Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, in Ames, Iowa.

One of the first encounters Kansas coach Bill Self had with first-year Texas Tech coach Chris Beard came back when Self was the head coach at Tulsa and Beard was the head coach at Fort Scott Community College.

One of Beard’s top players was one of Self’s most coveted prospects in the Class of 2000, and although he did not end up landing him — partially because the player wound up ineligible and partially because Self and company left for Illinois — that recruitment gave Self the chance to get to know Beard.

What began 18 years ago as a business relationship soon spawned into a legitimate friendship, and Self and Beard kept in touch with one another throughout the years.

Beard’s journey to the top job at Texas Tech — and, ultimately, to Allen Fieldhouse this Saturday, when the Red Raiders (12-2 overall, 1-1 Big 12) will face the third-ranked Jayhawks (13-1, 2-0) at 6:15 p.m. — was preceded by six other stops. Beard’s coaching stints have included everywhere from Texas Tech as an assistant to McMurry University, Angelo State and Arkansas-Little Rock. He even spent one season running a semi-pro team known as the South Carolina Warriors.

“Beard is a good guy,” Self said. “But he didn’t grow up in a way that he was destined to be the head coach in the Big 12. He took a different path than most.”

It was that path, along with Beard’s personality and coaching chops, that earned the respect of Self, who on Thursday shared a story about just how close these two have become.

Last year, during his lone season as the head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock, Beard led the Trojans to a 30-5 record and a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. UALR knocked off fifth-seeded Purdue in double-overtime in the first round and, not long after, one of Beard’s first thoughts was to share the moment with Self.

“After they won in the NCAA tournament, he sent me a pic of his team,” Self recalled. “After the game, they went and celebrated at Whataburger, and that’s kind of the mindset — not spoiled, tough, and I think that the path he’s taken has definitely made him appreciate a lot of different things, and I’m sure his players do as well. I thought that was really cool.”

After parlaying that season into a new job at UNLV, Beard had a change of heart, two weeks after accepting the job with the Runnin’ Rebels, and elected to return to Texas Tech, where he previously worked under both Bob Knight and Pat Knight from 2000-11.

Fourteen games into his own Texas Tech tenure, Beard’s team raced out to an 11-1 non-conference record and opened Big 12 play with a loss. None of the names on the Red Raiders’ non-con schedule were overly impressive and the team only scored 56 points in a road loss to Iowa State to open conference play.

But then Tuesday night happened, and the Red Raiders got everyone’s attention when they knocked off No. 7 West Virginia, 77-76, in overtime at home.

Asked Thursday what aspect of that victory impressed him most, Self pointed to what he believes is Beard’s signature strength.

“I think probably the poise,” Self said. “After the (K-State) game was over, we flipped it on in the locker room, and I was really impressed with the poise they showed. And they also scored at the end of the clock better than most teams do. I think that’s a sign of a good, disciplined, well-coached team.”

As much as he likes and respects Beard, Self said the Red Raiders’ early success was merely another sign of just how solid the Big 12 Conference has been during recent years.

“You don’t ever want to say upgrade, because I love the other coaches that have been at their respective schools,” Self said. “But this league has had a lot of turnover, with Rick (Barnes) going and Shaka (Smart) coming in (at Texas). He’s a national name. And certainly losing Tubby (Smith), a great name, and then Chris coming or Brad (Underwood) replacing Travis (Ford at Oklahoma State) or whoever it’s been over time. I don’t know that you say one is better than the other. I just think a lot of times there is an advantage in taking over a program that’s been well-coached by somebody before you. I think that can be an advantage. In these situations, I think it has been an advantage for some of the new coaches because the other guys knew what they were doing too, and now you add a few pieces and you add your own little style and get an influx of energy and things like that, those are usually very positive for programs.”