Preview | Prairie View A&M Panthers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

GAME INFORMATION
	vs
Prairie View A&M Panthers (0-0, 0-0)		Texas Tech Red Raiders (0-0, 0-0)
November 9, 2012 @ 8:00 pm
United Spirit Arena | Lubbock, TX
TV: Fox College Sports | Radio: Affiliates | GameCast: FoxSports
Probable Starters
Ronald Wright (6-1/190)	PG	Josh Gray (6-1/175)
Luis Munks (6-3/200)	SG	Trency Jackson (6-2/185)
Ryan Gesiakowski (6-4/195)	TG	Jamal Williams, Jr. (6-4/190)
Mayol Riathin (6-9/215)	PF	Jordan Tolbert (6-7/225)
Jules Montgomery (6-11/220)	C	Dejan Kravic (6-11/240)

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

First and foremost, from the last time that I recall looking up the PVAMU logo, they have a significant improvement from the one I remember. I know that you're not reading VTM for logo-talk, but I'm glad they did something about that.

As to the basketball team, PVAMU is not a bad basketball team and they are picked to win the SWAC this year. I know, this means nothing to you, but they actually return all five starters from last year and those are the starters listed above. They also have OU transfer Carl Blair, who was a terrific prep point guard that just didn't pan out at OU. I don't think he was in any trouble or anything like that. So now you add Blair to what is already a pretty good team, a team that has it's sight set on an NCAA tournament and I could see a team that is going to push this Texas Tech team.

I'm also impressed by the overall size of PVAMU, they're bigger than Texas Tech. It will be good for Texas Tech to see some of their big men challenged after facing an undersized UT-Permian Basin team.

KEY TO SUCCESS

I've been told that Texas Tech didn't run much, if any, of an offense during the scrimmage with UTPB, which means that they were able to put up a ton of points without running many offensive sets. It's time to see what Chris Walker has in terms of an offense. I'm keenly interested to see if he's going to adjust to what he has interms of talent, which is a guard-heavy team that can probably dribble-drive and create.

I think that if Texas Tech were to have run a high-low offense again, we'd see a similarly stagnant approach like we saw last year. Not a lot of movement and players that seemed to not be sure how to get out of the first couple of iterations of the offensive set. I'm excited about what Walker might try to do offensively. I also have to think that if Walker is going to adjust his style a bit defensively to account for the various guards, then he'll do something similar offensively which would to maybe allow some dribble drive possibilities or some pick and roll situations. If Kravic is as good of a player I think he is on the offensive end, that would be a very good partner on the pick and roll. I'm also very anxious about seeing the assist to turnover ratio improve for this team. That was abysmal last year.

We saw the that the defense forced 26 turnovers and I'd like to think that those won't happen as easily this week against PVAMU. The defense will have to be a little tougher or more conventional I am thinking. Still, it will be good to see the press against better competition and we'll have a better idea as to where these guards are athletically.

GAME DAY LINKS

Burnt Orange Nation hastily previews the Big 12.

The good folks at the WV MetroNews take a look at your Red Raiders.

The LAJ has a ton of articles this morning and I'm sure I'm going to miss one of them. All of the articles are written by Nick Kosmider, so he's been very busy. Here we go: the team hopes to rise from the Big 12 cellar; SF Jaye Crockett is adjusting to being a leader; freshman PG Josh Gray is not afraid of leading the way, Kansas is the leading the way in preseason polls, but don't crown them yet; the LAJ preseason All Big 12 team; and a look at all of the new faces on the team.

The DT writes that the basketball team is ready to get the season started.

The tenure of Billy Gillispie is still rearing it's ugly head as the USA Today reports that even after the staff was reprimanded about practice time, Gillispie kept violating the rules and here's the kicker:

In concluding its report to the NCAA, Texas Tech lists Gillispie's departure as part of the solution.

"The institution takes these matters very seriously. An extensive review was conducted, secondary violations were uncovered and are being reported, penalties have been self-imposed, corrective measures have been implemented within the sport to avoid future violations, and the former head coach's resignation has been accepted."

Bylaw Blog's John Infante thinks that because Texas Tech and Gillispie parted ways that the NCAA has closed this book. I think Infante is right, had Gillispie remained, there may be more penalties that this program would have faced. When Gillispie is hired again, and I think he will be hired again, I will tell the person that asks me that Gillispie will say all of the right things, but he will most likely not change. He treated players and staff about as poorly as you could imagine.