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THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2019 VOLUME 93 ■ ISSUE 52

Looking back on the record-breaking 2018-19 Texas Tech men’s basketball season

DANIEL GARCIA for The Daily Toreador

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Red Raiders make history in 2018-19 season

By ELEANOR GUINAN

F

Staff Writer

rom a nine-game win streak in Big 12 play, finishing the regular season as conference champions to the program’s first Final Four and National Championship appearances, the 2018-19 Texas Tech men’s basketball season was a historic run.

WEST VIRGINIA The Red Raiders’ journey through the Big 12 started on Jan. 2, against West Virginia.

Tech began Big 12 play with a 62-59 win over the Mountaineers.

KANSAS STATE After defeating West Virginia, the Red Raiders came home to play Kansas State on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tech went on the win the game, 63-57, and sophomore guard Davide Moretti led the team with 19 points, according to Tech Athletics.

Graduate student forward Tariq Owens pulled down the most rebounds with eight, and sophomore guard Jarrett Culver was close behind with seven.

OKLAHOMA The next conference opponent the Red Raiders faced

was then-No. 23 Oklahoma on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Tech won the game, 66-59, with Culver leading the team with 23 points and 13 rebounds, securing a double-double.

TEXAS The Red Raiders traveled to Austin on Saturday, Jan. 12, to compete against Texas and won the game, 68-62.

The win against the Longhorns was Tech’s first win in Austin since 1996, according to Tech Athletics.

Graduate student guard Matt Mooney scored his career-high 22 points while Culver got eight rebounds.

IOWA STATE Tech’s three-game losing streak began with a 68-64 loss to Iowa State on Wednesday, Jan. 16, marking the team’s first loss in Big 12 play.

Although the Red Raiders lost, Culver earned another double-double on the season with 20 points and 16 rebounds, according to Tech Athletics.

BAYLOR Tech continued conference play with Baylor on Saturday, Jan. 19. The Red Raiders dropped the game, 73-62, with Culver leading

the team with 19 points and redshirt senior Brandone Francis following close behind with 14.

Culver also led the team with nine rebounds while Owens pulled down six, according to Tech Athletics.

KANSAS STATE The second time Tech played Kansas State on Tuesday, Jan. 22, the game was part of the team’s threegame losing streak. The final score was 58-45 and Culver scored the most points with 17 and the most rebounds with seven, according to Tech Athletics.

TCU After facing Arkansas in the 2019 SEC/Big 12 Challenge, Tech resumed conference play with TCU on Monday, Jan. 28, with an 84-65 win.

Culver and Mooney both led the Red Raiders with 18 points, and Owens was one behind with 17, according to Tech Athletics. Culver also led the team with seven rebounds, and Owens pulled down six rebounds.

KANSAS Tech traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, to face then No. 11 Kansas for the first

time on Saturday, Feb. 2. The Red Raiders lost the game, 79-63, after falling behind by 20 points at half time, according to Tech Athletics.

Sophomore Davide Moretti led the team with 14 points that game, and Culver scored 10. Owens earned another double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

WEST VIRGINIA On Monday, Feb. 4, the Red Raiders finished the sweep over the Mountaineers with an 81-50 win in Lubbock.

OKLAHOMA When Tech faced Oklahoma the second time, the team again walked away with a 66-54 victory. Moretti led the team with 14 points while Culver had 13 points, according to Tech Athletics.

Redshirt senior center Norense Odiase earned the most rebounds with eight while redshirt sophomore Deshawn Corprew pulled down six.

TEXAS The Red Raiders took on Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Feb. 13, and won, 78-50.

Culver scored 19 points in the contest while Mooney scored 15. Owens pulled

CIARA PEROZZI/The Daily Toreador

Graduate student forward Tariq Owens dunks during Texas Tech’s game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in the United Supermarkets Arena. down seven rebounds, and Mooney pulled down four, according to Tech Athletics.

BAYLOR Baylor came to Lubbock to face Tech one more time on Saturday, Feb. 16. This time the Red Raiders won, 86-61.

Culver led the team again 18 points, and Moretti was close behind with 17 points, according to Tech Athletics.

Culver pulled down eight rebounds while Francis got three.

KANSAS After a six-day break, the Jayhawks came to Lubbock on Feb. 23. The Red Raiders ran away with the game, leading by 25 points at halftime.

They finished the game with a 91-62 win. Culver led the team with 26 points, while Odiase led with 13 rebounds.

CIARA PEROZZI/The Daily Toreador

Members of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team celebrate during the team’s game on Dec. 12, 2018, in the United Supermarkets Arena.

OKLAHOMA STATE The second round with

Oklahoma State was different than the first round.

Although Tech won, 84-80, the team was taken into overtime for the first time in the season, according to Tech Athletics.

Moretti led the team with 20 points while Culver scored 19 points and got 10 rebounds, earning a double-double.

TCU On Saturday, March 2, the team traveled to Fort Worth for another contest with the Horned Frogs. The Red Raiders prevailed, 81-66, to complete the season sweep.

Moretti and Culver scored 15 points in the game, while Owens and Corprew scored 12, ac cording to Tech Athletics. Owens also secured a double-double in this game pulling down 12 rebounds along with his points.

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RECAP

CONTINUED FROM PG. 2 TEXAS The final time the Red Raiders and Longhorns met was on Tech’s Senior Night on Monday, March 4. Before the game, redshirt Francis, Odiase, Mooney, Owens and redshirt junior guard Andrew Sorrells were recognized.

After the small ceremony, Tech defeated Texas, 70-51.

Culver scored led the team with 16 points, according to Tech Athletics. He also led with seven rebounds, and Corprew was one behind with six.

IOWA STATE The Red Raiders saw Iowa State once again on Saturday, March 9, in the last game of the regular season. Tech had to win this game if it wanted a share of the Big 12 regular season title.

With that in mind, the team fought its way to an 8073 victory, according to Tech Athletics. Culver earned 31 points in the game, beating his career high 30-point game at the beginning of the season. Owens led the team with 14 rebounds, while Mooney had six rebounds.

BIG 12 TOURNAMENT Tech’s run in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships was

cut short with a 79-74 loss to West Virginia on March 14.

The team returned to Lubbock and waited for its name to be called during the March Madness selection show.

ROUND OF 64 After earning the 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament, Tech began its historic postseason run against Northern Kentucky on Friday, March 22, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Red Raiders beat the Norse, 72-57, advancing them to the second round.

