In no way was Texas Tech coach Chris Beard minimizing Saturday’s home game with Kansas this week.
To be honest, he probably couldn’t - not for his players or for the capacity crowd expected at United Supermarkets Arena or an ESPN audience. The winner between No. 12 Kansas (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) and No. 14 Texas Tech (21-5, 9-4) will have sole command of no worse than second-place in the Big 12, depending on what conference leader Kansas State does at home against Oklahoma State.
As important as the game and its repercussions for the remainder of the regular season, Beard also realizes Tech will face even more important situations before everything ends.