Texas Tech and the Big 12 announced the conference schedules and to be honest, this is not something where I think that far ahead and really think about how all the games will play out over the course of the season. Not only that, but I don’t have time to think about these things to be honest.
Coinciding with the release of the conference slate, head coach Grant McCasland spoke to the media and this is a bit of a non-transcript (it is not embedded below as it is only on TexasTech.TV): everyone getting together . . . about how Christian Anderson performed so well overseas this past summer . . . that this group should have pretty good depth and should go deeper than last year . . . there’s a really great returning core and seeing the defensive game plan grow . . . Emeli Yalaho has made a great jump, Devin Cambridge hasn’t practiced yet, Kerwin, Chance and Darrion have all significantly improved . . . Corbin Green showed up at campus, left Air Force and showed up to campus and had great experience at Air Force and is official . . . excited about non-conference schedule, not as strong as he wanted it to be . . . [couldn’t hear some questions] . . . versatility of the defense and switchability, sharing the ball, pressure on the rim, shoot really well, and doesn’t need to be one guy dominating the ball . . . need to make a jump defensively and need good playmaking across the board, will come down to how physical can be on defense . . .
/ wholesome content /
The collab you never knew you needed, until now. 🏀🎺 pic.twitter.com/iDDwNGVBzq
— Texas Tech University (@TexasTech) September 27, 2024
I am sure you recall that Jeff Linder was hired away from Wyoming (who was the head coach there) and we discussed what he brings to the team, particularly the offense.
In recruiting, they targeted skilled bigs who could pull the league’s athletic big men away from the basket. No one executed that type of offense better than European teams, and he fell in love with the way they ran offense. “I always thought Europe was a year and a half to two years ahead of where everybody else was at over here, especially the NBA,” Linder says. “I think in a lot of ways they’re playing chess over there compared to checkers over here.”
These days Linder says he watches at least one game played overseas every day. From just the 2020-21 season, he has a 1,200-clip edit of different offensive concepts that he might eventually use.
“It’s organized by play type,” McCasland says. “It’s literally worth probably a million dollars. I’m not joking.”
“People have no idea how much film he watches and how much shit he goes through on Synergy,” says Phil Beckner, who worked with Linder at Boise State and is now an NBA trainer — best known for training Lillard — and a consultant for the 76ers.
Texas Tech had a Q&A with Linder that was a good read:
TexasTech.com: What philosophies do you and McCasland share?
Linder: “Whether it was my time in Northern Colorado and Wyoming as the head coach, and when Coach McCasland was at North Texas, it was funny when you go to KenPom.com, just how aligned we were. I mean, it was literally like we were one rank off of one another. The stats were so very similar. As much time as we spend talking on the phone, talking basketball, I mean you see a lot of the same philosophies. I think that hopefully will allow him to feel a little bit more comfortable with me being around knowing that he has somebody that has been through a lot of those situations, not just an assistant coach, but as a head coach. To be able to kind of take some of the things that comes with being the head coach at Texas Tech off his plate to where he can really focus on what he’s really good at. Then for me to be able to kind of put my stamp on some of the things that have helped me win games over the course of eight years as a head coach.”
The last big of news is that now on the roster is Air Force forward Corbin Green (6-5/230), who averaged 5.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and a block per game while at Air Force. This sounds like Devan Cambridge insurance and maybe it is just dumb luck that he is on the team as it sounds like he just showed up on campus and wanted to play basketball. Green is originally from Midlothian.
Last, but not lease the uniforms were released last night. I’m a huge fan. They are simple. They use the old double-t and I think they look great. Approved on my end of things.
Ŧimeless 🔥#WreckEm x #TeamAdidas pic.twitter.com/KVzUHO9h1Z
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) September 30, 2024
Welcome to the 3 stripe life 🔴⚪️⚫️ #TTW | @adidasHoops pic.twitter.com/HA2SVMxhhz
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) October 1, 2024