LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard has been named a Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Late Season candidate after leading the Red Raiders to 22-5 overall record this season going into Wednesday’s game against Oklahoma State.
The Red Raiders are 10-4 in Big 12 Conference play and come into the game against the Cowboys with a 15-1 record at home and on a five-game winning streak. Tech is coming off a 91-62 win over Kansas last Saturday at home to lift Beard’s record to 48-5 at home since he took over the program three years ago. Beard led the Red Raiders to a 27-10 record and to the program’s first-ever NCAA Elite Eight last a season.
Beard is 67-29 as the head coach at Texas Tech and is 97-34 as an NCAA Division I coach.
Along with Beard, the Naismith Coach of the Year candidates include Rick Barnes (Tennessee), John Beilein (Michigan), Tony Bennett (Virginia), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Mike Kzryzewski (Duke), Chris Mack (Louisville), Eric Musselman (Nevada), Nate Oats (Buffalo), Matt Painter (Purdue), Kelvin Sampson (Houston), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Steve Wojceichowski (Marquette) and Mike Young (Wofford).
In addition to the Naismith recognizing Beard on the candidate list, sophomore Jarrett Culver has been named a Naismith National Player of the Year Midseason Watch List and senior Tariq Owens is on the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist list.
The four finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year will be announced on March 21 with the winner being announced on April 6.
Courtesy of Texas Tech Athletics Communications Department
