Double-T Nation takes a weekly look at a number of issues surrounding the basketball team and the progression of Pat Knight as Texas Tech's head coach.  The issues to be discussed weekly include the following:  a summary of the past week's games, the Pat Knight uptempo offense, continuing the defensive work of Robert Knight, the improvement of the sophomores and how the newcomers are adjusting to the college game.

The Games

• Southeastern Louisiana: Win 74-63
• Pittsburgh: Loss - 67-80
• Mississippi State: Win - 77-73

All in all a pretty productive week for Texas Tech. A win over Southeastern Louisiana, a loss to #4 Pittsburgh and a solid win against Mississippi State. You would prefer that the SE La. state game not be so close and the Pitt game was a little closer, but considering the number of new faces with this club and acclimating to Junior Knight's faster pace, I'll take a 2-1 record. I've only been able to watch some of the earlier games so I don't have any frame of reference for the Pitt and MSU game, thus I have no idea how well or how poorly the team played, but anytime you can go on the road and play well I'll take it.

Playing Uptempo

Texas Tech is playing at a faster pace, there's certainly no doubt about that.  The key of course is not just playing faster, but being efficient all at the same time, utilizing the motion offense but running when opportunity knocks.  Thus far, and it's a work in progress, I'm pleased with the results.  Putting up 167 against East Central Oklahoma isn't an indication of where the offense it, but rather that ECU is a team on a much lower level (only scheduled as a result of being part of the Legend's Classic).  According to KenPom the 2009 version is much more efficient than the 2008 version (see the adjusted offensive efficiency), but it's also important to keep in mind that the 2009 numbers are without the benefit of going through conference play.  Alan Voskuil started slowly, and he's probably the key to the season.  Consistent scoring from Voskuil will mean that this team is going to be successful.  I should also mention that the multiple scoring threats (Roberson, Voskuil, Okorie, Singletary and Cook) are all scoring in double-figures and having multiple options makes it more difficult for opposing teams.

Continuing the Defense

I always loved the defense that Bob Knight instilled at Texas Tech.  The defense was typically pretty good, but last year it was not.  Personally, I think that had more to do with personnel than effort, but this year Junior Knight is implementing some of his own ideas while still carrying over what his father started.  From the games I've seen, JK is using the zone more freely, but I haven't been able to watch the team against the best competition.  Of course the biggest concern is the 117 given up to the aforementioned ECU, but thus far the defense has been pretty good.  Individually, D'walyn Roberts offers up something his RMK didn't have, which is a very athletic small forward who can man-up against almost anyone on the floor. 

The Sophomores

This is my own personal idea, but I've thought that how the sophomores (D'walyn Roberts, John Roberson and Mike Singletary) progress will be telling of where Junior Knight is as a coach.  Thus far, I'm very happy with the progress of Roberts.  He's added weight and confidence and having a guy like him can be huge for the program.  Mike Singletary continues to be a scoring machine, although he may tend to be a defensive liability at times, his post-up game is second to none.  Roberson is leading the team in scoring and in assists and right now his assist to turnover ration is at 2:1.  Much improved.

The Newcomers

This can encompass quite a few players, but we need to keep an eye on all of these guys as we move forward.  First and foremost, Nick Okorie is the type of guard that can be a great complement to Voskuil and Roberson, and although he's slowed as of late, he's going to be just fine.  I love his game and think he's going to add quite a bit to this team.  Darko Cohadarevic is still adjusting to Division I basketball, but he offers a unique skill set, much like Trevor Cook's and his versatility will be very useful in conference play.  True freshman Tyree Graham isn't afraid to shoot, which is something that I like in my guards (11 shots against Mississippi State).  He's got something.

Top Three

1. Trevor Cook: 24 points against Pitt along with 5 blocked shots for the week.
   
2. John Roberson:  8 assists and only 2 TO's against Pitt while scoring 20 against SE La. and 13 against MSU.
3. Alan Voskuil:  A rebounding machine (7 - SE La.; 8 - Pitt; and 4 - MSU) and as a result is finding way to contribute other than just scoring.

Double-T Nation News:

I'm back and I actually feel pretty good.

Please note the new poll up to your left asking you who you'd like to play in the Cotton Bowl, and of course, I'm assuming that's where Texas Tech will go. I know Georgia is a longshot, but of the available teams, which would you like to see Texas Tech play.

Last week DTN's djollie111 write about Texas Tech's own Sally Kipyego and this morning the LAJ's Adam Zuvanich and Jeff Walker sit down and talk with Kipyego. If you're just now joining us, Kipyego may be one of the best athletes Texas Tech has ever seen. Individually, her accomplishments may be unrivaled.

Texas Tech Football:

via www.redraiders.com

LAJ's Adam Zuvanich confirms again that receiver Michael Crabtree and quarterback Graham Harrell would have been ready to play this weekend if needed. Here's Texas Tech spokesman Chris Cook:

"Both of them would have played this weekend if we would have played," Cook said Monday. "They’re not too severe."

Per the DT's Alex Ybarra, Captain Leach believes that broken fingers and all, this is why Graham Harrell deserves the Heisman:

"Even though (I have) no specific comment, it's just further evidence on why he should get the Heisman, and to me it's a no-brainer because I thought he should have gotten it last year," Leach told the Associated Press on Monday.

