Texas Tech coach Adams resigns after insensitive comments

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Texas Tech coach Mark Adams, who had been suspended recently for racially insensitive comments made toward one of his players, resigned shortly after the Red Raiders were eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.

Second-year assistant Corey Williams had led the Red Raiders in their 78-62 loss to West Virginia.

The incident involving Adams occurred in a meeting with a player, who wasn’t identified, Texas Tech said Sunday in announcing his suspension. The school said Adams “was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters.”

Red Raiders athletic director Kirby Hocutt learned of the incident last Friday and issued a written reprimand, and Adams coached them in a regular season-ending loss to Oklahoma State. But after Hocutt investigated the situation further, he decided to suspend Adams just three days before the start of the Big 12 Tournament.

Adams waited until his team was eliminated before announcing that he was stepping down.

“My lifelong goal was to help and be a positive influence on my players, and to be a part of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team,” Adams said in a statement. “However, both the university and I believe this incident has become a distraction for the Texas Tech men’s basketball team and the university, which I care about so deeply.”

This isn’t the first time that high-profile coaches have been in trouble for insensitive comments.

Three years ago, Pat Chambers resigned at Penn State after one of his former players revealed the coach said he wanted to “loosen the noose that’s around your neck” when talking to the player about helping him reduce stress; he wsa hired at Florida Gulf Coast this season. And during the 2020-21 season, Creighton coach Greg McDermott apologized for telling his team after a loss to “stay on the plantation” as a way to reminding them to stick together; he was suspended for one game.

The 66-year-old Adams graduated from Texas Tech in 1979 and had been on the staff there since 2016, beginning as director of basketball operations under Tubby Smith and then spending time on Chris Beard’s staff. He was elevated to head coach when Beard departed for Texas, and signed a $15.5 million, five-year contract extension last spring.

The extension came after Adams led the Red Raiders to the finals of the Big 12 Tournament, where they lost to eventual national champion Kansas, and to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in his first seaosn in charge.

Things soured quickly this season, though. Texas Tech lost its first eight conference games, and any hope of making a run to the Big 12 Tournament title and a return to the NCAA tourney ended with a dismal effort against the Mountaineers.

“If I’m being honest, it’s a lot of weight on these kids right now. They’ve been through a lot in the last week or so,” Williams said afterward. “And in some ways, I just feel like it caught up with them, and they wanted to win.

“They gave their best. And once the ball stopped falling in a little bit, it got a little bit more tougher,” he added. “The hill became a lot steeper, and unfortunate we weren’t able to make up the difference.”

Texas Tech names Williams interim coach for Big 12 tournament with Adams suspended

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LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech named second-year assistant Corey Williams as its interim coach Monday night for the Big 12 tournament as the school continues its investigation of suspended coach Mark Adams.

Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he was doing a more thorough inquiry into Adams’ interactions with his players and staff after the coach’s suspension for what the school said was the “use of an inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment” when addressing a player last week.

Adams was suspended Sunday. He had coached the regular season-ending 71-68 loss to Oklahoma State at home Saturday, a day after Hocutt was made aware of the incident. Hocutt initially gave Adams a written reprimand and allowed him to continue coaching.

The Red Raiders (16-15, 5-13 Big 12) went to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, Adams’ first as coach of his alma mater. They are the No. 9 seed in the Big 12 tournament and play West Virginia on Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

Williams was head coach at Stetson for six seasons, and then an assistant for two seasons at Arkansas before joining the Tech staff. He was 58-133 as the Hatters’ head coach.

The 66-year-old Adams was on Chris Beard’s staff over a five-season span when the Red Raiders made the national championship game in 2019, a year after getting to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Adams became the head coach when Beard left to coach Texas, his alma mater. Beard was fired this season by the Longhorns after he was charged in a felony domestic violence case; prosecutors later dropped the charge.

Texas Tech suspends Mark Adams over racially insensitive comment

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LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech suspended coach Mark Adams over “an inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment” he made to a player.

Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he was made aware of the incident and issued a written reprimand before deciding to suspend Adams to investigate further.

The incident occurred in a meeting between Adams and a player, who wasn’t identified, the school said in a news release.

“Adams was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters,” the statement said. “Adams immediately addressed this with the team and apologized.”

The school didn’t immediately say who would fill in for Adams as coach for the Big 12 Tournament. Texas Tech (16-15, 5-13 Big 12) is the ninth seed and plays West Virginia on Wednesday night in Kansas City, Missouri.

The 66-year-old Adams is in in his second season. He replaced Chris Beard, who left to coach Texas, his alma mater. Beard was fired this season by the Longhorns after he was charged in a felony domestic violence case; prosecutors later dropped the charge.

The Red Raiders made the Sweet 16 in Adams’ first season but started 0-8 in the Big 12 this season. The team’s hopes for a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament are slim.

