ANAHEIM, Calif. — Renard Owens isn’t in Southern California this weekend to watch his son, Tariq, play for a chance to reach the Final Four on Saturday. The elder Owens has been in Baltimore, fulfilling his duty as a lieutenant in that city’s Police Department.
“I plan on going to the Final Four because I have to work on Saturday,” Renard Owens told The Post on Friday. “But I’ll be in Minneapolis if they win.”
The third-seeded Red Raiders (29-6) face top-seeded Gonzaga (33-3) on Saturday at the Honda Center with the winner of the West Region earning a ticket to Minneapolis and the Final Four. It would complete an amazing season for the younger Owens, who was a graduate transfer from St. John’s and chose Texas Tech for his final year of eligibility.
The 6-foot-10 Owens has become an impact player in Lubbock, Texas. He scored seven points and had 10 rebounds and two blocks as the Red Raiders whipped No. 2 seed Michigan 66-44 on Thursday night.
Signing with Texas Tech proved to be a perfect fit for Owens, who thrived under the coaching staff of Chris Beard.
“He was taught as a young kid hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,” Renard Owens said. “I used to tell him that all time, and you see it in his game. When he gets out there he’s a fierce competitor and works extremely hard. That’s always been our mantra. Don’t let anybody ever outwork you, and it’s carried him this far.”
Leaving St. John’s wasn’t easy, Renard Owens said.
“We’re very loyal people,” he said. “I was born and raised in Queens. Tariq’s roots are there, and it was a short drive to Madison Square Garden to go to a game and get back home. Tariq had a good relationship with his teammates. But it came down to what was best for him as far as his aspirations to play professional.”
Owens has added weight and muscle while at Texas Tech and will need it to stand his ground against a tough Gonzaga front line that features 6-10 Killian Tillie of France, 6-8 Rui Hachimura of Japan and 6-8 Brandon Clarke of Phoenix.
“The Big 12 had a lot of bigs and Tariq had to get bigger and stronger to battle,” Renard said. “Overall, he’s gotten better playing in the Big 12. He put in a lot of work over the summer and it’s benefiting him now.”
Owens has fit in nicely with the Red Raiders’ swarming defense that limited Michigan to 1-for-19 shooting from 3-point range.
“I feel like I’ve always been a defensive player,” the younger Owens said. “There’s no such thing as taking a play off, so it’s just an adjustment going as hard as I can on every single possession.”
Texas Tech’s defense is what Renard Owens thinks gives the Red Raiders the edge against Gonzaga and the top scoring offense in the NCAA, which averages 88.2 points per game.
“A lot of people haven’t seen our defense and as good as it really is,” Renard Owens said. “They’ve made me a believer all year. I don’t put us out of any game. Our defense will keep us close and if we’re making shots we can beat anybody in the country. Gonzaga’s tough. But in boxing, styles make fights, and in basketball, matchups make for interesting games: It’s the No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense, so something has to give. Who is going to impose their will?”
Renard Owens hopes it’s Texas Tech, so he can watch his son play in the Final Four.