MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

After the Texas Tech basketball run to the National Championship a year ago, Chris Beard’s team is no longer behind the scope but rather in the crosshairs.

Chris Beard left no doubt last season Texas Tech basketball was an undeniable red and black dot on the map. In the 2017-18 season, the Red Raiders went 27-10 and made it to the Elite Eight in the then-best season in program history and left many wondering how he could top that. The question was answered by a dominant NCAA Tournament run culminating with a National Championship game berth.

While Texas Tech came up short of the natty against Virginia, Beard proved the Red Raiders had arrived in a way few imagined possible. They were no longer a Big 12 sleeper but rather a team emerging as favorites and a legitimate threat against any team in the country. This was quite the contrast from even the start of the 2018-19 season.

Despite their Elite Eight run the previous season, Beard’s group did not crack the preseason AP Top 25 a year ago. In fact, they barely made the cut in the “others receiving votes” designation, getting just six total nods from the voters in the preseason poll. And really, the sleeping on the Red Raiders continued. Despite a 26-5 regular season that saw them win the Big 12 — ending Kansas’ long reign — they were still only a No. 3 seed come tourney time.

From a purely human and competitive aspect, that’s a great position for Beard and Texas Tech to operate from. They were the underdog everyone kept doubting. The mantra of “nobody believes in us” can be a powerful motivating factor in a locker room. But after their success last season, there is no one sleeping on this team. They have a target on them and it isn’t going away.

Make no mistake, this is a different Red Raiders team than the one that went to overtime with Virginia in the National Championship Game last season. NBA lottery pick Jarrett Culver, elite rim-protector Tariq Owens and terrific perimeter defender Matt Mooney are all gone. And replacing that trio of players is not going to be an easy task for anyone, especially for Beard and his defensive-minded approach.

It’s possible, though, with the newcomers Beard has heading to Lubbock in addition to some rising stars already in place.

While Culver and Mooney were the defensive tone-setters for Texas Tech basketball last season on the perimeter and wings, replacing those two may be the easiest achieved task in the 2019-20 season. Kyler Edwards, a possible star-in-the-making, and freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey have the athleticism and potential to continue to be immense annoyances when pressuring the ball on the outside. Though they must prove themselves, the talent is there for them to thrive under Beard.

Where things get a bit more complicated defensively, though, is on the interior. The Red Raiders do not have any player on the roster who can be a one-for-one replacement for Owens. No one in Lubbock has the combination of length and athleticism the big man brought to the table, which presents a set of challenges for Beard and Texas Tech to contend with this season.

Having said that, transfers Chris Clarke (from Virginia Tech) and T.J. Holyfield (from Stephen F. Austin) can be formidable on the interior in the absence of Owens.

Clarke is a versatile forward who moves quite well for his size, which gives Beard great versatility. And while Holyfield is not the same type of rim defender Owens was for Beard, he did block 1.3 shots per game at SFA two years ago and has a strong IQ on the defensive end. Also, freshman Tyreek Smith has a bit of bounce which is valuable in the frontcourt defense.

Most important for the defense, though, is Beard. While he has to replace arguably his three most vital players from last season, he has also made his bones as an incredible developer of talent. He’s earned a bit of good faith he’ll get the Red Raiders playing like an elite defensive team once again.

The other end of the floor is perhaps more interesting for Texas Tech, though. Last season, the offensive strategy was largely putting the ball in Culver’s hands and letting him work. Whether it meant creating his own shot, drawing the defense and kicking out or something in-between, the offense ran through Culver which, obviously, is no longer an option.

Sharp-shooting Davide Moretti remains a threat in the backcourt for the Red Raiders offense, something that won’t change. Edwards was also a strong outside shooter last year. Meanwhile, Clarke is a fascinating offensive chess piece with his ability to create off the perimeter when stretching the floor at the four. Furthermore, Holyfield is an established low-block scorer who averaged nearly 13 points per game with SFA in the 2017-18 season. Both transfers can also stretch the floor as well.

Those are all nice pieces but they are also less valuable if a creator and primary scorer doesn’t emerge. Luckily for Beard, Ramsey has the potential to be the catalyst for this offense as a freshman.

Ramsey has the size and length at guard to make him a tough matchup for smaller or average-sized point guards and matches it with nice burst and vision in terms of slashing through the lane. Moreover, he’s already put his scoring prowess on display this offseason, hanging 44 points up in an international preseason game for the Red Raiders.

With his ability to penetrate, though, what Texas Tech needs from Ramsey just as much as his scoring is playmaking as a facilitator. Ramsey needs to quickly develop a strong feel for his teammates on drawing in the defense and then finding the litany of shooters on this roster on the outside for open looks. That will be the crux of the Red Raiders offense if he can develop the skill.

There’s no denying Beard and Texas Tech basketball face a number of questions entering the 2019-20 season given what they lost after last year. And while they may not have National Championship hopes this season, he has earned enough goodwill to lead you to believe they’ll again be a factor come March. Add that to the talent in place and is arriving in Lubbock and there’s no question this team will be primed to make some noise if they buy-in, which is a safe bet at this point.

Just as important, though, even with the changes, this team isn’t sneaking up on anyone this year. How they adjust to the different mentality may be what ultimately determines the ceiling of the Red Raiders as they defend their Big 12 regular-season title and try to return to the Final Four.

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