Three years ago, Pat Chambers resigned at Penn State after one of his former players revealed the coach said he wanted to “loosen the noose that’s around your neck” when talking to the player about helping him reduce stress. Chambers was hired to coach Florida Gulf Coast this season.

During the 2020-21 season, Creighton coach Greg McDermott apologized for telling his team after a loss to “stay on the plantation” as a way to reminding them to stick together. McDermott was suspended for one game.

No. 3 Kansas tops Texas Tech to clinch Big 12 title share

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – In their final game at Allen Fieldhouse, Jalen Wilson and fellow Kansas senior Kevin McCullar Jr. not only kept the hardscrabble Jayhawks in front of Texas Tech most of the night but made the play that sealed the win.

Along with another Big 12 title.

Wilson had 21 points to lead all scorers, McCullar added 14 points with a critical basket in the final minute, and the third-ranked Jayhawks held off the Red Raiders 67-63 on Tuesday to clinch at least a share of their NCAA-leading 64th regular-season conference championship.

“It felt so good to win,” Wilson said. “I just wanted to cherish the moment.”

Dajuan Harris had 16 points for the Jayhawks (25-5, 13-4), who would capture the outright title if No. 9 Texas loses to No. 22 TCU on Wednesday night. Otherwise, the Jayhawks would need to beat the Longhorns on Saturday.

Kansas was left clinging to a 61-60 lead after the Red Raiders’ De’Vion Harmon could only make the second of two free throws with 56.4 seconds left. But after the Jayhawks raced up the floor, and Wilson failed to get an open look, a loose ball ended up in the hands of McCullar, who merely had to lay it in for a three-point lead.

“It was a loose ball. I seen Harmon reach for it and I was like, ‘I need to get this ball and get this bucket,’” said McCullar, who transferred from Texas Tech. “Nobody was around so I just stuck it in. That play was huge.”

“If anybody was going to make that play, it was Kevin,” Wilson added. “That’s just the type of guy he is.”

Texas Tech still had time left and called a timeout to set up a play. But Pop Isaacs threw a driving layup off the side of the backboard, and Harris scored in transition for the Jayhawks to put the game out of reach.

“We had to decide for the 3 or try to score and get something quick and went with that,” Red Raiders coach Mark Adams said of the game’s crucial possession. “Didn’t get the call.”

The Jayhawks improved to 22-1 against Texas Tech (16-14, 5-12) in the Phog with their seventh consecutive win overall, and they have not lost on senior night since the 1983-84 season.

“They made some big plays down the stretch, especially the last couple of minutes. That’s what Kansas does,” Adams said. “With their homecourt advantage, they know how to win late in games.”

Harmon had 15 points to lead Texas Tech, which was just 3 of 16 from the 3-point line. Kevin Obanor added 14 points, Fardaws Aimaq had 13 points and 18 rebounds, and Isaacs finished with 11 points.

Wearing retro red uniforms for their senior sendoff, the Jayhawks got off to a frigid start against the defensive-minded Red Raiders. McCullar eventually dropped a couple of 3s minutes apart to give Kansas some breathing room, and Wilson began driving for contested layups, helping the Jayhawks forge a 30-21 lead by the break.

Texas Tech was 1 of 11 from beyond the arc and committed seven turnovers over the first 20 scattershot minutes.

The Red Raiders’ cold streak ended there. They scored five quick points to start the second half, nearly wiping out their deficit in their first few trips down floor, and Obanor began to get easy buckets in the paint.

While the Jayhawks kept answering every time Texas Tech got within a possession, they could never put the game away. And when it appeared as if they might as Gradey Dick scored his first points on two free throws to make it 60-55 with about three minutes to go, the Red Raiders answered with back-to-back baskets at the other end.

It wasn’t until McCullar’s bucket and Harris’ breakway layup in the final minute that Kansas could finally celebrate.

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas Tech was making a late run toward an NCAA Tournament bid with four straight wins, including consecutive victories over Kansas State and Texas. But back-to-back close losses to TCU and Kansas could make a run to the Big 12 Tournament title the only way to make it back to the dance.

Kansas has more Quad 1 wins than any other team in the country, and advanced metrics also love the Jayhawks, who once again reign supreme in the nation’s toughest conference. That’s probably enough to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but winning Saturday along with a Big 12 tourney title could get them the top seed overall.

UP NEXT

The regular season concludes Saturday when Texas Tech plays Oklahoma State and Kansas visits Texas.

Harmon, Obanor lead Texas Tech to 74-67 win over No. 6 Texas

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LUBBOCK, Texas – De’vion Harmon scored 25 points and Kevin Obanor added 19 as Texas Tech defeated its second ranked opponent in three days, upending No. 6 Texas 74-67 on Monday night.

Fardaws Aimaq had a season-high 12 points for the Red Raiders, who led by 13 in the second half before fending off the Longhorns down the stretch.

Texas Tech (14-12, 3-10 Big 12) also topped No. 12 Kansas State on Saturday.

