Men’s head coach Grant McCasland spoke to the media and this is a non-transcript of that media session:

Awesome time to be a Texas Tech Red Raider. Momentum at Lubbock is phenomenal, excited about all of the fall sports and our basketball team and our first game November 4th.

Health of roster: Our hope is our entire roster will be healthy by the first game and are being cautious right now, partly on how we finished the season and practice hard and pushing toughness and physicality every day, but are being cautious.

Newcomers: Difficult, gone for most of the summer was with USA Basketball and win the gold. This fall, we needed to have key contributions from LuJuan Watts, Tyree Bryan, Donovan Atwell and Luke Bamgboye, we knew we needed significant contributions from them. Josiah Moseley has made big strides, Nolan Groves and Jaylen Petty have been awesome. Watts really wants to be great every day, he is such a versatile player, but he has the work ethic and approach to be great. He lives it every day. He will have a great season.

What he looked for in newcomers: In the Big 12, with Christian Anderson and JT Toppin, we need guys who can score and good feel. Good character and want to win. Guys created space, Luke Bamgboye’s vertical lob threat is a way to create space around the rim. Skilled and competitive group and create space for the guys we have returning.

Non-conference games: In the Big 12 going from 20 to 18, we needed to add some games to match the strength of schedule. Playing in the Metroplex is a big deal and a quality opponents and create a home and neutral court. Starting on the road at Illinois, we have some games contracted that we haven’t been able to get home, we want to improve the home court games at the USA and will be able to do that with the home and home with Illinois.

In recruiting the character looking for: In the recruiting process to be on the same page to find out who is in your corner and do we see it the same way and where the improvement needs to be and where the roster fits. Coming up with a new way schematically, but needs to be intentional on how we communicate and does everybody agree. It is the honesty approach, what’s best for you and the best player you can be.

Do you consider style of non-conference opponent: We do a pretty extensive search we get the quality of opponent, we do look at style, we didn’t try to match it as much as we wanted to play great teams in great environments and be great all of the time and there is an edge to compete in the Big 12 and create the same intensity in non-conference. The Red Raiders travel and finding great venues to play in was important as well.

Christian Anderson: Don’t know of a guy that has the work ethic, confidence and feel for the game and embraces big moments and he’s got it all, not communicated enough how strong and physical he is. He is legit 6’3″ and he’s physical and athletic. Everyone saw the highlight against Slovenia and his athleticism popped. He’s improved and got more explosiveness how he’s moving. He’s big. If you can apply physicality and explosive and score from distance, he’s legit one of the best guards in the country, his character that separates him. When you see him play this year like this summer, he’s as physical and fast as anyone I’ve seen.

LaTrell Hoover: If you asked me the most pleasant surprise, it’s Hoover. We put him right in the middle of practice. He’s huge. He’s 6’10” or 6’11” has 7’0″ wingspan, big hands. Well coached, come from some great programs and come from an unbelievable summer program. Has good instincts and space awareness with his athleticism, we put him in guard drills, he moves as well laterally as anyone. He doesn’t have any experience, he started playing in the 10th grade. He’s a blank canvas if you tell him to do something he’s able to do it, he’s clear-eyed and bright and intelligent. He’s going to be special, don’t know if it is going to be this year, we’re going to play him in these scrimmages and see how he does.

Toddrick Gotcher: Been around Toddrick, recruited him previously, watched him as a player. Started to get to know when when he played on the TBT team. That team had a lot of talent. His heart to do whatever it took stood out to me. He had an opportunity to play a 10th season, I wanted someone that loved this place, which is a bonus, but his approach and his heart to help and learn, he was pursing being an agent he was asking the right questions. He didn’t ask about a job, he was asking about the ids, he’s brilliant and he’s going to be a unbelievable coach and he wants to help any way his can and what separates him. So glad he’s here. He’s can still play too. His wife and kids are awesome and they live in Lubbock so a seamless transition.

The freshmen: Jazz Henderson has been awesome, Leon Horner is physical and they will be fun. I think Marial Akuentok is to be determined, he took time off. We’ve had him in and out of practices. Nolan Groves and Jaylen Petty are going to play. Both those guys could make significant impacts. They have the right approach, they can guard and score. Nolan is physical and can score, averaged 30 a game. Petty has a high ceiling, having a similar impact as Christian Anderson, both of those guys will make significant impact on our team.

Leon Horner: Leaned into practices is very aggressive in physical intangible ways. He’s making the simple play. He’s putting his nose in the middle of the situation. We needed to get better defensively and keep making steps defensively last year. Last year we had a top 5 offense and a top 30 defense, we need to be top 5 in both. Would love to see Leon make steps in that direction.

JT Toppin: Get better defensively and guarding multiple actions. We do have good size on the team. Defensively, awareness, he’s also 12 pounds heavier and stronger and more comfortable, an NBA scout said that his ball-handling has improved. He’s always been a great passer and willing, he’s not selfish at all and very unselfish. He’s made the biggest jump in handling the ball, he doesn’t have to shoot a 3 on the perimeter. He’s a really good basketball player, can beat you off the bounce and his decision-making off the floor. As versatile in the country. Activity defensively has gotten better, ball-handling, and his body can deliver blows on offense or defense and will see a more polished player.

Texas Tech basketball released the Big 12 portion of the schedule yesterday. I don’t get a ton into this other than to think that it’s going to be difficult because that’s the Big 12.

Saturday, 1/3: Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
Tuesday, 1/6: Texas Tech at Houston
Saturday, 1/10: Texas Tech at Colorado
Wednesday, 1/14: Utah at Texas Tech
Saturday, 1/17: BYU at Texas Tech
Tuesday, 1/20: Texas Tech at Baylor
Saturday, 1/24: Houston at Texas Tech
Saturday, 1/31: Texas Tech at UCF
Monday, 2/2: Kansas at Texas Tech
Sunday, 2/8: Texas Tech at West Virginia
Wednesday, 2/11: Colorado at Texas Tech
Saturday, 2/14: Texas Tech at Arizona
Tuesday, 2/17: Texas Tech at Arizona State
Saturday, 2/21: Kansas State at Texas Tech
Tuesday, 2/24: Cincinnati at Texas Tech
Saturday, 2/28: Texas Tech at Iowa State
Tuesday, 3/3: TCU at Texas Tech
Saturday, 3/7: Texas Tech at BYU

CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander asked 100 coaches who the best team would be this year and it is the usual suspects, which is Purdue with 32% and Houston with 28% being the top vote-getters with Texas Tech receiving a singular vote along with Illinois.

ESPN’s Joel Lunardi has his latest bracketology, which seems silly to think about considering we don’t know a ton about these teams, but has Texas Tech as a No. 6 seed.

T-Rank has his projections and has Texas Tech as the 27th best team in the nation, which would also mean that they are the 6th best in the Big 12 behind #1 Houston, #6 BYU, #12 Arizona, #15 Iowa State, and #17 Kansas.