Texas Tech University Athletics
McCasland previews matchup against No. 3 Duke
December 18, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – Going straight from practice into the press conference room, Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland talked from the dais for 13 minutes on Thursday afternoon with the local media to preview a Saturday night fight against No. 3 Duke in Madison Square Garden. The No. 19-ranked Red Raiders are coming off a win over Northern Colorado on Tuesday but now face an undefeated Blue Devil team that has already beat four ranked opponents this season. The full press conference can be watched by clicking the link above and selected quotes from his media session are below.
Opening statement on playing Duke: "It's a great time to be playing college basketball and we're excited to be going to Madison Square Garden to face a tremendous Duke team. Coach Scheyer has done awesome work with his group. He's got a young group and experience. He's blended it well. They have one of the best players in the country and the way they compete is something I have a lot of respect for. We're looking forward to a great opportunity to play a great team."
On Duke freshman Cameron Boozer who is averaging 23.3 points and 10.2 rebounds: "Boozer is not only a great talent, but you can tell he's a winner. Look at the Arkansas game which is a common opponent and he just took it over down the stretch. It feels like when the game is on the line that he brings a competitive edge to their team that separates him as a competitor."
On Tech's mentality going into the game: "For us, to have these kinds of games is great but our intent is not to play them but to win them. This group is continuing to grow and this will be nothing different than how do we get our best effort. It doesn't matter if we're playing Northern Colorado or Duke. We should go out and compete and do everything we can to help our team win. I think the significance is we're traveling and playing in a new road environment that this group has not played in. How do we handle a hostile crowd because I'm sure there will be a lot of Duke fans in the building. That's what we'll have to do in league play. Travel, prepare yourself, play a great team on the road and scrap to find a way to win. That's the message to this group and the approach to how we'll step onto the court on Saturday night."
On the team's growth: "When your team starts to hold each other accountable it looks different. It's one thing for our voices as coaches communicating the instruction and edge, but it's another thing when you hear the guys implore each other in what needs to be different and how they need each other to be successful. I've heard JT and Christian communicate more in the past two weeks than in the past two years. It's a sign of positive direction. It's not always telling someone else what to do, it's them saying what they need to do better. Then the guys hear both versions of it. I appreciate that and think we are making steps in the right direction."
On different rotations with players being out: "We're looking at a lot of different things right now. I can't give a specific answer because that would help Duke, but more than anything we're making sure the effort is what it needs to be. When we get that, I feel confident that we can find a way."
On playing against one of the top defensive teams in the nation: "Duke is awesome defensively. They have a great plan and great effort. I've coached a couple of their guys with USA Basketball and those guys are awesome. That's what I love about college basketball. There are competitive and great people involved. Anytime you're playing against a great defense, you can't just have one version of yourself. That's where I like our team. We're a versatile group and can score inside and out. We can put you in ball screens and put you in the post. We've got different guys who can do it and I don't think we've played our best basketball there. I know there's some disappointment in our team defensively but we've got a lot of bright spots too. We've got guys I believe in and can get there. I think there's eaves and flows to this we're everyone is under a microscope and everyone gets scrutinized and our guys feel that. My goal in this game is to give our guys confidence. We're challenging them every day in practice to compete and we're going to give them confidence going into the game and then let it rip. See what you've got. That's what fun about playing this game."
VIDEO RESOURCES: Define Yourself | TTW EP1 | TTW EP2 | TTW EP3 | TTW EP4 | CBS Home Court
WRITTEN FEATURES: LeJuan Watts | Toppin (The Athletic) | Anderson – FIBA U19
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