With Texas Tech one day away from their opening game in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, coach Chris Beard, alongside Keenan Evans, Zhaire Smith, Zach Smith, and Justin Gray shared his thoughts about his first appearance in March with the Red Raiders. He already hit this stage in 2016, when he was the Arkansas–Little Rock head coach.
Among many things, coach Beard expressed his satisfaction and appreciation for his players for reaching this achievement, talked about the development of Zhaire Smith, as he can be the first one-and-done in the history of the school, and about efforts the entire basketball is putting up in this process.