Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
11-3,1-0Big 12
Oklahoma State
12-2,0-1Big 12
No. 15 Red Raiders roll in Big 12 opener
January 03, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – No. 15 Texas Tech opened Big 12 play with a 102-80 win over Oklahoma State in a game where the team matched a program record with 17 3-pointers and saw all five starters finish in double-figure scoring. JT Toppin and Christian Anderson both recorded double-doubles and LeJuan Watts was one rebound away from one while Donovan Atwell buried five 3-pointers and Jaylen Petty knocked down four for the Red Raiders who were 17-for-37 (45.9%) from beyond the arc in the 22-point win.
"That's how you want to start," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "Our team is improving. We're not perfect but we're getting better and are scrappier. We're a tough team to defend, so if we keep sharing the ball and keep making strides defensively then we can be a team that can compete in this league. This was a good start. I do feel like this team is capable of doing this every night. The question is, when the ball isn't going in, can we still defensively fight the way we need to. The way the ball was going in tonight and the way the guys were sharing it is what I think we can do."
Tech (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) improved to 8-0 at home this season where it started the year by establishing the new program record with 17 3-pointers in the season opener against Lindenwood. The Red Raiders have now made 10 or more 3-pointers in 10 of 14 games played this season and are shooting 38.1%. The win extends a four-game winning streak going into a matchup at No. 8 Houston on Tuesday night while it snapped a three-game winning streak by the Cowboys (12-2, 0-1 Big 12).
Toppin led the Red Raiders with 23 points and 14 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season while Anderson recorded his fourth with 19 points and a career-high 13 assists. Watts added 19 points and nine rebounds and Atwell finished with 15 points after leading the team by going 5-for-10 on 3-pointers. Petty made a career-high four 3-pointers, going 4-for-8, and ending the game with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Tyeree Bryan scored nine points after making three 3s and Leon Horner added five points and four rebounds. The Red Raiders had six players make at least one 3-pointer in the game and four players with three or more.
Anderson now has five games this season with double-digit assists after his 13 against the Cowboys for a new career high. He had previously had a career-high of 11 in three games this season and 10 in another. His 13 assists are tied for the second most in program history with Stan Bonewitz owning the program record with 14 assists in 1996. Anderson is now averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 assists per game and extended his double-figure scoring streak to 11 games with his fourth double-double of his career.
"He has orchestrated everything at a super high level," McCasland said of Anderson. "It's nuanced too. He makes it look easy at times. He's carrying a heavy load for us but he's delivering in every way."
Toppin, who was 10-for-19 from the field, now has 39 career double-doubles and has scored in double figures in 10 straight games. Toppin is averaging 21.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game after going over 20 points for the eighth time this season and the 27th in his career. Atwell was 5-for-10 on 3-pointers and now has four games this season with five or more 3s and is averaging 11.3 points per game. Bryan, who had now scored since going for eight points against Arkansas in mid-December, led the bench with his nine points on three 3s to match a season-high after also making three in the win over Wake Forest. Bryan now has 971 career points.
Anderson and Toppin remain the only teammates in the nation currently averaging in double figures this season.
The Red Raiders finished the game with a 48-36 rebounding advantage and limited Oklahoma State to only 8-for-26 shooting on 3-pointers. Anthony Roy led OSU with 22 points and eight rebounds while Parsa Fallah had 20 points.
Tech took a 46-38 lead into halftime after going 10-for-21 on 3-pointers with five players hitting at least one. Watts, Atwell, Anderson and Bryan each had nine points going into the break while Toppin had seven rebounds and four points. Anderson already had eight assists to go along with his nine points at the break while Atwell and Bryan each had three 3-pointers. Petty, who was 2-for-3 from beyond the arc at halftime, hit Tech's first 3-pointer of the game and then his second for a 15-8 early lead. Bryan hit his third 3-pointer of the game for a 40-32 lead before Anderson made his first of the game to put the Red Raiders up 43-34. Watts, who had six rebounds at halftime, would make the 10th 3-pointer of the half to give Tech a 46-34 lead. OSU went into the break shooting just 4-for-14 (28.6%) from deep and was being outrebounded by the Red Raiders by a 28-19 margin. Â
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