FWST's Dwain Price also writes about Texas Tech being left out of the BCS and the seniors have good memories of the legacy they left at Texas Tech. Here's senior safety Darcel McBath:

"I know when we came in here we wanted to be one of the best classes to ever come through here and do things that hadn’t been done, and I think we accomplished a lot of things that we wanted to accomplish this year," senior free safety Darcel McBath said. "I’m just proud of the fellas for sticking with it."

The Sporting News' Dave Curtis things that Texas Tech is not getting enough love, as is possible Cotton Bowl opponent Ole Miss:

Too little love

Texas Tech: Florida and Oklahoma got mulligans from their losses. Southern Cal and Penn State figure to meet in the Rose Bowl, and one-loss Texas harbors national title hopes. Yet the Red Raiders rank behind them all because of one bad night. What gives?

Mississippi: Houston Nutt's Rebels own road wins over Florida and LSU and lost at Wake Forest (at the gun) and at Alabama (by four). Yet even after a 45-0 rout of Mississippi State and an eight-victory regular season, they barely crack the top 25. How about some respect for Ole Miss?

Curtis also writes that Alabama is getting too much love, but I've thought that won't Alabama be the biggest loser if they do lose to Florida? Florida loses to Ole Miss while Alabama would lose to Florida, a team that many people feel like is the best team in the nation right now. Alabama still gets to go to a BCS bowl, but a potential late loss penalizes them. Sounds familiar.

Texas Tech Basketball:

Rush The Court Checks in on the Big 12. Good stuff if you're looking to get caught up on the entire conference.

I've scheduled DTN's weekly basketball report to be published at noon today.

Double-T Nation News:

I won't go into all of the gory details, but let's just say I've been a little under the weather the last 24 hours (i.e. tethered to a toilet), so I've missed quite a bit. I'm still not 100% so please take everything I write this morning with a grain of salt.

Texas Tech Football:

LAJ's Don Williams writes that the Red Raiders are not feeling sorry for themselves with the BCS situation. Senior quarterback Graham Harrell with a little perspective:

"It’s a great conference," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said, "and when you have this many great teams in one conference, things like this happen. You come up with three-way ties.

"Oklahoma State, who I think is good enough to win a lot of conferences, has lost two games (before the Cowboys lost Saturday night to Oklahoma) and aren’t even getting mentioned. They’re kind of left behind, and they’re a great team.

"We would like to have won last week and gone undefeated, but we didn’t. We want to go to the best bowl and want to go to the best game, want the best turnout, but whatever happens happens.

"It’s been an exciting year, been an exciting conference — I think the best conference in the country right now. It’s crazy at the top, but that’s the way things are."

And as far as I'm concerned, running back Baron Batch has the right attitude (emphasis mine):

"It was nothing that I could say, ‘Poor us. We’re getting messed over,’’’ Batch said. "All we had to do was go out and win, and we didn’t."

ESPN's Pat Forde on Graham Harrell's injured non-throwing hand:

Texas Tech football spokesman Chris Cook said that coach Mike Leach's policy is not to comment on the specifics of players' injuries. But he confirmed that Harrell did have surgery Sunday morning.

The source said Harrell was X-rayed at halftime, and the Tech medical staff told him he was done for the day. Harrell responded, "Tape my hand up. I'm going out." Harrell finished the game with black tape around the two fingers.

And DMN's Brandon George on Michael Crabtree's ankle:

I received a text message late last night from the father of Michael Crabtree. And he said that Crabtree's injury is "not bad" and he called it a right ankle sprain. That's good news for Texas Tech fans. Crabtree looked like he could have been seriously injured when he came down and had his right ankle twist underneath him along the sideline in the second quarter against Baylor.

ESPN Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin thinks that your Captain Leach deserves to be the Big 12's Coach of the Year:

His team was clearly flat coming into the Baylor game, a result of their draining and emotional loss to Oklahoma last week. Tech was forced to play without likely All-Big 12 safety Daniel Charbonnet from the start. Michael Crabtree suffered an ankle injury that left him in street clothes along the sidelines for the second half. And Graham Harrell suffered a finger injury to his non-throwing hand that likely will require surgery early this week, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported.

Despite those handicaps and a two-touchdown deficit, Leach kept the Red Raiders focused as they persevered for a gutsy victory over the Bears and claimed a share of their first Big 12 South Division title. It likely won't be enough to get them into a BCS bowl, but still showed why Leach is an underrated motivator to go along with his clear offensive genius.

I'm not going to link to all of the BCS mess, but I'll simply point you towards the SB Nation BCS Hub. There are good cases made all three ways (Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma) and as I wrote yesterday, the problem with this system is that it just stinks that it never should have come down to BCS ranking to determine the Big 12 South Champion.

The Abilene Reporter profiles quarterback Graham Harrell who has West Texas roots.

I found some video of Texas Tech's game on the Versus website.

Texas Tech Basketball:

I haven't intentionally tried to ignore the basketball team, but it probably appears so. During this Thanksgiving Holiday the Red Raiders lost to Pittsburgh 80-67 (boxscore) and beat a decent Mississippi State team 77-73 (boxscore). LAJ's Jeff Walker has some thoughts in his blog Above The Rim and feels that the Mississippi State win was a pretty good win.

I'm going to try and work on a weekly basketball report sometime tonight or tomorrow.

Texas Tech's next game is against Wichita State on Wednesday, in Lubbock @ 7:05 and should be telecast on TTTN.