Culver led the team with 29 points and eight rebounds, according to Tech Athletics.

ROUND OF 32 In the second round of the tournament, the Red Raiders took on Buffalo on Sunday, March 24, beating the Bulls, 78-58, to advance to the Sweet 16.

Culver led the team with 16 points, while Odiase scored 14. Both also secured double-doubles with Culver pulling down 10 rebounds and Odiase recording 15.

SWEET 16 Tech traveled to Anaheim, California, to take on 2-seed Michigan in the Sweet 16 and defeated the Wolverines, 63-44, on Thursday, March 28. The win put the Red Raiders back in the Elite Eight for the second-

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straight season.

Culver scored 22 points in the game while Moretti scored 15 points, according to Tech Athletics. Owens got 10 rebounds in the game while Corprew had four.

ELITE EIGHT Tech’s next competitor was 1-seed Gonzaga in the Elite Eight on Saturday, March 30. Tech won the game, 75-69, advancing the Red Raiders to their first Final Four in program history.

Culver scored 19 points in the victory while Mooney was two behind with 17, according to Tech Athletics.

Owens got seven rebounds while Culver pulled down five.

FINAL FOUR The Red Raiders took over Minneapolis next to face 2-seed Michigan State in the Final Four. The team won, 61-51, on Saturday, April 6, to advance to the program’s first National Championship.

Mooney scored 22 points while Culver scored 10, according to Tech Athletics.

In the first half of the game, Culver scored just one point.

Odiase led the team with nine rebounds and Culver pulled down five rebounds.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP The final game of the sea-

MADISON OGLETREE/The Auburn Plainsman

Graduate student Matt Mooney shoots the ball against Michigan State during Texas Tech’s Final Four game on Saturday, April 6, 2019, in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. son was the National Championship match against Virginia. After trailing most of the game and going into overtime, the Red Raiders fell to the Cavaliers, 85-77, bringing an end to the season.

In the game, Moretti and Culver scored 15 points, according to ESPN. Culver also had the most rebounds with nine, and Odiase had six.

The 2018-19 season saw

records broken and history made. With several seniors leaving and Culver potentially leaving for the draft, the Red Raiders now look forward to next season. @EleanorGuinanDT

MADISON OGLETREE/The Auburn Plainsman

LEFT: Brandone Francis runs down the court during Texas Tech’s Final Four game against Michigan State on Saturday, April 6, 2019, in Minneapolis. RIGHT: Davide Moretti looks toward the basket during Texas Tech’s Final Four game against Michigan State. After a win in the Final Four, the Red Raiders’ season ended with a loss to Virginia in the National Championship.

OPINIONS

Page 4 Thursday, April 11, 2019

CARTOON

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

COLUMN

Binge watching easy to fall into, hard to stop

P

icture this: it’s 11 o’clock at night, and you have settled down to watch a YouTube video you may have heard about earlier or saved from your Facebook feed, whether it be a BuzzFeed video, a celebrity interview or a sports recap.

You start watching and next thing you know, it’s 4 a.m., and you’re asking yourself, “How did I get here?”

You’ve fallen into a timetrap we are all so susceptible to. But what causes us to

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Madilynn Sheffield is a freshman advertising major from Amarillo.

go down this dark descent?

How do we repeatedly find ourselves in this situation?

The answer may lie in the fact we use mobile entertainment to consume everything all at one time. Binging is the new style of media consumption, and we all fall victim to it. With a vast array of media readily available, who wouldn’t want to watch something new? You can find your new favorite show in a matter of seconds, so why wait to watch all the seasons?

This is how we like to consume entertainment. Our world is so fast-paced we feel

we must be up to date on everything going on. This does not stop at our forms of entertainment. We have to know what’s going on at all times, even if it is near impossible for most things.

Our society promotes this idea of always being in the know, so much so that it feels almost instinctual.

We don’t have to wait a week for a new episode now, we can just catch up all in one weekend. Then we wait a year for next season to appear on our preferred streaming sites because heaven forbid we actually watch cable TV. We all do it, but why?

Well, as I have been learning in my digital and social media class, binging allows you to “experience a druglike high.” This may sound very extreme, but our brain

produces dopamine when we binge which makes us feel good, thus making us not want to stop.

If you stop and think about how this works, you realize it has happened to all of us. That feeling of absolute emptiness when you finish your favorite show is a direct result of the end of dopamine-led binging. Maybe if we consumed content week by week, the end of a show could have a sweeter, more satisfying ending.

Don’t forget the absolute betrayal you feel when someone watches a show without you, or when you go online and can get that small dopamine experience finding spoilers for any show you want. Also, when you binge a show, you become educated very quickly and want to

educate everyone you know, but there is always someone who knows more than you.

Next thing you know, you’re rocking merch and following all the actors on Twitter. Then all the fan accounts follow you, and you catch yourself saying, “Like on that one episode of…” in order to relate to anything.

There is no problem in being passionate or invested in something, but we often only invest because we feel like we know everything about the show.

So, what can we do to avoid this next time we wanted to watch a show? Perhaps watching one episode at a time? This may seem like a major inconvenience, because all the episodes are available at your fingertips, but it may help your eyes not

burn at 3 a.m. from staring at a screen for hours on end.

Maybe even use a show to reward yourself for completing a task, or maybe as a break from studying. Don’t consume all your content at one time, because what will you do when you no longer have any TV to watch? What if you can’t find another show to get into?

Watching TV after a long day is a great way to unwind, so don’t stress yourself out trying to finish the entire show in one weekend.

And if you have something important to work on, particularly long projects, try to remember how dopamine works in your brain and keep yourself from falling into another binge. @DailyToreador

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Barr says ‘I think spying did occur’ against Trump campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr declared Wednesday he thinks "spying did occur" against Donald Trump's presidential campaign, suggesting the origins of the Russia investigation may have been mishandled in remarks that aligned him with the president at a time when Barr's independence is under scrutiny.

Barr, appearing before a Senate panel, did not say what "spying" may have taken place but seemed to be alluding to a surveillance warrant the FBI obtained on a Trump aide.

He later said he wasn't sure there had been improper surveillance but wanted to make sure proper procedures were followed.

Still, his remarks give a boost to Trump and his supporters who insist his 2016 campaign was unfairly targeted by the FBI. Barr was testifying for a second day at congressional budget hearings that were dominated by questions about special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia investigation. The attorney general said he expects to release a redacted version of Mueller's report on Russian interference in the campaign next week.

