High fever, flu felled Texas Tech basketball coach Grant McCasland before BU game, Hocutt says
Cases of the flu have been running through the Texas Tech men's basketball team, and it's not been limited to players.
Tech coach Grant McCasland was bedridden for 2 1/2 days this week and had 103-degree fever at one point, Tech athletics director Kirby Hocutt said Wednesday.
Hocutt said McCasland didn't travel with the team the day before the Red Raiders' 79-73 loss Tuesday at Baylor, as is customary. Instead, he arrived in Waco the day of the game, around lunch time.
"I thought coach Mac did a great job," Baylor coach Scott Drew said afterward. "I know he was under the weather, and they had several players under the weather. One thing about his teams: They're always going to fight to the end, and they're never going to give you anything."
Hocutt confirmed Tech starters Pop Isaacs, Joe Toussaint and Warren Washington and reserve Lamar Washington all have had bouts with the flu and three players on the Tech football team have tested positive for it in the past week as well.
The stretch has coincided with a three-game losing streak after No. 23 Tech (16-6, 5-4 in the Big 12) peaked at No. 15 in The Associated Press Top 25.
Lamar Washington missed Tech's 75-72 loss Saturday to Cincinnati, and Warren Washington missed the Baylor game.
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Drew spoke fondly of Kansas State coach Jerome Tang and McCasland, both former Baylor assistants. McCasland said McCasland "helped make Foster Pavilion possible with all his hard work and what he's helped contribute to Baylor basketball." McCasland was on the Baylor staff from 2011-16, a five-season stretch in which the Bears went 125-56 with four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Baylor opened Foster Pavilion this season.
Drew referenced McCasland's illness again when asked his feelings about coaching against him.
"I knew he was sick, so I didn't want to spend a lot of time with him," Drew said in a lighthearted manner. "I'll show you how much he loves me: He only fist-bumped and kept me away.
"Again, this is really competitive job, and it's hard when you play family. But at the same time, we wouldn't be where we're at without his contributions here, and I'm always cheering for him and coach Tang as long as we're not playing them."
Texas Tech hosts Central Florida (13-8, 4-5) at 3 p.m. Saturday and No. 8 Kansas (18-4, 6-4) at 8 p.m. Monday.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech basketball coach Grant McCasland felled by flu, Hocutt says
