The Adams Era Begins With a Big Win and Joey McGuire’s Dog
The Mark Adams Era began with a bang Tuesday night as the Red Raiders beat North Florida 89-74 in the United Supermarkets Arena. The team was mostly new guys, but the new guys showed out.
KJ Allen of Netflix's Last Chance U fame threw it down with some authority:
Bryson Williams did a number of things well, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes on the floor. He was 9-for-11 from the field, including this shot from deep:
Kevin Obanor and Davion Warren were also impressive in their Red Raider debuts, finishing in double digits. Warren added five assists and three steals, while Obanor drained three from deep, showing he's got the range he had at Oral Roberts.
The lone holdovers who played tonight were Marcus Santos-Silva and Kevin McCullar. MSS was dynamic, finishing with 13 points, four boards and three steals. McCullar struggled in a new role, but had some solid finishes in the paint.
Of course, the energy of new Texas Tech football head coach Joey McGuire stole the show. After getting introduced at halftime, McGuire led the arena in a raucous 'Raider! Power!' chant.
McGuire spoke to John Harris on the ESPN+ broadcast and mentioned that it was Charlie Dog who was most excited to get back to Lubbock. Charlie Dog, pictured below, is a Blue Lacy, which is the official state dog breed of Texas. He was born in Lubbock and was first owned by McGuire's daughter who moved to New York. McGuire knew the Texas dog needed to stay in Texas, so he kept him in Waco. Now, he's coming home.
Texas Tech basketball gets back on the floor Friday, November 12th against Weber State.