LUBBOCK -- Chris Beard spent a decade as an assistant coach at Texas Tech for the Knights, first Bobby and then Pat.
When that ended with a head coaching change by the Red Raiders after the 2010-11 season, Beard never thought about whether he would ever get back to Lubbock -- or even Division I basketball. He just loved coaching.
"The decision to take a year off, or try to do some media stuff, it never really entered my mind," Beard said. "I just remember like always being immersed in the job we had."
First, there was a season leading a South Carolina expansion team in the semipro American Basketball Association that won its first 29 games before losing in the ABA finals.