mexico State Recap (today)

Tech won 7-0

Bonnin bounced back, pitched 6 complete innings, 4 hits, 0 runs

Relief pitchers combined for 1 total hit, 0 runs

New weekend starting rotation: Lanning, Killian, Montgomery

Mid-week rotation: Bonnin, Hunter Dobbins, Micah Dallas (?)

Pitching article by LaBarre

2019 Frisco College Baseball Classic (this weekend)

Nebraska - 3/1 @ 7pm

Mississippi State - 3/2 @ 6pm

Sam Houston State - 3/3 @ 3pm

Two game series at San Diego State

3/5 @ 8pm

3/6 @ 4pm

Back home for three game series against Wichita State before starting conference play against UT

Questions

Going Yard

What We Learned

Today is Johnny Cash’s birthday (born 2/26/1932) - favorite songs? Are you much of a Cash fan?

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael LaBarre and Kyle Jacobson join Spencer for some instant reaction podcasting after the Texas Tech Red Raider men's basketball team absolutely destroy the Kansas Jayhawks 91-62. This was the biggest loss for the Jayhawks under Bill Self and the largest margin of victory for Tech over any ranked opponent. This game was absolutely nuts and Tech led the entire way. Their stifling defense only allowed Kansas to score 20 first half points, trailing by 25 at the break, and they never really got closer in the second half. Tech shot an insane 62% from 3 and just kept answering anytime Kansas would hit a 3 and would look like they were trying to start a run of their own. 

Texas Tech moves into second place in the Big 12 conference with 4 games to go. They firmly hold their destiny in their hands and need to handle their business at home against Oklahoma State and Texas, and then on the road versus TCU and Iowa State. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.