“Obviously, I’m extremely excited for these guys,” Red Raiders coach Mark Adams said. “It was a great team effort. That is a good basketball team that we beat. Texas plays hard. We matched their intensity and played, I thought, 40 minutes of great basketball.”

Texas (20-6, 9-4) tied the game at 64 on a 3-pointer by Dylan Disu, but Tech responded by scoring the next six points as Obanor had two dunks and Aimaq converted a tip-in. Harmon added a driving basket with 35.1 seconds remaining, and the Red Raiders held on.

“Give them credit,” Texas interim coach Rodney Terry said. “They made shots. Our guys had great effort. We just didn’t do enough to put ourselves in position to win. In our league, anybody can beat anybody.”

Marcus Carr led the Longhorns with 23 points, and Disu scored 11.

“We’re a team that has been through a lot of adversity this season,” Obanor said. “It’s like being in a boxing match, and you get beat up, but it speaks to your character when you get back up, have a sense of urgency and refuse to give up.”

Texas Tech scored on seven consecutive possessions spanning halftime, taking a 51-38 lead. Texas used a 12-4 spurt to get within 59-54, and a 3 by Tyrese Hunter trimmed it to 64-61 before Disu’s tying shot.

Harmon had 21 points in the first half and scored his team’s final seven as the Red Raiders took a 44-35 lead at the break. Both teams connected on more than 45% of their shots. Tech went 7 of 12 from 3-point range, and Texas countered by shooting 6 for 11 from beyond the arc.

After the Longhorns pulled to 37-35 on Carr’s 3-pointer with 1:40 remaining in the half, Harmon answered with a short jumper in the lane, two free throws and a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

Texas’ shooting cooled in the second half as the Longhorns connected on 10 of 30 shots overall and went 5 of 16 from 3-point range. Texas Tech tightened its defense after halftime, forcing the Longhorns to work on every possession.

“They play well here,” Terry said. “Texas Tech has good personnel and a coach who does a great job getting them in position.”

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech has won 10 of the past 12 meetings and holds a 37-29 edge in Lubbock. … The Red Raiders have beaten three ranked Big 12 opponents at home this season, including Iowa State in overtime.

UP NEXT

Texas hosts Oklahoma on Saturday.

Texas Tech visits West Virginia on Saturday.

No. 3 Kansas ends Texas Tech’s 29-game home win streak 75-72

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LUBBOCK, Texas – KJ Adams scored the last of his 16 points on a breakaway dunk with 7 seconds remaining, and No. 3 Kansas fought off Texas Tech 75-72 on Tuesday night, ending the Red Raiders’ home winning streak at 29 games.

Texas Tech failed to produce a shot on its final possession as Pop Isaacs lost the ball on a drive following contact in the key. The Jayhawks came up with the loose ball, setting the stage for Adams’ dunk as defending national champion Kansas won its seventh consecutive game.

“We didn’t have much left,” Kansas coach Bill Self said following a second down-to-the-wire Big 12 game. “If it had gone to overtime, it probably wouldn’t have been a good thing for us today. We played well. Anytime you score 75 points on the road it’s a good thing, especially against a team that guards like Texas Tech.”

Dajuan Harris scored 18 points for the Jayhawks (13-1, 2-0 Big 12), who had rallied to beat Oklahoma State 69-67 on Saturday. Kansas led by a dozen points early in the second half but allowed the Red Raiders to make it close at the finish. Jalen Wilson had 14 points and Gradey Dick scored 11.

Kevin Obanor scored 26 points for Texas Tech, which had not lost at home since falling to West Virginia in February of 2021. Isaacs added 18 points.

“There was a lot of contact, but that’s a good refereeing crew,” Red Raiders coach Mark Adams said of the final sequence. “We hoped we’d get that call, but the guys played their hearts out tonight, and they really responded in the second half.”

The Red Raiders (10-4, 0-2) trailed 67-57 with seven minutes left but got within 71-70 on Lamar Washington’s layup with 1:43 remaining. Texas Tech trailed 73-72 in the final minute when Isaacs’ turnover set up Adams’ slam.

“Give them credit. They made shots tonight,” Self said.

Kansas put together a strong offensive flurry toward the end of the first half, outscoring Texas Tech 11-2 over the final four minutes and taking a 43-36 lead at intermission. Adams keyed the surge with eight points, capped by a 10-footer in the lane.

“The most positive things about tonight was we had a great crowd and the guys responded to the crowd,” Mark Adams said. “They also responded to Kansas and played well, particularly in the second half, and that’s something we can build on.”

BIG PICTURE

Kansas: Harris connected on all five of his 3-point attempts, accounting for almost half of the Jayhawks’ total of 11.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders outscored Kansas 12-5 in the final 3:53.

UP NEXT

Kansas: At West Virginia on Saturday.

Texas Tech: Hosts Oklahoma on Saturday