Democrats have expressed concern that his version will conceal wrongdoing by the president and are frustrated by the four-page summary letter he released

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last month that they say paints Mueller's findings in an overly favorable way for the president.

Barr's testimony on Wednesday further inflamed the Democrats.

In an interview with The Associated Press , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she didn't trust Barr and suggested his statements undermined his credibility as America's chief law enforcement officer.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York tweeted that Barr's comments "directly contradict" what the Justice Department previously has said. And intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California said Barr's comments were sure to please Trump, but strike "another destructive blow to our democratic institutions."

Republicans, meanwhile, praised Barr's testimony.

North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, a Trump confidant who has raised concerns about Justice Department conduct investigating Trump, tweeted that Barr's willingness to step in is "massive."

At the Capitol hearing, senators appeared taken aback by his use of the word "spying." Asked by Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz if he wanted to rephrase his language, Barr said, "I'm not sure of all the connotations of that word that you're referring to, but you know, unauthorized surveillance."

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

Barr is an experienced public figure who chooses his words carefully, and it's not clear if he realized what a political storm he'd create in using the word "spying." While it could be used to describe lawful and necessary intelligence collection activities, for Trump and his supporters in this case it has an inherently negative meaning.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said on Fox Business News that "People were wiretapped. People were looked into and spied upon. That should be a serious question that the American people should demand answers for and quite frankly so should Congress."

Trump has repeatedly said the investigation of his campaign is an illegal "witch hunt."

On Wednesday he said, "It was started illegally. Everything about it was crooked.

Every single thing about it.

There were dirty cops."

Though Barr said at his January confirmation hearing that he didn't believe Mueller would be involved in a witch hunt, he struck a different tone Wednesday and said it "depends on where you're sitting."

"If you are somebody who's being falsely accused of something, you would tend to view the investigation as a witch hunt," he said.

The spying discussion started when Barr was asked

by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, about his plans to

review his department's actions in investigating Trump.

A separate investigation is being conducted by the department's inspector general.

Barr explained that he considered spying on a political campaign to be a "big deal," invoking the surveillance of civil rights protesters and then of anti-war protesters during the Vietnam War. Asked by Shaheen if he was suggesting "spying" had occurred, Barr replied "spying did occur. Yes, I think spying did occur. The question is whether it was predicated, adequately predicated," meaning whether it was legally justified.

Barr later said that although he did not have specific evidence of wrongdoing, "I do have questions about it."

"I feel I have an obligation to make sure that government power was not abused," he said.

Asked again about spying at the end of the hearing, Barr tempered his tone. "I am not saying improper surveillance occurred. I am saying I am concerned about it, and I am looking into it," he said.

Barr may have been referring to a secret surveillance warrant that the FBI obtained in the fall of 2016 to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing. That warrant application included a reference to research by an exBritish spy that was funded

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by Democrats to examine Trump's ties to Russia.

Critics of the Russia investigation say the warrant was unjustified and have also seized on anti-Trump text messages sent and received by one of the lead agents involved in investigating whether the Trump campaign was colluding with Russia.

Barr's statement Wednesday that he expected to release a redacted version of Mueller's nearly 400-page report next week marked a slight change from the estimate he gave Tuesday, when he said the release would be within a week.

Though he said the document will be redacted to withhold negative information about peripheral figures in the investigation, he said that would not apply to Trump, an officeholder and someone central to the probe.

Meanwhile, Trump falsely claimed again Wednesday that the Mueller report had found "no obstruction." While Barr's letter said the special counsel did not find a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump associates during the 2016 election, it also said Mueller had presented evidence on both sides of the obstruction question and ultimately did not reach a conclusion on it.

Barr said he did not believe Mueller's evidence was sufficient to prove that Trump had obstructed justice.

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CAMPUS

Fans welcome basketball team home

By AKHILA REDDY L a Vida Editor

The Texas Tech men’s basketball team’s long journey to the Final Four came to an official end on its home court in the United Supermarkets Arena.

Hundreds of fans, both students and Lubbock community members, were present at the USA to welcome the team back home and show support.

During the event, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations and Strategic Communications Robert Giovannetti, head coach Chris Beard, and redshirt senior center Norense Odiase spoke to the crowd of cheering fans.

In his speech, Beard thanked Tech students and the players, recognized sophomore guard Jarrett Culver, the graduating seniors on the team and more.

Beard also recounted the breakfast the morning after the loss to Virginia. The breakfast was at 10:00 a.m. after a very late night, and walking in to the room, every player was there on time, sitting together, with no cell phones out during their meal.

“I just had this moment, it just hit me,” Beard said.

“Basically what happened this year is these guys embodied everything perfectly about our program and the record books might not show it but I think they’re champions.”

Following Beard, Odiase went on to speak and thanked Tech fans, the basketball staff, his coach his teammates and more.

“I’m forever indebted to this team, and this city, and this culture and everything we did here,” Odiase said.

The team members looked defeated at the event despite the fact they made history by going to the National Championship, Carlye Dozier, a first-year law student, said. It was enough to

make her cry.

Showing support that day as a fan was important, she said.

“I just know like they leave it all on the court for us,” she said. “So, if we can come when they might be feeling a little down and pick up their spirits and show how much we care, then honestly that’s all that matters.”

The team members played their hearts out this season, Dozier said, which is something fans should reciprocate with support as they did at this event.

I know they were playing for us, and we wanted to come and show that we were supporting them CARLYE DOZIER LAW STUDENT “I know they were playing for us, and we wanted to come and show that we were supporting them,” she said. “You know they played so well, all through the tournament.”

Despite the loss to Virginia, the men’s basketball team made history, Annie Archuleta, a senior industrial engineering student from Corpus Christi, said. She came to welcome the team home because she wanted to be part of that history and recognize the team for what it had achieved.

“They made history,” she said. “Regardless of the final score of the game (on Monday), they gave it their best.”

Archuleta, who is an avid basketball fan, said this particular team is special. It is a brotherhood, she said. The love the team members have for each other, their coaches and for the city of Lubbock is something she said she has never seen before.

“Tech is very proud,” she said. “We love them, we will be here for them whatever (they) do in the future.”

Ben Poorman, a freshman sports broadcasting major from Lubbock, said he attended the event to show the team support, specifically Jarrett Culver, whom he knew in high school.

