Hoosiers Now

Chris Beard Talks Bob Knight Ahead of Team's Tournament Game in Assembly Hall

Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard spoke with the media Wednesday after his team practiced in Assembly Hall.

Dylan Wallace

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Texas Tech took to the court in Assembly Hall on Wednesday as it gets set for its first-round game against Utah State in the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

Head coach Chris Beard met with the media to talk about the preparation, but as Bob Knight's successor at Texas Tech, Beard also talked about the legendary head coach after practicing in the arena where three national championship hang because of Knight.

Here's what Beard had to say about Knight and Assembly Hall.

"It's just really cool that the whole thing is here and we get to play in cool venues. Assembly Hall, you know, one of the more historic basketball venues in the history of our game. Then of course with my personal relationship and friendship with coach Knight and Pat, it makes it that much more special. Before we touched the balls today and they started our time, we took a little bit of time and showed the guys the five national championship banners, the three of them that coach Knight won. I explained to them the undefeated team in '76, of course that's what Gonzaga is trying to do this year. Just talked a little bit about the history, and you know our guys know who coach Knight is, obviously. But I think it was pretty cool just to see it."

On if he talked to Pat Knight about playing on Assembly Hall:

"I like that question because it's not the Assembly Hall floor. I think the NCAA brings a new court in. That's a great idea. If it was, I'd call Pat and ask him because he would know. I actually talked to Pat yesterday, and we reached out to coach and Karen and checked to see if they'd want to come to the game or something. I think, trying to make sure because I've been to a lot of cool places, today was the first time I've ever been in Assembly Hall, but it felt like I had been there before with all the studying coach Knight's programs over the years. Having a personal relationship with Pat and coach, hearing the stories, it's almost like I kind of knew where I was when I walked in. It was kind of a weird feeling. The long championship banners. The pullout bleachers. I could just kind of imagine where coach was in all the practice film I've watched and things like that. It's obviously a historic venue and I thought our guys did a great job today kind of embracing it. We got a personal connection with coach Knight. I know the basketball world associates him with Indiana, I get that, but those of us at West Point and Texas Tech, we benefited from coach's greatness as well."

To listen to the full interview, you can visit the link below:

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Dylan Wallace
DYLAN WALLACE

Dylan Wallace is a reporter for Sports Illustrated Indiana. He is a 2020 graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, and is from Crown Point, Ind.

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