18. Texas Tech (14-4)
Although this Texas Tech team has been far from perfect this season, they’re hanging right there in a tough Big 12 and have looked pretty solid for most of the year. They don’t have the big wins that many of these other ranked teams have, but they’ve been playing well in Big 12 play and have pretty solid analytics. Their offense in particular has taken a big step forward in league play despite a few close losses.
The Red Raiders managed their fourth road win this past week, getting an 81-71 victory at Cincinnati back on Tuesday night. JT Toppin had 20 points and 7 rebounds while Christian Anderson added 18 points off the bench in a victory rooted from strong, cohesive offense. This particular win got Texas Tech to 5-2 in the Big 12, with another great showing away from Lubbock.
These Red Raiders are flying a bit under the radar and Grant McCasland likely has no issue with that. It’s clear that his team isn’t in the same top tier as teams like Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas, though they did hang tough with the Cyclones just two weeks ago. Home dates with Oklahoma State and TCU come next week followed up by a tough test on the road at that top-tier Houston team. It’s a great chance for Texas Tech to make an impression.