Jeff Linder is basketball in the state of Colorado. His first varsity scrimmage at Centaurus High School in Louisville came against Longmont High School and coach Tad Boyle. He played against Chauncey Billups growing up and in high school and the two graduated in the same year.  He went on to become an all-RMAC point guard at what is now Western Colorado. His first job in college ball was with Colorado coach Ricardo Patton, where he shared an office with David Moe, son of legendary Nuggets coach Doug Moe. In his first head coaching job at Northern Colorado, he thrice won at least 20 games before moving on to Wyoming. In his second season in Laramie, he led the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament with a pair of Colorado kids (Aurora’s Graham Ike and Colorado Springs’ Hunter Maldonado) as the stars. Wyoming head coach Jeff Linder and assistant coach Sundance Wicks discuss a play during a time out in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Laramie, Wyo. Wyoming won 75-67. (AP Photo/Matthew Idler) Now, in year two as Grant McCasland’s right-hand man at Texas Tech, Linder returns to his hometown as a key piece to a program with Final Four expectations as the Buffaloes host the Red Raiders on Saturday (5 p.m. CBS Sports Network) in Boulder. “He’s a Colorado guy, I’m a Colorado guy, so we’ve known each for a long time and he’s a hell of a coach and a good guy,” Boyle said. “He landed in a pretty good spot there at Texas Tech with Grant. They’ve got a good staff, they’ve got good players and they’re well-coached.” After eight years as a head coach, Linder has had no regrets about taking an assistant job. He runs a Texas Tech offense that ranks in the top 15 nationally in terms of efficiency, per KenPom.com, and is a big part of a program all in on winning without the stresses that come with being the top guy in charge. “I was just probably at a point where I was probably ready for a change,” Linder told The Denver Gazette. “I still had three years left on my contract in Wyoming, but for me to step back and to be an assistant, this was gonna be the only place that I would do it and doing it for Grant. That’s what made it, because I wouldn’t have done it for anybody else.” Linder and McCasland have been friends for two decades. Linder worked for McCasland once before at Midland College from 2004-06 and watched from afar as his friend went from the community college ranks all the way to a top up-and-coming coach at North Texas before taking the job in Lubbock. But these two years working alongside his friend have allowed Linder to see what he would want in his next job, which he said he’s not actively seeking out. Texas Tech assistant coach Jeff Linder, left, talks with head coach Grant McCasland, right, during a game against Winthrop on Dec. 28, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. (Courtesy of TexasTech.com) When he got to UNC, the program was still dealing with sanctions from the end of the B.J. Hill era. At Wyoming, he was able to reach the NCAA Tournament in his second season. But his roster was decimated after the historic season and he was starting over again — a scenario that could have been repeated had the Pokes returned to March Madness a few years later. “If there comes a time again where if I decide to go down the path of trying to become a head coach, you can actually have a plan in place,” Linder said. “Right now, it’s the wild, wild west. You better be at a place where you have the resources to really, truly compete in this landscape and that was the thing about Texas Tech. It was a grind for eight years. I want to be at a place where you can truly compete for a Big 12 championship and compete for a national championship and that’s what we have here.” Texas Tech assistant coach Jeff Linder draws up a play during a game against Duke on Dec. 20, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Courtesy of TexasTech.com) So, the next time you see Linder take a head coaching job, you’ll know he’s doing it because he believes he can win big. Maybe above all else, he’ll have people he trusts doing it alongside him. Because it’s all he’s ever known. “College basketball’s always been hard. It’s probably even harder now, but when you’re doing it every day with the right people, that’s what makes it worthwhile and that’s what Tad’s done at Colorado with his assistants,” Linder said. “I mean, him and Grant just have such a great feel for people in hiring and that’s been a big part of their success.” The list: Top 5 teams in the Big 12 one week into conference season Arizona Arizona forward Koa Peat reacts after scoring against Kansas State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) It’s hard to distinguish between the two 15-0 teams atop the Big 12, but the Wildcats get the edge, for now, due to their nonconference resume. Arizona became the first team in AP poll history to win five games over ranked teams in its first nine games. And Tommy Lloyd’s squad has won its first two conference games by an average of 22 points.  Iowa State Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic reacts after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) The Cyclones might still have the singular most impressive win of the college basketball season to date with their 23-point demolition at then-No. 1 Purdue back a month ago. Iowa State might have the best trio in all of college basketball in Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson. Plus, coach T.J. Otzelberger is still one of the underrated stars in the sport. Houston Houston guard Kingston Flemings (4) dribbles the ball against Middle Tennessee State during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker) Kelvin Sampson has another team capable of getting back to the Final Four. This time, though, it’s a freshman-led group that has multiple future NBA lottery picks. Young point guard Kingston Flemings is the best of the bunch and led Houston to a massive comeback win over Texas Tech on Tuesday, scoring nine of his game-high 23 points in the final 2 minutes. BYU BYU forward AJ Dybantsa reacts after a play against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rob Gray) Aside from having the most teams capable of making the Final Four, the Big 12 also has a pair of players that could be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft. One of them is in Provo with star freshman AJ Dybansta living up to his five-star billing by ranking top five nationally in scoring 23.1 points per game. Dybansta, plus a solid group of returners, has the Cougars looking as dangerous as any team in the country. Texas Tech Texas Tech forward JT Toppin controls the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Houston in Houston, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) If we went by the standings, we’d include the fifth and final team in the Big 12 that has started 2-0: Colorado. But the Buffs have to prove it against teams that are going to finish in the bottom four of the conference. For now, this spot belongs to the Red Raiders, whose only loss in conference play was this week at Houston. Texas Tech also has one of the best trios in the sport in reigning Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin, sophomore Christian Anderson and Washington State transfer LeJuan Watts. Mid-Major Minute Montana guard Money Williams (0) fights his way past Louisville guard Ryan Conwell (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) The Big Sky might run through the Treasure State. Through the first week of conference play, only two Big Sky teams remain unbeaten: Montana and Montana State. Both teams beat red-hot Northern Colorado on coach Steve Smiley’s swing through the state and both have rosters capable of getting back to the NCAA Tournament. The Grizzlies, in particular, might have the best player in the conference in Money Williams, who leads the Big Sky in scoring at 19.6 points per game. Upset of the Week Minnesota 70, No. 19 Iowa 67 Minnesota head coach Niko Medved celebrates after a Minnesota basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) No one in Colorado is surprised, but Niko Medved is making things happen in year one at Minnesota. The former Colorado State coach has his team off to a 3-1 start in the Big Ten with a pair of home upsets at his alma mater, the latest coming on Tuesday. Medved and the Golden Gophers hung on for a big win over a really talented Iowa team, thanks to a game-high 22 points by Denver native and former UNC Bears star Langston Reynolds. Going Overseas Wyoming guard Hunter Maldonado (24) is guarded by Indiana’s Parker Stewart (45) during the first half of a First Four game in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Sticking with the Linder theme, let’s spotlight one of his top players at Wyoming, Hunter Maldonado. The Vista Ridge grad is in his first season playing in Australia’s top league and was signed by the Brisbane Bullets after a stint with the S.E. Melbourne Phoenix. In his first game with Brisbane, Maldonado scored 16 points and dished out nine assists in 29 minutes. ...read more read less