Texas Tech Basketball’s Absolutely Baffling BPI Ranking
Back in April, ESPN put out a WAY-TOO-EARLY top 25 list, and a lot of Texas Tech basketball fans felt disrespected by not being included. Keep in mind, the Red Raider basketball team was coming off of an Elite 8 run in the NCAA Tournament.
Well, just days away from the fall semester beginning, a new, real, tangible ranking has come out, and the Big 12 is well represented. After the original too-early top 25 came an off-season of reloading, including the additions of Tariq Owens, Matt Mooney, Khavon Moore, Kevin McCullar, Joshua Mballa, plus the existing recruiting class. Surely, Texas Tech is getting some respect now.
That's right, huge respect. Texas Tech's BPI ranking for 2018 is 78th. Wait, what?
I understood Texas Tech not being included in the early top 25. Texas Tech's roster was dismantled. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, it has been rebuilt. We just listed the bevy of dudes coming into the program that will bolster returning faces, such as Jarrett Culver and Davide Moretti.
What makes it wild is that the BPI rank for the Texas Tech defense is top 20! The computers, or stat nerds, that put this BPI together have zero faith in the Texas Tech offense, putting it as the 178th best offense in the country. Personal opinion: I also think an 18th slot for the defense is low.
While there was a perceived disrespect from the way-too-early ranking, this is a genuine lack of respect toward Texas Tech basketball. The 78th best team in the country?That's way outside of the NCAA Tournament.
What makes matters worse is that 50 percent of the Big 12 is in the top 25 of the BPI rankings. Kansas is number 1 (because Kansas). West Virginia is 5th, and Kansas State, TCU and Texas are 14th, 23 and 25th respectively.
Moving down the list, we see Iowa State at 31, Oklahoma at 47 and Baylor at 53.
That puts Texas Tech at 9th in the Big 12 and only ahead of 81st placed Oklahoma State in the Big 12.
- BONUS
Lubbock Fans Go Wild When Texas Tech Makes It to the Elite 8