Texas Tech isn’t just a basketball program anymore; it’s a powerhouse. A statement win over Houston proves the Red Raiders are a legitimate national title threat, building on a historic year of success across the entire athletic department.
It’s been a great time for sports at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have established themselves as a multi-sport powerhouse, with football reaching the College Football Playoff and softball nearly winning the Women’s College World Series. This weekend, it was the basketball program’s turn to announce its arrival as a national force.
The Red Raiders aren’t done yet, with men’s basketball (16-4) and women’s basketball (20-2) on course to continue the run of success. Texas Tech’s men racked up another big win on Saturday, Jan. 24, beating Houston to prove it is a national title contender.
It was one of the most impressive performances of the season. Houston is reliably spectacular on defense, yet it didn’t look like it in Lubbock. The Red Raiders outmuscled the Cougars, drew fouls and forced Kelvin Sampson’s team to play their way. They scored 55 points in the first half, the most Houston has allowed under Sampson’s 12 seasons at the helm.
Despite 42 points from Houston freshman Kingston Flemings, Texas Tech didn’t crack with a late run to put it away. Tech has won nine of its past 10 games, the only loss a four-point defeat at Houston a few weeks prior. During that stretch, the Red Raiders have beaten Duke, BYU and Houston, one of the best collections of wins you can find in the country.
It all starts with an offense that’s on fire. The 3-point shooting is relentless, making more than 11 a game — and if they aren’t making it from deep, they have JT Toppin continuing to dominate inside. He had 31 points and 12 rebounds against Houston, his eighth double-double in the past nine games.
Simply put, if Houston can’t stop this offense, then who can? The Big 12 is loaded with title contenders, and Texas Tech put itself in the conversation to keep the fun times in Lubbock.
The Road to Perfection: How Long Can the Undefeated Last?
We enter the final week of January with three undefeated teams: No. 1 Arizona, No. 7 Nebraska and Miami (Ohio), all 20-0. It’s rare to have multiple undefeated teams at this point of the season, so it’s worth asking how long can this go?
Arizona hasn’t really been tested to start the Big 12 slate. That will change with a trip to BYU on Monday, Jan. 26. The Cornhuskers will have their biggest week yet, at Michigan for a top 10-ranked matchup followed by a visit from Illinois.
That leaves the mighty RedHawks. They beat Kent State in a thriller, as the Golden Flashes were the best chance to beat Miami (Ohio). Now it faces UMass next, a team that was expected to contend in the MAC but hasn’t looked the part.
Freshmen Take Over the Weekend
The weekend belonged to the first-year players, who lit up scoreboards across the country. Keaton Wagler, the Illinois freshman, set a Mackey Arena opponent record by dropping 46 points to lead his team to a 88-82 road win against Purdue. It was a career-defining performance that put the Fighting Illini firmly on the map.
Wagler and Flemings weren’t the only first-year players with big days. Look at these numbers from around the country:
Wagler, Illinois: 46 points
AJ Dybantsa, BYU: 43 points
Flemings, Houston: 42 points
Cameron Boozer, Duke: 32 points
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas: 31 points.
The youngsters are balling, and their emergence is shaping the race for a national championship.
Other Key Takeaways from the Weekend
North Carolina gets swagger back. After back-to-back road losses to Cal and Stanford, the Tar Heels desperately needed a win. They got one, pulling off a dramatic comeback against Virginia. It was their first road ACC win of the season, and it could be the victory that turns their entire season around.
Rick Pitino makes history, but the bigger story is St. John’s finding its momentum. Pitino notched his 900th career win, but it’s the Red Storm’s six-game winning streak—four on the road—that has them back near the top of the Big East. The Johnnies are building toward another strong campaign.
For Purdue, questions are starting to surface. Two straight losses, including a stunning defeat to Illinois, have exposed some cracks for the preseason No. 1 team. While they are still a title contender, the Boilermakers have some issues to patch up before the panic alarm sets off.
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