Fans will get their first look at Texas Tech basketball on Friday, and the opener comes with plenty to sort out before the season starts. The Red Raiders face No. 23 Kentucky in an exhibition, and while the roster looks strong on paper, there are still some major unknowns hanging over Grant McCasland’s group.
One of the biggest concerns is inside. Texas Tech is expected to be without two key frontcourt pieces, which leaves the Red Raiders thin on the boards and vulnerable to Kentucky’s size.
JT Toppin is still sidelined after the ACL injury he suffered last season, while Jamichael Stillwell is still waiting for clearance on his eligibility. That puts added pressure on Tech to survive in the paint through effort, rebounding and defense.
That challenge gets even tougher with Kentucky’s front line. Malachi Moreno, a seven-footer, presents a difficult matchup, and Texas Tech will have to figure out who handles that assignment. McCasland should learn a lot quickly about how his team responds to that kind of size.
The backcourt brings a different kind of puzzle. Texas Tech brought in two guards who were the focal points of their previous offenses, and blending those high-volume scorers will be a major task.
Hoftra transfer Cruz Davis and former UNLV guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn both averaged over 20 points per game last season, giving the Red Raiders two proven scoring options. The question now is how those two fit together and how the ball gets shared.
McCasland and Co. will have to sort out the distribution without dulling what makes each player dangerous.
Darrion Williams adds another layer to that equation. He is back at Texas Tech, but his role may not look the same this time around. Two seasons ago, he was a central part of the offense, yet with so many new faces around him, his job could shift.
His familiarity with the program matters, especially on a roster that has been remodeled so heavily. With Davis and Gibbs-Lawhorn able to shoulder a big scoring load, along with what the source describes as arguably the best shooter in the country in Donovan Atwell, Williams may be asked to impact the game in a different way. He has shown he can produce at Texas Tech and at NC State last season, and his value could come from doing the little things without needing the ball on every trip.
That versatility may make him a useful piece in the frontcourt, especially if the attention created by the new guards opens things up around him.
Friday’s exhibition should offer the first real clues about where this Texas Tech team stands.
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