What the team has achieved is beyond words, he said. It is remarkable despite the loss to Virginia.

“I mean, we got to the final stage,” he said. “That part of it was the grandest part of it, but sometimes a loss just happens.”

Hearing Odiase’s speech at the event was moving, Poorman said. Listening to him talk about the highs and lows he went through with the team and how the players fought every step of the way was powerful.

“My hats off to Norense and every single member of the Tech basketball team,” he said.

Showing up to this event to support the team was the least he could do as a fan for the team, he said.

The things the Red Raiders achieved this season have impacted all of Lubbock.

“It’s just important because this is Lubbock’s team,” he said. “We don’t have a professional team obviously, so we got to bring our A-game, just like they bring their A-game on the court.”

As the event concluded, Beard said the team will be working as hard as it can to be back in the National Championship.

“In closing, this, simply stated, this will not define us. We’re just getting started,” Beard said.

Poorman echoed these sentiments, as he said he expected to be cheering the team on again in the near future.

“I have faith that we’ll make it again in the next season,” he said. @AkhilaReddyDT

SARAH VECERA-KING/The Daily Toreador

TOP: Texas Tech fans wait for the men’s basketball team to arrive at the United Supermarkets Arena on Tuesday, April, 2019. MIDDLE: The team walks onto the court of the USA. BOTTOM: Coach Chris Beard talks about the team’s accomplishments during the welcome home celebration.

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ATHLETICS

Hocutt plans to keep Beard at Tech

By MAX HENGST Staff Writer

With the success of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team this season, Chris Beard is here to stay.

In the 2018-19 season, Beard coached the Red Raiders to a 31-7 record, which is the most wins in a single season in program history, according to sports-reference. He also guided the team to backto-back Elite Eight appearances, the program’s first Final Four and the first appearance in the National Championship.

Beard signed a new contract in March 2018 that keeps him in Lubbock through the 2023-24 season, and there is speculation he will sign another extension in the near future.

With the men’s basketball team’s success, Tech Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said he wants Beard to stay in Lubbock, according to Everything Lubbock.

“There’s not a better coach for Texas Tech in this country than Chris Beard,” Hocutt said, according to Everything Lubbock. “The job he’s done is tremendous.

I think everyone knows we’re going to recognize that and be proactive.”

Hocutt plans to invest in the basketball program after the success it had this season, he said, according to Everything Lubbock.

“We’re going to continue to invest in the program like we have with the ground breaking of the Womble Basketball Center,” Hocutt said, according to the Everything Lubbock. “We’re going to continue to invest in other aspects of the basketball program as well as in Coach Beard and his staff.”

Although Beard has not signed a new contract with Tech, Hocutt plans to keep him as the head coach for the men’s basketball program.

“We’ll sit down in the

next, I’m sure, 72 hours and have a chance to have a conversation about the future,” Hocutt said after the National Championship game, according to Everything Lubbock. “We’re going to be proactive and make sure this is the best place for him to continue his career.”

The contract Beard signed in 2018 was a sixyear contract extension worth $19.05 million which ranks him as one of the top30 highest paid coaches the country, according to Tech Athletics. Beard should receive an increase to his salary after many teams such as Texas, UCLA and Arkansas wanted his successful coaching to be part of their programs.

Tech fans also appreciate Beard as they started a petition to change the name of Lubbock Loop 289 to be named after the coach, according to an online petition. The petition has nearly 5,000 signatures to memorialize Beard’s legacy in the city.

The Red Raiders also won their first regular season championship in program history under Beard’s coaching. His guidance resulted in him being named Big 12 Coach of the Year for the second-straight year.

Along with earning the Big 12 Coach of the Year honor, Beard was recogn i z e d n a t i o n a l l y, b e i n g named the AP Coach of the Year, according to the NCAA. Beard also holds one of the best records as a men’s basketball coach at Tech as he has coached the Red Raiders to a 73-31 record in three years, according to sports-reference. With his record, Beard leads every Tech coach with a .710 winloss percentage and the coach with the next highest win percentage is Berl Huffman with a .638 win-loss percentage after going 188120 over 11 seasons.

@MaxHengstDT

In the first 79 years of the Tech men’s basketball program, the Red Raiders had an 8-16 record in the NCAA Tournament, according to CBS Sports. In the last two years under Beard, the Red Raiders posted an 8-2 record in the tournament.

“I don’t think there’s a better job fit for Coach Beard than at Texas Tech,” Hocutt said, according to the Everything Lubbock. “I just think the fit is natural.” @MaxHengstDT

DANIEL GARCIA for The Daily Toreador

TOP: Texas Tech men’s basketball coach Chris Beard watches the team play during the National Championship against Virginia on Monday, April 8, 2019, in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. RIGHT: Beard tears up while talking about the team during post-game press conference on Monday, April 8, 2019.

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NCAA TOURNAMENT

Tech brings intensity in second half

By ELEANOR GUINAN Staff Writer

Throughout its entire season, the Texas Tech men’s basketball team picked up most of its points during the second half of games. The tactic of Red Raiders making the deciding points in the second half did not change during the NCAA Tournament.

In the game against Northern Kentucky, the Red Raiders went into halftime leading 30-26 but won 72-57.

The only player who scored above 10 points was sophomore guard Jarrett Culver, who scored 12 points, according to Tech Athletics.

Tech shot .520 from the field and .125 from the free throw line making one of its eight attempts in the first half. In the second half, Culver put in 17 points, the team shot .536 from the field, but was perfect at the free throw line.

In the contest against Buffalo, Tech was leading 33-25 at halftime, however, the final score was 78-58 with Tech winning by 20 points.

No one in the first half scored over 10 points with Culver, again, being the highest scorer with just eight points, according to Tech Athletics.

During the first half, the Red Raiders shot just .222

from the three-point line.

In the second half, Culver scored another eight points while redshirt senior center Norense Odiase scored nine points. In the second half, the team shot a .429 from the three-point line.

The first half in the game against Michigan was one of the lowest scoring first halves in the NCAA Tournament this year. Tech went into halftime leading 24-16 but ended up winning the game 63-44, according to Tech Athletics.

Culver scored eight points in the first half but 14 points in the second half, according to Michigan Athletics. The Red Raiders shot .375 from the field in the first half and .519 from the field in the tail end of the game. Tech shot .250 from the three-point line and .364 from the three-point line in the second half.

