Administrative
The Texas Tech Athletics Communications department was one of 11 programs to receive the Super 11 Award, which goes to the best college sports communication departments in Division I football. You have probably seen Matt Dowdy or heard his name and has been at Texas Tech behind the scenes since 2010. He’s seen it all and always done his job professionally.
On the Diamond
Texas Tech softball shutout ACU, 9-0 and is the 20th shutout of the season and move to 40-11 on the season. At BYU to finish up conference play is up this weekend.
Texas Tech baseball drops an ugly game 13-4 to UTRGV, but have another opportunity to play today at 6:00 p.m.
On the Hardwood
CBS Sports’s Adam Finkelstein on how NIL money affects NBA Draft decisions and Darrion Williams is mentioned as a guy that probably has more value in college than as a professional at this point:
Darrion Williams, F (No. 6 in portal)
Draft Range: Second Round to Undrafted
Williams, formerly of Texas Tech, was one of the smartest and most versatile frontcourt players in the country this year. While his 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game are impressive, they don’t even tell the whole story. It was Williams’ ability to operate at various spots on the floor and in different types of offensive actions that made him such a versatile mismatch problem and, consequently, a primary domino for a Texas Tech squad that went 28-9.
Projecting Williams to the NBA is a little less clear, though. He’s not a dynamic athlete, shot a career-low 34% from three last season, and has somewhat limited defensive foot speed.
The bottom line: While his intellect and versatility might still allow him to crack an NBA roster, there’s very little doubt that his earning potential is superior in college next season than it would be in any pro ranks.
On the Gridiron
Spotlight on Lee Hunter:
ESPN’s Craig Haubert on the best portal classes and Texas Tech is the best in the nation:
Texas Tech’s newfound willingness to spend in the portal yielded nearly 20 additions. UCF defensive tackle transfer Lee Hunter should provide additional immediate help on defense and should become one of the top defensive linemen in the Big 12. Howard Sampson (North Carolina), Hunter Zambrano (Illinois State) and Will Jados (Miami, Ohio) will help on the offensive line. Jados is one of two Miami transfers to join Texas Tech — the other is 6-foot-4 wide receiver Reggie Virgil, who is coming off an 816-yard season with nine touchdowns. The Red Raiders also shored up their leaky secondary, headlined with the addition of safety Cole Wisniewski, a versatile All-American who arrives from FCS power North Dakota State. To cap off the class, Tech brought back receiver Micah Hudson who left in the winter portal for Texas A&M.