In Texas Tech’s final home game of the season the Red Raiders welcomed TCU to the USA. For the third time in 2026 Grant McCasland’s team was trying to follow up a win over a highly ranked Big 12 team with a win over an underdog. They were 0-2 in the previous opportunities after losing to UCF and Arizona State, but both of those games were on the road and TCU had to come to Lubbock.
Similarly to the Cincinnati game, the road team started off hot against the Red Raiders as TCU started out on fire from the field. Texas Tech kept pace early as Christian Anderson had nine points and four assists in the first half. Donovan Atwell wasn’t shooting at his normal clip, but he led the team in scoring at the midway point with Texas Tech leading 39-36.
The biggest issue in the first half was TCU forcing Texas Tech into turnovers and at times, the Red Raiders just gifting the ball to the Horned Frogs. At the first break of the second half, Texas Tech still led by three, but TCU came out of the under 16 media timeout and scored quickly to cut it to 44-43. Nobody scored on the next several possessions until TCU took a lead with a shot in the lane.
After a lull in scoring, the teams then traded threes with Atwell and Evans trading haymakers. TCU led 48-47 with 13:27 to go.
Out of the timeout, Texas Tech turned it over for the 12th time. An offensive foul gave it right back to Texas Tech but it was a troubling trend with more than 13:00 minutes to go. Texas Tech got a little juice back into the building on the ensuing possession after a missed shot turned into a second-chance opportunity for Jaylen Petty from deep. His 15th point of the game gave Texas Tech the lead back. At 50-48.
A nearly five minute drought quickly followed for Texas Tech as TCU took a 57-51 lead with the only point for Texas Tech coming on a LeJuan Watts free throw. The ugly play continued for Texas Tech even into the bonus. Texas Tech traded two Christian Anderson free throws with another TCU bucket to stay down by six. A deep three by TCU then gave them their largest lead of the night at 62-53.
Josiah Mosely finally broke the field goal drought of more than six minutes, but it was starting to feel like the Red Raiders needed a big bucket from somebody. Cue Donovan Atwell who would drain a step back three in transition to push the run to 5-0 and cut the TCU lead to four.
TCU stopped the run eventually on a 50 second possession where they found a bucket in the paint. The next time down they drained a corner three to go back up nine as McCasland took a timeout with 2:04 on the clock.
Out of the timeout, Texas Tech got four quick points on a baseline drive from Moseley, then a steal and layup from Jaylen Petty. After a TCU bucket Donovan Atwell drained a three to cut the lead to four at 69-65.
In a microcosm of the night, Luke Bamgboye got a block at the rim but the ball bounced right into a TCU player’s hands for the putback.
The Horned Frogs dominated the glass in a must win game for their tournament hopes while Texas Tech played like a team who’d already cashed in as a double-bye team in the Big 12 tournament that couldn’t improve their seed. Add in 15 turnovers and a poor shooting night from everyone but Jaylen Petty and it just wasn’t Texas Tech’s night.
Incredibly frustrating loss for the Red Raiders who just couldn’t ever find a rhythm. For the third straight game after a massive win, Texas Tech had a bad loss.
TCU held on for the 73-65 win over Texas Tech.
Atwell finished with 19, Petty with 17 points and Christian Anderson finished with 11 points and nine assists.
