Oct. 23, 2024 07:32 AM EST

Texas Tech Going Into 100Th Season Coming Off 23 Wins In Coach Grant Mccasland's Debut

By The Associated Press
FILE - Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland watches the action on the court in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Feb. 17, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Bryon Houlgrave, File) Bryon Houlgrave, ASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE - Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland watches the action on the court in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Feb. 17, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Bryon Houlgrave, File)
FILE - Texas Tech's Darrion Williams (5) shoots against North Carolina State's Mohamed Diarra (23) during the first half of a college basketball game in the first round of the men's NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)
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Texas Tech (23-11, 11-7 Big 12)

The program's 100th season will be the second for coach Grant McCasland, who took the Red Raiders to a top-four Big 12 finish in his debut. While leading scorer Pop Isaacs (15.8 ppg) transferred to Creighton, the Red Raiders still have a roster filled with solid shooters. The return of forward Devan Cambridge from an injury and the addition of transfer forward JT Toppin should give them a needed boost inside.

Players to watch

Cambridge (senior, F, 6-6). After transferring from Arizona State, Cambridge started only eight games last season before a season-ending knee injury. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in his limited action.

Darrion Williams (junior, F, 6-6, 11.4 ppg). The leading rebounder (7.5 rpg) last season, and he had nine double-doubles.

Toppin (sophomore, 6-9, 12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg). Toppin could have an immediate impact in his return to his home state. The player from Dallas was a freshman last season at New Mexico, where he was one of the top newcomers in the Mountain West.

Departures and arrivals

Issacs and Joe Toussaint, whose eligibility was exhausted, were Tech's top two scorers last season. Warren Washington averaged 9.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in his final season. The Red Raiders have five Division I transfers. Minnesota guard Elijah Hawkins was second nationally last season with 7.5 assists per game and is the NCAA active career leader at 6.4 per game. Guard Kevin Overton averaged 11.3 ppg as a true freshman last season at Drake.

Top games

Texas Tech plays nine of its first 12 games on campus, and has a two-day tournament in Brooklyn on Nov. 21-22, when they could potential face former Big 12 rival Texas. Their other non-home game in that span is against 13th-ranked Texas A&M at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Dec. 8. The Red Raiders' Big 12 opener is New Year's Eve at home against UCF.

Facts and figures

Kerwin Walton is the longest-tenured Red Raider entering his third season at Tech, and fifth as a college player. He has 169 career made 3-pointers and ranked second nationally last season making 47.8% (65 of 136) of his long-range shots. ... Chance McMillan averaged 10.8 ppg and shot 38.7% on 3s in his Tech debut last season. ... McCasland was only the third Tech coach to win at least 20 games in his first season with the school. The others were Bob Knight in 2001-02 and Mark Adams in 2021-22.

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