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Texas Tech Red Raiders
File:Texas-Tech-University-logo.png
UniversityTexas Tech University
Head coachPat Knight (1st season)
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
South Division
ArenaUnited Spirit Arena
(Capacity: 15,020)
NicknameRed Raiders
ColorsScarlet and Black
   

The Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team represents Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in NCAA Division I basketball competition. (The school's women's basketball team is known as the "Lady Raiders".) The Red Raiders, coached by Pat Knight, son of former Texas Tech coach and Hall of Famer Bob Knight, currently compete in the Big 12 Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007.

History

1925-1935

Basketball came to Texas Tech only two years after the school was founded. The inaugural game was a 37–25 loss to Daniel Baker College. Tech would lose two more games before finally clinching their first ever victory—35–21 at Sul Ross University.[1][2]

Grady Higgenbotham was the first coach, earning a 14–18 record over two seasons. At .438, Higgenbotham was the only Tech basketball coach to garner an overall losing record during his stay. Following Higgenbotham's departure, Victor Payne led the Matadors (as the school's teams were known until 1936) from 1927 to 1930.[3] His final tally stood at 32 wins and 20 losses. W. L. Golightly coached only one season, bringing in an 11–9 record. Dell Morgan held the head coaching job from 1931 to 1934, chalking up 42 wins to 29 losses. He was followed by Virgil Ballard. Though Ballard coached only a single season, it was during his time that the team won their milestone 100th game, a one-point victory over House of David. Ballard left with a 15–9 record.[1]

1935-1971

Berl Huffman was twice the head basketball coach at Texas Tech—first from 1935 to 1942 and then from 1946 to 1947. During his total of eight seasons, he garnered a record of 121–67. Polk Robison was the only other person to serve two different times as the head basketball coach at the school. When Huffman left in 1942, Robison took the job. And, when Huffman left a second time in 1947, it was Robison who again filled the position, this time remaining until 1961. At a total of 18 seasons, his stay is the second longest of any Red Raiders basketball coach, behind Gerald Myers. He departed after leading his teams to 254 wins, 195 losses, and the first two NCAA tournaments in school history.[2]

Gene Gibson followed Robison into the position. In his eight seasons, he chalked up the second worst record of any head basketball coach at Tech. Still, at 100–92, there were eight more wins than losses. Bob Bass led the program to a 22–15 record over a season-and-a-half before returning to professional basketball coaching duties.[2][4]

1971-2001

Gerald Myers became coach of the Red Raiders mid-season in 1969 and stayed until 1991. His stay was the longest of any head basketball coach at Tech and several milestones were passed during his time, including wins #600 (TCU), #700 (SMU), #800 (at SMU), and #900 (Texas A&M). Myers's earned a record of 326–261. Under James Dickey, who held the job between Myers's departure and Bob Knight's arrival in 2001, the program won its 1,000th game—a 71–62 victory at UALR.[2]

Bob Knight era

Bob Knight (middle) with Pat Knight (right)

Bob Knight served as the men's basketball coach from 2001–2008. On New Year's Day 2007, a 70–68 defeat of New Mexico by Tech marked the 880th total win for Knight, making him the winningest coach in men's college basketball history. Knight also has several other distinctions, including being the only coach to win the NCAA, the NIT, the Olympic Gold, and the Pan-Am Gold, and has received several awards.

On January 16, 2008, Knight chalked up win number 900 when the Red Raiders upset the ninth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, 68–53.[5] Knight won two more games as head coach—against Missouri and Oklahoma State—before announced his immediate retirement on February 4, 2008. His son Pat Knight took over head coaching duties.[6]

Bob Knight's final record at Texas Tech stands at 138–82.

Pat Knight era

After assuming the heading coaching role midseason, Pat Knight's initial two games were defeats on the road. The first was an 80–74 loss to Baylor on February 6, 2008. The second came three days later at Nebraska. Knight's first head coaching win came at home when the Red Raiders upset #18 Kansas State, 84–75, at United Spirit Arena. Going into the game, KSU was in sole possession of first place in the Big 12.[7]

NCAA Tournament Results

The Red Raiders have appeared in 14 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 7–15.

Year Result
1954 First Round
1956 First Round
1961 Regional Third Place
1962 Regional Fourth Place
1973 First Round
1976 Sweet Sixteen
1985 First Round
1986 First Round
1993 First Round
1996 Sweet Sixteen
2002 First Round
2004 Second Round
2005 Sweet Sixteen
2007 First Round

Red Raiders in the NBA

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b http://texastech.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/text-m-baskbl-a-pastres.html
  2. ^ a b c d http://texastech.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/text-m-baskbl-a-history.html
  3. ^ http://www.areavoices.com/ppundit/?blog=5209
  4. ^ http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/bass_retires040505.html
  5. ^ http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-17-4pbjan17,1,5383186.story?coll=cs-college-print
  6. ^ Walker, Jeff (2008-02-04). "Knight resigns effective immediately". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2008-02-04. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ Coleman, Adam (2008-02-14). "Pat Knight earns first win as head coach". The Daily Toreador. Retrieved 2008-02-14. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Texas Tech University.
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