The Best Available Fix to Texas Tech Basketball's Biggest Preseason Concern
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There’s a lot to be excited about with this Texas Tech roster. They have just about everything they need to be successful; however, they lack in one crucial area.
There’s a lot of small ball being played in Lubbock, as the Red Raiders' tallest player who will see significant minutes is Bassala Bagayoko at 6’10”, and he likely won’t see the starting lineup when Jamichael Stillwell is back in the rotation, pending his eligibility.
Can Tech Win the Rebounding Battle?
With Stillwell at the starting five spot, Tech won’t have any player over 6’8”, with two smaller guards in Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn at 6’3” and 6’1”, respectively. That creates an obvious issue in the rebounding battle, one that Grant McCasland and Co. will need to solve in order to match up against some of the Big 12’s premier teams.
Texas Tech was average last season in rebounding, and it’s shaping up to look the same, if not worse than last season. In order to fix the Red Raiders' potential biggest weakness, the most obvious solution is just staying afloat until JT Toppin returns, as he averaged double-digit rebounds last season (10.8) before getting injured. Until then, Tech will need various players to step up during his absence.
Bassala Bagayoko will be crucial for this team in the early stages. He may not be the most physical presence in the paint, but he has the height to match up with many teams early on. Bagayoko will need to win on the glass to keep the ball in the hands of Tech’s perimeter guards, the strength of this team until Toppin returns.
Help Is On The Way
The Red Raiders don’t need to dominate the paint offensively but rather survive until they return to full strength. It may make some of their earlier matchups, like Illinois and Duke in the non-conference, more difficult, but Tech’s overall talent and experience may help offset their lack of height.
Playing as a smaller power forward at 6’6”, Darrion Williams will need to play physically on the perimeter and inside the paint, which he’s had no problem doing successfully in the past. If Bagayoko and Williams can win their individual matchups, this team could cover their weakness fairly well.
I wouldn’t sound the alarms yet, but the lack of height on this roster to start the season is something to keep in mind. If this Texas Tech team can play with physicality and intensity, it can make up for some of the height it lacks, which would help to resolve some of the visible issues with this team. As the season progresses, expect the bigs to improve by conference play.
Follow Kade Nix at @bykadenix for the latest news and breakdowns of Texas Tech basketball before the Red Raiders season opener against Jackson State on November 2nd and through out the college basketball season.
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Kade Nix is a sports writer covering Texas Tech on SI. He specializes in college basketball, college football, and the NFL. In 2021, he founded Kade’s Draft Room, a sports website that ran until 2025, and has an extensive background writing for multiple channels and sports websites. In addition to his writing experience, Kade has hands-on football scouting experience, including time as a Texas area scout for the Hula Bowl, giving him a unique perspective on player evaluation and the college sports landscape.