The irony with Texas Tech getting picked to go to the Big 12 is of course that they were the 2nd to last team into the SWC fray.  Only Houston, who was always the outside to this league, came after them and we know it took the success of that basketball program that got them invited in with the rest of the Texas schools and Arkansas.  There are many Texas Universities that would have loved to join these major schools and when the Red Raiders did finally get invited to join the SWC they were the obvious choice. Members of the Border Conference with the New Mexico and Arizona schools, the Red Raiders meant this league was covering the entire state.  Up until then the entire conference was conglomerated around the eastern part of the state.  No wonder when the Longhorns went bigger they included the only western program in the state even if that meant that the greater Dallas area would not be represented.  Shocking ss it was Lubbock is happy as can be about this but now the work begins for Myers and this program (and the football program as well obviously). Myers was a solid player here back in those Border War days and was a ‘transitional player’ into the SWC.  He wears his Scarlet and Black proudly but he also understands that in the ever changing world of college athletics you better put out a good product or you will be left by the waist bin.  Just ask the Houston and Dallas schools about that. 

The first thing Myers did when he got the job was develop a relationship with Corky Oglesby. Oglesby became the recruiting guru for this program staying on the road for most of the year trying to find some talent from not just around the panhandle and into New Mexico (areas the Red Raiders have always dominated) but across the country. And he has landed some whoppers for this program.  As a matter of fact before he got here the Red Raiders had never had a black player in their program.  That has all changed as he went to all corners of the country to find the first two who wanted to come play in West Texas.  Juniors Gene Knolle from St. Albans New York and Greg Lowery from West Palm Beach Florida were convinced to come play for the Red Raiders by the persistent Oglesby who once he finds a kid he likes will not stop coming to his games.  Imagine the shock of these two kids when they got to Lubbock. But with all of the nonsense they have to put up with they have stayed and have been a huge part of this program since they got here.  They basically have carried this program kicking and screaming into the modern age of basketball.  And Oglesby has more coming to the home of the horned rimmed glassed wearing rock and roller.  Yes, the Red Raiders are bringing some talent into town to be able to compete in the new world of the SWC but Myers knows he will still be counting on his veterans to lead the way. 

The senior leadership of Dub Malaise and Del Ray Mounts cannot be underrated to this program. This backcourt has been together for three years and they know how to play but more importantly are the leaders of this team. Coach Myers tried to keep this duo on the court so they could show the younger guys what it takes to win.  They may not be as gifted athletically as some of the other guys but they are gamers. Malaise can flat score and Mounts is a walk on who has made good.  They lost minutes throughout this season as Myers brought in some new blood but they were there whenever the whistle blew to come to work.  Myers uses several different players trying to find some more talent with mixed results.  Junior Geoff Huston (Oglesby’s prize find from Brooklyn) got a huge amount of minutes at the point as the year progressed and showed he can flat pass the rock.  The lefty is not a great athlete but he can hit an open shot (sometimes) and his distribution of the ball is stupendous.  He will run the show this year and will start after coming off the bench the first two years.  There is a good chance he will be playing often next to Lowery who is the best jump shooter on the team.  Fellow junior Richard Little will also be in the mix though he is more of a combo guard than a straight point.  He has size at 6’3 and comes from the prettiest town you have ever seen, Abilene Texas.  He is a glue guy that does everything well and will do whatever Myers needs to be done to help this team win.  Sophomore Sean Gay is also 6’3 did not get much time on varsity but is a good athlete and is a true point guard in the same vein as Huston. He will push Huston for the point job as another sophomore will be in the running if he comes back from an injury that cut short his second season last year. Another heavily recruited kid from just over the border in Clovis New Mexico, Bubba Jennings, tore up his knee and medical redshirted last year.  This kid can flat stroke and is glad he is looking forward to taking on the three point line. Perhaps the most athletic kid on the team is sophomore Jeff Taylor.  This 6’4 stud is a defensive menace from Blytheville Arkansas was stuck on the JV but showed he can flat lock down other team’s best wing.  He has a ways to go offensively but his potential is unlimited and in the Big 12 this team will need as many players like Taylor as they can get.  This should be an interesting battle between all of these talented kids and gives Myers some maneuverability in a back court that does not get it’s due.   

The wings for the Red Raiders features too many three guard sets especially when Knolle is off the court. This 6’4 lion can do it all and the fans in their new spacious United Spirt Arena with their 15,000 plus capacity. The building of this arena absolutely had an impact on this program getting that invite to the Big 12 but bringing in athletes like Knolle was even more important  He is a terrific board guy as he can jump to the moon but also runs the court well.  He is not a terrific three-point guy but he can hit 15 footers all day.  His defense needs some improvement and this is the place where Myers is emphasizing with some big time new recruits coming to town.  

The front line is in similar shape with some fine players coming back but nowhere near the talent level of some other teams in this league.  Senior Jim Reed was legendary when he was in the Border Conference as he led the team in scoring and rebounding.  But at 6’4 he is way too small for this league and though he played some last year his minutes were way down.  Fellow seniors Harold Hudgens, Paul Nolen, Harold Denney, Gene Carpenter, Norman Ruether and Leon ‘Pod’ Hill all have much more size but the chances of any of them staying in the rotation are slim.  Nolen goes 6’10 and Hudgins is 6’9 and they split time last year to begin the year at center but advent of some juniors moved them to the back of the bus.  One of those juniors Rick Bullock came into the season as the primary option down low and did not lose that moniker.  He goes 6’9 240 and this San Antonio Rose can score on the blocks.  He is undersized for center but had to play there too much but is a good match when he moves down to the four.  He has a nice touch inside and can board. He is not Hayes down low as the Big E torched him in their matchups but he can play. He is the most likely of any of the returnees to keep his job but he needs to get a bit meaner and his defense is not great.  Myers has made it a priority to find a shot blocker amongst his new recruits.  Another junior, Mike Russell, really came on strong playing next to Bullock as a true four. Russell shuffled in from Buffalo after a year at a JC and was a great complement to Bullock.  He goes 6’7 205 and can run the court some and hit open jumpers but is best helping out in the paint.  He is the favorite to start but another junior, William Johnson, is also in the mix This 6’6 220 pound kid from Houston can bang and though he was stuck on the JV all of last year the Red Raiders can use his toughness in the paint.  There is help coming but this is a solid nucleus to build from and Bullock should get more attention from the media and fans for what he brings to the table.  No, he is not Hayes (who is) but he might be the best post player in the SWC that does not have a cool nickname. 

The Texas Tech Red Raiders did not quite meet the expectations they had set forth before the year started in the SWC last year.   Coach Gerald Myers knows his alma matter is in for a transition season with the football crazed SWC in their last year and the soon to be matriculation of the Universities going elsewhere where basketball is a little more important.  Myers is bringing in a huge group of underclassmen which included a load of talent to start maneuvering his team into the future.  It does not feel that far off before ‘that will be the day’ soon in Lubbock.