The Tech versus Gonzaga game was the only game where the two teams went into halftime with a close score and ended the game with a close score as well.

The Red Raiders trailed 3735 at the half but came back to win 75-69, according to Gonzaga Athletics. Redshirt senior guard Matt Mooney was the only player to score more than 10 points in the first half, putting in 11. In the second half, Culver put in 12

points after scoring just eight points in the first half.

During the Final Four game against Michigan State, the Red Raiders went into the half ahead 23-21, but Tech won 61-51, according to ESPN. Culver scored just one point in the first half, while Mooney scored 10 points. The team shot .308 from the field in the first half and finished the game shooting .431 from the field in the second half.

The team’s final game against Virginia was a lot like the Gonzaga game, but Tech did not end up on top.

Virginia went into the half shooting .333 from the field while Francis and Moretti both had eight points each, according to ESPN. The Red Raiders finished the game shooting .429 from the field with Culver and Moretti scoring 15 total points, according to sportsreference.com. Francis led the team with 17 points, which is the second game this season he has led in points.

In every game in the NCAA Tournament except for the last game, Tech’s second half surge pushed the team past opponents. This tactic was part of the team’s success, surprising its opponents when the team came back into the game. @EleanorGuinanDT

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3 DANIEL TOREADOR for The Daily Toreador

1. Sophomore guard Jarrett Culver rises above three Virginia players to dunk the ball during the NCAA Championship game at on Monday, April 8, 2019 in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. 2.

Sophomore guard Davide Moretti shoots an open three pointer.

3. Senior forward Tariq Owens releases a mid-range jumpshot.

The Red Raiders lost to the Cavaliers, 85-77, in overtime to end the season with a 31-7 record.

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ATHLETICS

Resilience, leadership define Odiase’s career as Red Raider

By AUSTIN WATTS Managing Editor

As the buzzer sounded on Monday night, the 2018-19 season for the Texas Tech men’s basketball team came to a close, and along with it ended the fiveyear career of Norense Odiase, a senior leader and defensive stalwart for Tech since 2014.

While not the outcome Tech fans wanted for Odiase and company Monday night, it was an impressive outcome regardless.

In the 80 years since the inception of the NCAA Tournament, Tech had never advanced farther than the Elite Eight and never came close to sniffing a National Championship game, but Odiase helped change that.

Over the last two seasons, Odiase has been an integral part of Tech coach Chris Beard’s rotation, starting the majority of both seasons en route to the first Elite Eight appearance, first Final Four appearance, first Big 12 title and first National Championship appearances.

While Beard and fellow coach Mark Adams’ renowned defensive scheme is widely regarded as the reason Tech was able to climb to the top of the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament, it is players like Odiase who made such a transition possible.

Unlike the rest of Tech’s roster this season, Odiase was the lone player left over from a coaching change. While other starters such as Matt Mooney, Jarrett Culver, Davide Moretti and Tariq Owens were handpicked and brought to Tech by Beard, Odiase was with the team in the years prior to Beard.

Odiase was recruited back when former Tech coach Tubby Smith was still the head coach.

In his freshman year, Odiase’s career got off to strong start, as he started 30 of 31 games for the Red Raiders, while averaging 7.0 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game, for a total of 218 points, which remains his career high in a season.

While 2014-15 may have been one of the best statistical years for Odiase, it was not a good season for the Red Raiders, as Tech went 13-19 overall with

a 3-15 record in Big 12 play. The Red Raider offense ranked one of the worst in the country, while the defense was mediocre at best, according to sports-reference.

The next year started strong for Odiase, as he started another 17 games and helped Tech to a 19-13 overall record, but disaster struck when a foot injury robbed him of 12 games in the middle of the season. Odiase battled back to play in the first NCAA Tournament appearance for Tech since 2007, but Tech was unable to top Butler, ending the Red Raiders’ season.

Although the team had snapped a near-decade long postseason drought, many thought Tubby Smith would be the one to lead Tech into a resurgence.

That perception changed once Smith announced he had taken a job at Memphis. Just weeks after being lifted out the gutter, the men’s basketball program had lost its coach.

However, many argue the biggest blessings come disguised as curses, something that proved true for both Odiase and Tech.

Just days later, Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt announced he had found the 17th head coach for the program, a former assistant coach under Bob Knight named Chris Beard.

Odiase, along with fellow juniors Keenan Evans, Justin Gray and Zach Smith formed the core unit Beard would build around in his first two seasons at Tech. The other juniors got to play during that first season, a privilege Odiase did not share.

After spending the first month of the season recovering from injury, he returned to the lineup, but it became apparent his health would not allow him to play, and he was shut down for the season after appearing in just three games.

After missing the near entirety of the 2016-17 season, a new option arose for Odiase. If he were to take a medical redshirt, the season would not count against his eligibility, and he would enter the upcoming year as a redshirt junior. By missing that 2016-17 season, Odiase was able to be part of the eventual National Championship run the

SARAH VECERA-KING/The Daily Toreador

Redshirt senior center Norense Odiase gets emotional as he speaks about the team during the Texas Tech men’s basketball welcome home celebration on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. team would make in 2018-19.

“Yeah, I think I planned it,” Odiase joked following the win over Michigan State to advance to the National Championship, according to the NCAA. “At the time (of the injury) I knew there was something at the end of the tunnel, I’m a big believer that Christ has a journey for me.

When things like (the injury in 2016-17) happen you just have to persevere and keep staying true to who you are, and you can’t get down, whatever situation you’re in.”

Although the team struggled in the year he missed, recording an 18-14 overall record and a 6-12 record in Big 12, a strong returning class and the addition of several recruits had the arrow trending upward for Tech in the 2017-18 season.

Prior to the season, Beard spoke on the struggles Odiase faced in his last two years and how much it would mean to him if the redshirt junior center could string together a healthy year.

“With Norense, I just think the guy deserves a good season with as much as he’s been through,” Beard said during 2017’s Media Day. “Every night before I go to bed, I pray for my three daughters, Avery, Ella and Margo. From time to time, I have a selfish prayer in there… but I pray for Norense, and I mean that in sincerity. This is a guy that lives his life right, he’s

a good person, good student, he deserves a break, so I would do anything for Norense to get through a full season this year.”

Those high expectations were answered, as Odiase started 29 games in 2017-18, while appearing in all 37 for Tech. The Red Raiders won 27 games that season, the most since the 1995-96 campaign, along with the program’s first ever Elite Eight appearance.

