Grant McCasland is trying to steer Texas Tech to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past seven NCAA Tournaments and the first time in his two seasons at the school. Standing in his way is his best friend, Drake coach Ben McCollum. Rest assured that the friendship will be on pause for a few hours Saturday when the third-seeded Red Raiders battle the 11th-seeded Bulldogs in a West Region second-round game at Wichita, Kan. Texas Tech (26-8) beat No. 14 UNC Wilmington 82-72 in its first-round matchup, while Drake (31-3) upset No. 6 Missouri 67-57. Those results created the March Madness matchup between McCasland and McCollum, who met in the early 2000s while they were assistant coaches at the junior-college level and trying to move up the ranks.
Precocious coaches get together as Texas Tech faces Drake
