LUBBOCK, TX — No. 22 Texas Tech climbed into the top 10 of the NCAA NET and KenPom rankings after securing an 82-81 overtime victory over No. 6 Houston on Saturday, extending its winning streak to six games. The Red Raiders (17-4, 8-2 Big 12) will now host Baylor at 8 p.m. Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena.
Game Information
- Matchup: Baylor (14-7, 6-4) at No. 22 Texas Tech (17-4, 8-2)
- Location: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock, Texas
- Tipoff: 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025
- TV: ESPN2 (Rich Hollenberg, King McClure)
- Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network (Geoff Haxton, Chris Level)
The win over Houston marked Texas Tech’s best 10-game start to Big 12 play in program history and improved the team to 5-0 on the road for the first time ever. The Red Raiders also snapped the Cougars’ 33-game home winning streak and handed them their first conference loss of the season. Texas Tech is now ranked No. 8 in the NCAA NET and No. 9 in KenPom, with updated AP rankings set to be released Monday.
Chance McMillian matched a season high with 23 points, including the game-winning free throws with 14 seconds left in overtime. Elijah Hawkins added 17 points while knocking down four 3-pointers, and Kerwin Walton scored 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep.
Darrion Williams, returning from injury after missing the previous game, contributed 13 points, three assists, three steals and tied a career high with three blocks. He forced overtime with a clutch 3-pointer off an assist from Hawkins with 26 seconds left in regulation.
Texas Tech played the final 41 minutes without JT Toppin and head coach Grant McCasland, who were both ejected following a flagrant two foul on Toppin, who was leading the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots entering the game. Toppin and McCasland do not face any further punishment.
The Red Raiders made 12 3-pointers against Houston and have now hit at least 10 in 12 of their 21 games this season. They enter Tuesday’s game leading the Big 12 in field goal percentage (48.8%) and ranking second in 3-point shooting (38.2%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.54). Tech is third in the conference in scoring (81.4 points per game) and free throw percentage (76.0%). Against Houston, the team went 24-for-34 from the line, including 3-of-4 in overtime.
Tech’s win over Houston marks its first ranked victory of the season and extends its streak of defeating an AP Top 10 team to 11 consecutive seasons. The six-game Big 12 winning streak is the longest for the program since a nine-game run in 2019 that led to a conference title.
McMillian (15.4 ppg), Toppin (15.3 ppg), and Williams (14.6 ppg) lead Texas Tech in scoring, while Hawkins (9.4 ppg), Christian Anderson (9.4 ppg), and Kevin Overton (9.2 ppg) are close behind.
McMillian is sixth in the Big 12 in scoring, while Toppin ranks fourth in rebounding (8.4 rpg) and ninth in scoring. Williams sits 15th in scoring and ninth in assists. Hawkins leads the Big 12 and ranks 20th nationally with 6.0 assists per game, also ranking third in the conference with a 2.85 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Toppin (55.6%), McMillian (54.5%), and Williams (45.3%) all rank in the Big 12’s top 10 for field goal percentage, with Toppin sitting second overall.
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