This season was always going to end. Chris Beard and the team wanted it to end on the first Monday in April, but that was always a longshot.

The COVID-19-ravaged season was a brutal slog for the entire NCAA to get through, and Beard's Red Raiders did so with flying colors and for that, they should be praised. They were safe and disciplined even when Lubbock was going through its biggest case spikes.

A lot of other writers will take you through the x's and o's of the game. They'll point to the missed free throws or the missed layups as the reason Texas Tech lost to Arkansas 68-66 in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Chris Beard's first loss at Texas Tech in the Tournament before the Elite 8.

That's the same coach that refuses to take timeouts at the end of regulation because he believes in preparing his players to react to in-game situations. "I've always tried to put the game in the player’s hands," he said. "Those are situations we practice, we call them 'chaos.' We knew the objective. I thought Kyler made the right play. He knew that we were only down two."

He won't start now.

It does no good to try and play what-if after a tough loss, but there's not really any way to look forward right now either. There is only one senior on this roster, and even Marcus Santos-Silva might have the ability to return with certain COVID-19 stipulations on eligibility. Beyond that, Mac McClung, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Kyler Edwards could all try and go pro somewhere. Clarence Nadolny and Tyreek Smith may try to find more minutes at another school.

I don't know any of these answers, so I'll just let Chris Beard take it from here:

As long as Chris Beard is in Lubbock, there will be more trips to March Madness.

Hopefully, next time has a happier ending.

A Brief History of Texas Tech Men's Basketball in the NCAA Tournament

 

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