Tariq Owens’ dream season hit a speed bump when he landed on teammate Norense Odiase’s foot, and turned his right ankle in the second half of the Red Raiders’ win over Michigan State in Saturday’s national semifinal. The 6-foot-11 St. John’s transfer limped off the floor, though briefly returned.
“I expect him to [be available], but I’m not sure what’ll happen,” Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. “He’ll rehab it all day today and we’ll see what happens the day of the game, but I expect him to play.”
Owens wasn’t made available to the media on Sunday.
Beard said Owens was sore Sunday, but a source close to Owens said the swelling in the ankle has gone down, and he was getting around-the-clock treatment.
The backbone to Texas Tech’s stingy defense, Owens has averaged 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. In just 23 minutes against Michigan State, he had seven points, four rebounds and three blocks.
Even for Auburn fans who believe Kyle Guy was fouled in the final second of Saturday night’s semifinal, they’ll always argue Virginia shouldn’t have had a chance to win the game, given Ty Jerome’s blatant — and ignored — double-dribble on the Cavaliers’ penultimate possession.
“People can say what they want,” Jerome said. “We’re playing in the national championship.”
Jerome contends that before he dribbled the ball off his foot, picked it up, and put it back on the floor, a foul should have been called when Auburn’s Bryce Brown grabbed his jersey.
“I knew they weren’t gonna call a double-dribble after they let that go,” Jerome said. “It’s hard to be a ref. They miss a lot, so you’ve got to play on.”
Patrick Mahomes fell just short of the Super Bowl, but helped push his old school to the verge of a national championship.
Prior to the game against Michigan State, the NFL MVP gave a short motivational speech to the Red Raiders, then spent the game jumping and hollering from the middle of Texas Tech’s cheering section.
“With Pat, it’s personal,” Beard said. “It’s not fake. It’s not fluff. … He’s as good as I’ve ever seen in terms of not forgetting where he comes from and having a real love for Texas Tech and west Texas.”
Mahomes, who left Texas Tech in 2017, remains good friends with senior center Norense Odiase.
“For him to come speak from his heart, he riled us up, he was very excited, energized to be there with us,” Odiase said.
What did Mahomes tell the team?
“You guys earned it,” said Beard, relaying Mahomes’ message. “Nobody gave you anything. This is your time.”
Zion Williamson was named the Naismith Player of the Year, joining Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis as the only freshmen to ever receive the honor. The Duke superstar was previously named player of the year by the Associated Press and United States Basketball Writers Association, and also won the ACC Player of the Year award.