Injuries limited Tech against Villanova in the Elite Eight, as the Red Raiders fell, 71-59, to the eventual champions.

The year proved to be a wild success for Odiase and Tech experienced success as a team.

While many basic stats would not reflect an improved year for him, advanced stats such as offensive rating and defensive rating had him making a major jump statistically, as he performed as the top defender on Tech’s team.

“He just works, I can’t tell you how hard I am on him, in terms of being a leader, not necessarily him and his game, because he brings it,” Beard said. “But to get him to try and think outside of his box this year and be a leader, a real leader, it’s not fake, it’s real leadership what we’re getting.

It’s a big part of this team and why we’re still playing (in the Final Four).”

However, that loss against Villanova would prove to be

the last game in red and black Odiase would share with several of his teammates. Beard was faced with a rebuild around what players he had left.

With just two returning starters in Odiase and sophomore guard Jarrett Culver, Beard did rebuild, adding a pair of graduate transfers in Matt Mooney and Tariq Owens, both veteran players with defensive backgrounds. The final spot in the starting lineup was filled by sophomore guard Davide Moretti, who also took a major leap from his freshman year.

The new lineup proved even more lethal for Tech, as the team’s defense graded out as top in the country in defensive efficiency out of 353 teams, according to sports-reference.com.

Odiase’s defensive rating soared from an already-stellar 91.8 to a phenomenal 84.1, best in the Big 12 amongst players with more than 10 minutes per game.

In the fifth season of his career as a Red Raider, Odiase played a large role in the best season in program history, with a record 31 wins and a National Championship appearance, the first in program history. While the Red Raiders were unable to best Virginia in overtime of the National Championship, the season still proved to be a remarkable success for Tech, as Beard had led the team to the Final Four and beyond. “(Odiase) deserves it,” Beard said. “Life don’t work like that way, people don’t just get what they deserve, but sometimes it happens. If anybody deserved this it’s Norense, with coaching change, injuries, could have been a grad, transfer,” Beard said.

“You’ve got to respect the guy that stays the course. Sometimes the best decision is to stay, and Norense did.”

But Odiase’s senior year was also afflicted with suffering, as he lost two of his close friends and family members the night before a home conference game against Baylor. Despite the pain brought on by the loss, Odiase remained available for his team, playing in the game against Baylor the following night, and the crowd applauded him for

his toughness and resolve as the buzzer sounded.

A long, storied career filled with ups and downs would end in a heartbreaking loss on college basketball’s biggest stage.

Odiase, with 128 career appearances and 113 career starts, had played his final minutes in the red and black.

“As a young player, you don’t even know what to expect when you get to this level, you just want to be on a team that has a goal for something,” Odiase said.

“To get to (the Final Four), and the journey has just taught me a lot. It’s grown me as a person and as a man, and I’m thankful for the tough times and the great times, because it made me who I am today.”

As the team arrived home Tuesday, April 9, Odiase and the rest of the Red Raiders were welcomed back with the applause and support of thousands at the United Supermarkets Arena, and Odiase got a chance to take the microphone and bid farewell to his teammates.

“To my teammates, I love you guys, every one of you, thank you for the ability to lead this team this year along with these other four seniors,” Odiase said with tears in his eyes. “Just the dedication and the passion and the work ethic you guys bring to the floor, it’s really enjoyable.

I know I went through a tough time, with my family passing, and you guys are the only people I leaned on.”

As he gathered his composure, the crowd cheered for him, showing their love and support for the longest tenured Red Raider on that championship team.

“You guys are the only thing I worry about every single day,” Odiase continued, as he addressed the team. “I knew if I gave everything to (my teammates), you guys are just there supporting me, surrounding me with your love, that I’ll be fine at the end of the day, and that’s what I poured into you guys, and you gave it back. I’m forever indebted to this team and this city and the culture of everything we did here.” @AustinWattsDT

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ATHLETICS

Bench proves valuable asset in teams success

By ELEANOR GUINAN Staff Writer

Redshirt senior guard Brandone Francis, freshman guard Kyler Edwards and redshirt sophomore guard Deshawn Corprew were key bench players in the 2018-19 season. The three split the sixth-man role and did not disappoint The three players combined averaged 15.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists, according to sports-reference. com. Individually, Francis averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while Edwards averaged 5.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Corprew, who played the least minutes of the three, averaged 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and .4 assists.

Edwards hit the ground running early, scoring his career-high 19 points against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 24, the fifth game of the season. The freshman from Fort Worth did not miss a shot during the game, going 7-for-7, including the four three-pointers.

In a press conference after the team’s 93-62 win, Edwards said that was his time to do well.

“It was just my night

tonight,” Edwards said, according to Tech Athletics.

“It could have been anyone’s night, but tonight was just my night. It just happened to be me tonight. Coach gives me confidence. He tells me my time is going to be coming one day, any game.”

After scoring 13 points against Nebraska, Corprew matched the season-high in the contest against Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday, Dec. 28, according to Tech Athletics. The win was the lone game the guard started, due to Norense Odiase being injured.

In the post-game press conference, Corprew expressed how he felt on the court. He said he was doing his part and felt more eager, according to Tech Athletics.

“I feel very comfortable on the court now,” Corprew said, according to Tech Athletics.

“Every day I tell myself to just go out there and work hard and play hard and do my role. I think I’m still doing the same thing that I’m supposed to do when I go out there every night and just play aggressive and basically just play my role.”

Francis, the only senior on the bench, had two games where he led the team in

points. The first was against West Virginia on Monday, Feb. 4, when the Florida transfer led with 16 points and two rebounds, according to sports-reference.com. The guard led the team with 17 points in the National Championship game, the last of his collegiate career.

In the press conference after the West Virginia game, Francis said his focus was tighter. After he talked to his mother, he went out on the court with more intensity and aggressiveness than usual, according to Tech Athletics.

“I was a little more focused today,” Francis said, according to Tech Athletics.

“I went out there and played with a chip on my shoulder with something to prove. I talked to my mom today, I had it in my mind and I just went out there, with a chip on my shoulder thinking about my family.”

The 2018-19 bench was something the team relied on when one of the starters was hurt or when it got into foul trouble, giving coach Chris Beard and the Red Raiders more flexibility on the court during the NCAA Tournament.

