Raiders and Lady Raiders play season-opening basketball games tonight

Texas Tech’s basketball teams open their seasons tonight in games at home and away. The Red Raiders host the University of Louisiana-Monroe at United Spirit Arena at 7 p.m. The Lady Raiders play New Mexico in “The Pit” at Albuquerque at 8 p.m. Coach Pat Knight’s men started last season 9 and oh and got ranked in the top 25 before losing seven straight and failing to make the NCAA tournament. Coach Kristy Curry’s Lady Raiders also fell shy of getting a tournament spot last year. They’ve not been in the NCAA tournament since 2005. The Red Raiders aren’t thinking of ULM as a softie. The visitors from the Sun Belt Conference have three players considered good enough to play Big 12 basketball. As for the Lady Raiders….they beat New Mexico 65 to 55 last year at United Spirit Arena. But they lost at the Pit 63 to 54 in 2008.