When we go through tough times, well-intentioned people like to tell us that the valleys in life are more important than the peaks because it is in the valleys where life grows. But for Texas Tech basketball fans, nothing grew in the valley that was the eight-season run of futility between the Bob Knight and Chris Beard eras of the program. Nothing but frustration that is.
No one will ever look back fondly on those years. Overall, Tech went just 111-147 from 2008-09 through 2015-16. That included a record in Big 12 play of just 34-104.
The absolute rock bottom for the program was the 2011-12 season when Tech was just 8-23 overall and 1-17 in Big 12 play.