The Texas Tech men’s basketball team was picked to finish in a seventh place tie with Oklahoma State in the coaches preseason poll announced Thursday by the Big 12 office.
 
The Red Raiders return five players who started 10-plus games from last year’s team which turned in a 19-13 overall record and 9-9 mark in Big 12 action. The nine conference victories were the most for Texas Tech dating back to the 2006-07 season when Chris Beard served as an assistant coach.
 
Texas Tech brings back its leading scorer (Aaron Ross – 12.5 PPG), leading rebounder (Zach Smith – 7.5 RPG) and leading assist man (Keenan Evans – 2.6 APG) from Big 12 play last season. The Red Raiders also return over 65 percent of their points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals from 2015-16.
 
Texas Tech has added a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans in Niem Stevenson and Shadell Millinghaus. The Red Raiders also have brought in two graduate transfers in Anthony Livingston, an All-Sun Belt performer at Arkansas State, along with Giovanni McLean who led Quinnipiac in scoring last season. Former four-star recruit Brandone Francis and Tommy Hamilton IV have transferred to Texas Tech and will sit out the 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
 
Kansas was the unanimous pick to win its 13th consecutive Big 12 regular season championship. The Big 12 has been the No. 1 rated RPI conference in the nation for three straight seasons and boasted the nation’s best non-conference winning percentage during the 2015-16 season.
 
Texas Tech will play host to “Homecoming and Hoops Pep Rally” in conjunction with Homecoming Week Friday at the United Supermarkets Arena. Doors open to the free event at 6:45 p.m. following the official Texas Tech Homecoming Parade hosted by the Student Union and Tech Activities Board (TAB).
 
The event marks the debut of the new United Supermarkets Arena videoboard. The center-hung structure features four video displays which are four times the size of the old boards.
 
Season ticket holders are invited to attend a pre-event reception located in Club Red on the United Supermarkets Arena concourse. Students also will have a pre-event gathering with free food and drinks at the City Bank Rooms on the concourse. Both basketball coaching staffs and players will make special appearances at the pre-event receptions. 
 
The Texas Tech Ticket Office will hold a “Meet Your Seat” event as part of the “Homecoming and Hoops Pep Rally.” Remaining season ticket inventory for both programs will be marked throughout the United Supermarkets Arena with signs. Members of the Texas Tech Ticket Office will be on-site to further assist fans with purchasing season tickets for the upcoming basketball seasons. 
 
The “Homecoming and Hoops Pep Rally” is highlighted by a three-point competition between members of the men’s and women’s teams along with a dunk contest by the men’s program. Both teams will be available for autographs on the concourse following the event. 
 
More season tickets have already been sold for 2016-17 than all of last season. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets now to reserve the best available seats. Season tickets are on-sale and feature affordable payment plans along with a family four-pack of season tickets starting at $199 in designated general admission sections and reserved season tickets for as low as $199.
 
Season tickets can be purchased in person at the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office located on the East Side of Jones AT&T Stadium, online at www.TexasTech.com or over the phone at (806) 742-8324. Information on single-game tickets and mini-plans will be announced by the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office at a later date.
 
Visit www.TexasTech.com for the latest news and information on the men’s basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/TexasTechMBB and @TexasTechMBB on Twitter.
 
Courtesy of Texas Tech Athletics