Grant McCasland sees evolving Texas Tech team amid JT Toppin absence initially appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In a month stuffed with urgency, Grant McCasland is concentrated on one thing else: progress.
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“To be playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and feel like you can still grow so much more,” said the Texas Tech head coach. “That’s the exciting part of this group.”
During this time of yr, most groups are tightening rotations and refining execution, however issues haven’t gone as deliberate in Lubbock. McCasland sees a team that also has room for enchancment.
“Even at our practice yesterday, and we’ll practice today, we’ve got to keep getting better,” he stated. “People ask me what’s your dream for this team? I want to get better today in practice and see how much better we can get.”
Texas Tech continues to be adjusting, and this progress has come below powerful circumstances.
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The Red Raiders have spent the top of the season studying the best way to play with out one of the dominant gamers within the nation. JT Toppin, a junior ahead who averaged 21.8 factors and 10.8 rebounds, suffered a torn ACL late within the yr. This damage compelled a change on each ends of the ground.
“If you look at our team in the games we played without JT, offensively we played differently,” McCasland stated. “You’re losing one of the best frontcourt players in all of basketball.”
Toppin’s absence has affected extra than simply scoring. It has shifted rebounding duties and defensive assignments.
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The security internet that Toppin supplied across the rim is gone, changed by a gaggle nonetheless studying the best way to help one another in actual time.
“Our biggest area of improvement has to be defensive rebounding,” McCasland stated.
This is a small element, but it surely displays one thing greater: physicality, self-discipline, and belief. All areas McCasland believes are important.
