They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. They also say that you don’t know what you’ve got until its gone. In the case of Texas Tech basketball, both cliches are true when it comes to Zach Smith.
The senior’s 14-game absence from Chris Beard’s lineup was a huge hurdle for the Red Raiders this season. After Smith broke his foot on January 6th against Kansas State, Texas Tech went into a swoon losing three of its next four games as players like Justin Gray and Zhaire Smith adjusted to new roles.
Though Smith’s overall numbers had been less prolific than expected when he was named a first-team all-Big 12 selection in the preseason, his importance on the team was underscored while he was sidelined.