14. Texas Tech (11-3)
Right before Christmas break these Red Raiders proved their potential with an incredible win against Duke. Texas Tech had wasted a few previous opportunities against top competition but that wasn’t going to happen for a fourth time. Even with some questions about this team’s defense and bench they got the job done and headed into Big 12 play with their heads held high.
We saw them in action back on Sunday in their final nonconference game, getting a relatively drama-free 87-57 win over Winthrop. Christian Anderson starred again with 29 points while Jaylen Petty added 20 points in a nice victory after the holiday. This team began the New Year and conference play on the right foot as well, winning 102-80 at home over Oklahoma State on Saturday. JT Toppin led with 23 points and 14 rebounds, with most of the scoring again coming from the starting five.
Now winners of four straight, the Red Raiders are playing incredible basketball on offense even when they aren’t getting reliable production off the bench. There are some potential pitfalls for this team especially in a competitive league like the Big 12, but you can’t argue against the recent results. Texas Tech will need to dig deep in a tough road matchup at Houston in just a few days, though they’re again trying to make a sizeable impression.