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Houston basketball's Mylik Wilson has fond memories of his time at Texas Tech
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- Houston basketball's Mylik Wilson has fond memories of his time at Texas Tech
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mylik Wilson's one year in a Texas Tech basketball uniform was a good one.
Wilson was part of the 2021-22 Red Raiders that advanced to the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament, then turned in a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament during Mark Adams' first year as head coach. Though he's been a member of Houston for the past two years, Wilson has nothing but good things to say about his former home.
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"That's probably one of the best teams I've ever been on," Wilson said. "Second to this one."
"This one" happens to be the top-ranked team in the country and top overall seed in this year's conference tournament. Wilson helped the Red Raiders reach the title game, but this time around, he'll be trying to prevent Tech from returning.
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Texas Tech (23-9) and Houston (29-3) each opened tournament play Thursday with dominant victories. The Red Raiders toppled 20th-ranked BYU 81-67 while No. 1 Houston dispatched TCU 60-45.
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Neither game was as close as the final scores indicated. Both teams held leads of 23 points during their respective contests and cruised to quarterfinal wins. Wilson played a big role for his Cougars, producing eight points, five rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes off the bench.
Wilson didn't play much in the first meeting — two minutes, 57 seconds, to be exact — with Tech back on Jan. 17 — a 77-54 win in Houston — but has since become a valuable piece for the top team in the country. He's played at least 15 minutes in each of the Cougars' last 10 games including Thursday.
"Just coming in the game and making a difference," Wilson said of his expanded playing time. "Getting rebounds and playing hard, just playing my role, I feel like that gets you on the court."
Mylik Wilson of Houston shoots against Chuck O'Bannon Jr. of TCU during the second half of a quarterfinal game of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Center on Thursday, March 14, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wilson also had a hand in forming this current edition of the Red Raiders, having a hand in Pop Isaacs's recruiting trip to Lubbock. He wasn't the primary host, but Wilson said he helped show Isaacs a good time while in the Hub City.
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"He was just a cool, quiet dude," Wilson said. "Humble. It was my first time meeting him so I felt like he was gonna be a good guy to know and he's killing it over there at Tech now. He's gonna be great for Tech for years."
Some of Wilson's fondest memories of Tech were the home environment at United Supermarkets Arena, especially the game against Texas, which was Chris Beard's return to Lubbock.
Much of Tech's roster and coaching staff has changed since Wilson left in the spring of 2022, but he got a kick out of seeing the guys he does know, such as trainer Mike Neal and Cooper Anderson, Tech's assistant coordinator of operations.
QUARTERFINAL RECAP: No. 25 Texas Tech basketball takes down No. 20 BYU in Big 12 Tournament opener: 3 takeaways
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"I just wish them luck," Wilson said of Tech. "I root for them when we're not playing."
Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament Semifinals
No. 25 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Houston
When:Friday, 6 p.m.
Where:T-Mobile Center; Kansas City, Missouri
Records:Texas Tech 23-9, Houston 29-3
TV:ESPN2
Notable:Houston has won 10 games in a row, the last loss coming Feb. 3 at Kansas. Texas Tech has won four straight games.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Houston basketball's Wilson has fond memories of his time at Texas Tech
