Texas Tech HC Grant McCasland's emotional message after painful loss to Florida
03/29/2025 11:35 PM
Grant McCasland and the Texas Tech Red Raiders suffered heartbreak in the Elite Eight of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Leading against the Florida Gators with three minutes left in the game, the Red Raiders conceded an 18-4 run down the stretch as they lost 84-79. This ended their pursuit of a Final Four appearance, which would’ve been their second in program history.
McCasland reflected on the loss after the game. Despite the heartbreak, he was proud of his team for making the tournament run and making the necessary sacrifices to reach that point.
"I’m thankful that this group of guys did get a taste, and did get to see what it means to really love your teammates, the way that I think God tells us to give everything we have. I mean, like, how do you give everything you have? How do you lay down your life, how do you sacrifice for other people? How do you love other people in the real way? And I think that’s what builds from year to year,” McCasland said.
“And I believe that’s the heart of the guys that we have, and that’s what would be the most important part of these rosters is that heart, and we’ll be able to do it with the guys that we will have returning because of it."
What’s next for Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
It was a strong season for Grant McCasland and the Texas Tech Red Raiders, returning to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019. Even though the run ended in a collapsing fashion, it doesn’t take away what they achieved this year.
They end the campaign with a 28-9 overall record, having gone 15-5 in Big 12 Play. They averaged 80.9 points on 46.6% shooting from the field, including 36.7% from beyond the arc. As a result, they took down opponents by a margin of 12.4 points per game.
JT Toppin led the way with numbers of 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 assists. He had shooting splits of 55.4% overall and 32.7% from downtown. Darrion Williams came next with 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, Chance McMillian put up 14.2 points and four rebounds, while Christian Anderson provided 10.6 points and three rebounds.
The Red Raiders will get ready for the offseason, hoping to build on their progress after their solid NCAA Tournament run.
The post Texas Tech HC Grant McCasland’s emotional message after painful loss to Florida appeared first on ClutchPoints.