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Today’s

su do ku

3 DANIEL GARCIA for The Daily Toreador

1. Redshirt senior guard Brandone Francis goes up for a shot during Texas Tech’s game against Virginia on April 8, 2019, in U.S. Bank Stadium. 2. Sophomore guard Deshawn Corprew guards a Virginia player during the National Championship game against the Cavaliers. 3. Freshman guard Kyle Edwards pulls up for a shot during the National Championship game. Texas Tech fell to Virginia, 85-77, in overtime, ending the Red Raiders’ season.

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CAMPUS

NCAA victories spark increase in Tech applications

By HATTIE ROBB Staff Writer

The success of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament caught prospective students’ attention, causing an increase in the number of applicants received daily.

Ethan Logan, associate vice president of enrollment management at Tech, said before the NCAA Tournament, Tech received about 50 applications per day. After the team’s win in the Elite Eight, applications increased to 70 per day, and after the Final Four win, Tech saw a rise in 140 applications per day.

Regarding visitors to the Tech Undergraduate Admissions website, Logan said traffic increased to 80 percent from the time of the Sweet 16 victory on March 28 to the Elite Eight win on March 30.

He said there was a 111 percent increase in the number of out of state web visitors, and 2,000 students scheduled a campus tour.

“There is a correlation between the national expo-

sure and excitement from the tournament that has paved the way in favorable action to the institution,” Logan said.

“This generates interests in all aspects of the institution, not just sports.”

Shelbey Havens, college recruiter at the Tech College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, said social media coverage of the tournament has been a major influence in spiking both incoming freshmen and transfer students’ interest in Tech.

She said the success of the basketball team has given students the opportunity to use different social media outlets to promote Tech.

For potential students, Havens said the exposure encourages them to visit campus and see what Tech can offer them.

Although the tournament has sparked national interest, Logan said admissions staff will not know the concrete effect until the start of the 2019 fall semester.

“I have confidence in our undergraduate admissions staff,” Logan said. “They

know how to cultivate and develop student interests in the institution and will provide the resources necessary for prospective students and the potential of their education here at Texas Tech.”

JulieAnne Pender, recruiter at the Tech College of Human Sciences, said recruiters and admissions counselors have to promote Tech and help possible future students find the right degree fit. She said the Human Sciences department houses several student athletes, and the tournament could sway prospective athletes’ interests in the college as well.

To connect with possible students, Havens said the team’s success is a good starting point for recruiters. At Tech’s recent Raider Roadshow in Houston, she said the excitement of the tournament carried over in several conversations with students and parents.

In addition to the work done to promote Tech, Havens said one important aspect of recruitment is staying connected with students

after their campus tour.

“We really try to emphasize our want for students to come here,” she said. “We want to stay connected with the student from the first handshake at their tour to seeing them again at orientation.”

Jessica Helm, a freshman undeclared major from Keller, said the exposure of the National Championship game in Minneapolis and the celebrations in Lubbock highlight the energetic and welcoming atmosphere of Tech.

“Tech’s unique and lively character is what influenced my choice in schools,” Helm said. “I think when high school and transfer students recognize our success beyond basketball, their decisions will be influenced as well.”

The community is a factor that Logan said also played a role in the increased applications. He said the tournament was a powerful rallying moment for the basketball team and the Red Raider community.

“I love that we have this opportunity,” Logan said.

“I am proud of the team,

students, faculty, staff and Lubbock community for coming together in support while

also having fun. We are going to be better because of it.” @DailyToreador

DANIEL GARCIA for The Daily Toreador

LEFT: Texas Tech students cheer on the men’s basketball team during the NCAA Championship game against Virginia on Monday, April 8 in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. RIGHT: Fan fill U.S. Bank Stadium before the start of the National Championship game between Tech and Virginia. Tech saw an increase in applications during the team’s NCAA Tournament run.

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LOCAL

Chambers bet meat, wine on NCAA Tournament

By SETH TRUJILLO Staff Writer

In addition to the Texas Tech men’s basketball team’s game against the Virginia Cavaliers in the NCAA Tournament, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce also took part in a competition.

According to a LCC news release, LCC President and CEO Eddie McBride made a bet with Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Elizabeth Cromwell leading up to the NCAA Championship game on April 8. The winner of the game would receive samples of prepared meat from the loser.

LCC Executive Vice President Norma Ritz Johnson said with Lubbock being famous for its meats, primarily its beef from Raider Red Meats, and Virginia being famous for its ham, each chamber president agreed to send the winner of samples of their praised meats.

“Lubbock has gained fame from a number of sources, with our meats being one of the main ones,” Johnson said.

“Virginia’s ham is equally as famous, so when we made it into the Final Four, the two agreed to send some of each to the winner.”

According to the release, Raider Red Meats will send a package of assorted meats, which will be paid in full by McBride, to the CRCC. Raider Red Meats Director Tate Corliss said he has signed off on the delivery of the package to Cromwell

and expresses his regards at Tech’s loss in the game.

“Well, I wish the Lubbock Chamber’s presidents were going to get some ham,” Corliss said, “but we are honored to be included in the bet.”

In addition to sending the meat, Corliss said he wished to promote the quality of Raider Red Meats’ products and the research employees do there.

“Raider Red Meats is part of the Animal and Food Sciences department in the College of Agriculture,” Corliss said. “Our mission is to fund scholarships and serve others. Right now, it looks like we will be sending USDA prime-aged ribeye steaks.”

Despite the outcome of the game, Corliss said he wished to convey his pride and joy for the team and the players, as well as his dismay at the results of the game.

“I watched every second of the game,” Corliss said. “Our guys played their hearts out.

I am disappointed we did not

get the win, but it was a great game, and I am very proud of our team and coaches.”

Jose Yznaga, a creative media industries major from San Antonio, said he enjoyed the camaraderie presented in the chambers presidents’ bet.

“I think it’s a good way to build the relationship between the two cities,” Yznaga said. “I think it sort of works to lessen the sense of competition, while fostering a good sense of rivalry for the teams and cities.”

While he is disappointed with the outcome, he said he wanted to express his appreciation for the team and encouragement for next year.

“It was kind of sad to see them lose after they worked so hard to get this far,” he said, “but I know this will have been a good lesson for them going into next year.

I think they will take this experience and come back even stronger to take the championship next year.” @DailyToreador

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Raider Red Meats, a business within the College of Animal and Food Sciences, sells high quality meat products to the public.

