Texas Tech Basketball Starts Season Against High Point

The Texas Tech men’s basketball team squares off with High Point during its 2015-16 regular season opener Friday at 8 p.m. at the United Supermarkets Arena.

"Every season's opening game has a lot of nostalgia around it and a lot of nervous energy to see how the players are going to respond," Texas Tech head coach Tubby Smith said. "I think we’re ready. We’re way ahead of where we were last year at this point. I want to see unselfish play, and I want to see the basketball shared. We need to limit our mistakes. We have a good group of players. They’re athletic, and they’re a fun team to be around and to coach."

Texas Tech returns 114 of its 160 starts and 58 of its 75 double figure scoring performances after starting three freshmen for a majority of last season.

The Red Raiders bring back 75 percent of their points, 75 percent of their rebounds, 66 percent of their assists, 68 percent of their steals and 88 percent of their blocks. Most of all of those are now sophomores after.

Toddrick Gotcher is one of the lone veterans who's passed his second year at Texas Tech, and he is looking at playing a new role this season.

"Toddrick has had to play some point for us in practice, and he did that some in the exhibition games because he’s our best assist-to-turnover ratio guy returning," Smith said.

"He's a heady player, and he's very effective when he’s making shots. Nobody’s perfect, but he had a perfect shooting night on Monday. We’ll take that, the name of the game is putting the ball in the basket." Coach Smith said, adding: "We need more than just Toddrick making outside shots, but if he makes them like that we’ll be fine."

High Point is led by John Brown, the 2015-16 Big South Preseason Player of the Year and 2016 Julius Erving Award Watch List recipient. He is one of four players in Big South history to amass over 1,500 career points, 600 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals.

Brown posted 19.3 points per game last season and is the nation’s No. 3 returning scorer with 1,680 career points.

Texas Tech travels to the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in San Juan. The Red Raiders open the three-game tournament against No. 16 Utah on Thursday. Tip time is scheduled for 6 pm. CT, and the game will be televised by ESPN2.

[Source: texastech.com]