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After the Texas Tech men’s basketball team’s win against Michigan State in the NCAA Final Four, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce received a gift basket from the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce in Michigan.

According to a LCC news release, the LCC President and CEO Eddie McBride and LRCC President and CEO Tim Daman announced a challenge the night both teams made it to the Final Four. For the challenge, the losing team would have to send the winning team goods from a local brewery or winery.

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“I don’t mind offering up a basket of wine from the Llano Estacado Winery, because we haven’t run out of Red Raider magic yet,” McBride said.

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APRIL 11, 2019

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SPIRIT PROGRAMS

Pom, Co-Ed Cheer squads crowned national champs

By AKHILA REDDY L a Vida Editor

While the Texas Tech men’s basketball team was making an NCAA Tournament run, they were not the only Tech teams competing for a National Championship.

Standing on the sidelines were members from Tech’s Pom and Co-Ed Cheer squads, who had just been crowned national champions.

Both Pom and Co-Ed Cheer Squads competed at the National Cheerleaders Association & National Dance Alliance Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships in Daytona, Florida. Pom Squad won first in the Division 1A Pom category and second in the Division 1A Dance Jazz category. The Co-Ed Cheer Squad won first in the Co-Ed Cheer category.

The Co-Ed Cheer squad had previously taken home the national title in 2017, Bruce Bills, head cheer and mascot coach, said. Winning the title for the second time was a testament to the work put in by members of the program.

“I think that it speaks to the level of the athletes that we have,” Bills said. “The cheerleaders, they paid attention to the detail, they wanted to put forth the extra work and make this routine that much better, and it paid off tremendously.”

The squad spends months in preparation for the competition, he said. Preparation begins during summer camps in June and runs through the rest of the year. The final push begins during spring break, when the routine is fully run .

The close bond the team developed while preparing was key to their success, Carly Manning, a senior public relations major from Mabank and second-year member of the squad, said. At the competition, the relationship between the teammates was stronger than ever, she said.

“Getting there and looking around to the person next to you and knowing they are

doing this for you, this was such a family,” she said. “I feel like the trust and the bond was unlike any other.”

The squad arrived to the championship on Tuesday night, practiced on Wednesday and competed on Thursday and Friday. In the preliminary competition, the squad ranked first, Manning said.

After that, they knew all it had to do was perform the routine they practiced and prepared for to win, which they did, she said. “(Winning) was probably the most incredible feeling of my life, especially because I am a senior, and that was my last time to ever compete, which I’ve been doing for my entire life,” she said.

It is a moment Bills said he will never forget.

“It was a huge relief and full of excitement, joy, pride and then just thankfulness for the athletes, for the support of our university, our family and friends, so it was just one exciting moment,” he said.

As the Co-Ed Cheer Squad was competing, so was the Pom Squad. Pom has also claimed national titles in the past, with this year being the third year in a row the squad has come home with a national title, Erin Alvarado, Pom Squad coach, said.

“It feels really good to be able to continue to add to our legacy of excellence and being able to compete at the highest level among the best teams in the country,” she said.

Members of the squad put in a significant amount of work for competition, she said. They practice five days a week, work out three times a week, perform at games, spent spring break practicing and more.

“They’re sacrificing a lot to be able to compete at a high level,” Alvarado said.

Going into the competition, the squad members felt confident but knew they had a target on their backs as the reigning champions, she said. They had to work even harder to set the bar higher.

The squad is driven to compete, she said.

“I am extremely competitive,” Alvarado said. “I think that the kids I get into this program are also extremely competitive, and so every year when we start our season, we start with an end goal in mind.”

Getting to perform at competition was incredible, Hailey West, a senior dance major from Norman, Oklahoma, said.

“It’s unbelievable,” she said. “There’s really nothing that even compares. All of us are used to performing on big stages and stuff such as the championship game that we played in last night, but whenever you prepare that long for something and finally get to showcase what you’ve been working on, it’s really incredible.”

The journey did not end for the two squads after nationals.

Almost immediately after their performances in Daytona, some members from each squad had to travel 22 hours by bus to Minneapolis to perform.

“You think about it, in 24 hours they won one national championship and found out we get to perform in another national championship,” Alvarado said. “It was really, really special for them.”

The aftermath of the performance was a whirlwind, West said. In Daytona, tradition dictates that teams do not touch the sand until after finishing competition. Despite the fact 16 members of the Pom Squad needed to head to Minneapolis to get there in time to perform, they did not want to abandon tradition.

“We literally counted to 10 and then lined up, then ran into the ocean with our trophies and our banner and then ran up to the hotel,” West said.

“We had about three minutes to shower and get the stuff we needed and be downstairs.

We’re all running downstairs with all of our stuff.”

Members of the Co-Ed Cheer Squad heading to Minneapolis also ran into the ocean, took a couple of

DANIEL GARCIA for The Daily Toreador

TOP: Members of the Texas Tech Pom Squad finish their routine during halftime of the National Championship game on Monday, April 8, 2019, in U.S. Bank Stadium. BOTTOM: Members of the Texas Tech Co-Ed Cheer Squad and Pom Squad perform during half-time pictures and ran to get to the bus, Manning said.

The bus heading back to Minneapolis made it with approximately 20 minutes to spare before the squad’s first appearance, Manning said.

“We cut it a little close but made it,” she said. “It was definitely worth it, especially being my senior year getting to experience not only winning, but to go all the way to the Final Four and win that first game and make it all the way to the national championships. It was definitely a cool experience.”

Alvarado is proud of the

members of the Pom Squad for their performances in Minneapolis, she said. They rose to the occasion, despite the challenges.

“It’s really cool to see, especially in this environment where’s it’s so unfamiliar, to see that the hours and time we put in all season have actually prepared us for this moment,” she said.

Getting to perform at the Final Four was incredible, West said. As a sports fan, it was something she had on her bucket list forever.

“It was a crazy week, just in general, but I wouldn’t have

wanted to end my four years in any other way,” she said.

As a senior, Manning said she could not have asked for a better week to conclude her time at Tech on the Co-Ed Cheer Squad.

“It’s what we’ve worked so hard for this entire year,” she said, “and it’s what I’ve worked for my whole entire life. So, being able to do that and accomplish that and get on there and go cheer on Texas Tech basketball, who just made program history, it was the best ending to a senior year I could have asked for.” @AkhilaReddyDT