An In-Depth Preview of All 8 of Texas Tech MBB'S Home Non-Conference Opponents

LUBBOCK, Texas — The Texas Tech Red Raiders unveiled their eight-game home non-conference schedule for the 2026/27 college basketball season Thursday morning.

The team is fresh off an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and is coming off a third straight 20+ win season under head coach Grant McCasland. The Red Raiders are looking to extend the second-longest non-conference home winning streak through the team's first eight home games of the season.

The schedule is headlined by hosting the likes of Illinois, Jackson State, and Bethune-Cookman, among others. Here is a way to early deep dive into Tech’s upcoming home non-conference opponents before tip-off at United Supermarkets Arena.

Jackson State

Trey Johnson and Ashley Robinson, director of athletics, look at the audience during a press conference introducing the new Jackson State men’s basketball head coach at Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center in Jackson, Miss., on Monday, May 4, 2026. Johnson was announced as head coach on April 15 after the departure of Mo Williams. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Texas Tech opponents up the season on Monday, November 2nd, hosting the Jackson State Tigers. The Tigers are coming off a 12-21 record with a 10-8 in the SWAC last season, which was the worst mark in former Head Coach Mo Williams' four-year tenure.

The Tigers allowed the most points per game in the conference at 83.8 a night and had the second-worst point differential in the conference. In March, Williams stepped down to become an assistant at Kentucky. The program elevated longtime Associate Head Coach and the program's single-season all-time leader in scoring, Trey Williams, to Head Coach.

In his four seasons as an associate head coach, Williams was pivotal in developing talent for the Tigers, with four players receiving player of the year honors across his tenure with the program. Jackson State lost guard Daeshun Ruffin, who led the team in scoring a year ago, but returned 2025 Freshman of the Year Dorian McMillian, who was third on the squad in points per game.

The Red Raiders are 2-0 against Jackson State all time. The last win was a 102-52 victory in 2022 and an 84-75 victory in West Texas in 2012. This season's home opener will be the first time Tech has opened up the calendar against the Tigers.

Bethune-Cookman

It’s back-to-back SWAC opponents for the Red Raiders to start the home schedule. Three days after hosting Jackson State, Tech will host the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in Lubbock.

The Wildcats secured the program's first-ever regular-season championship under longtime Head Coach Reggie Theus in 2026. Bethune-Cookman finished 17-15 overall, the third-best record under Theus, while going 14-4 in the SWAC, the best conference record ever for the Wildcats.

Bethune-Cookman won five of their last seven to secure the regular-season title. However, the hot hand to end the season didn't carry over into the postseason, as the Wildcats were eliminated in the first round of the conference tournament by Prairie View A&M, 71-67. In the offseason, a sizable chunk of the Wildcats' scoring leaders either hit the portal or ran out of eligibility.

Bethune-Cookman’s third-highest scorer in guard, Arterio Morris, hit the portal and landed at Tennessee State but did secure 7'0" center Melian Martinez from Louisiana Tech. Texas Tech previously opened the 2024/2025 season by hosting the Wildcats in Lubbock, winning 94-61. The Red Raiders are 2-0 all time against Bethune-Cookman.

Illinois

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) shoots against Connecticut Huskies center Eric Reibe (12) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In what is undoubtedly the biggest game of the home non-conference schedule, the Red Raiders host the Illinois Fighting Illini for the first time in Lubbock. Head Coach Brad Underwood and his squad finished 28-9 overall while going 15-5 in the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini made their fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, reached the Final Four, and then lost to No. 2 UConn, 71-62. Underwood and his team enter the upcoming season with high expectations across college basketball.

After losing Keaton Wagler to the NBA, the Fighting Illini secured a top-25 high school recruiting class headlined by two five-star commits in guard Quentin Coleman and forward Lucas Morillo. The Fighting Illini secured a top-25 high school recruiting class headlined by two five-star commits in guard Quentin Coleman and forward Lucas Morillo. Both were top-10 recruits at their position and top- two players from their state. In the portal, Illinois secured four-star portal prospect Stefan Vaaks from Providence.

The 6'7" guard from Estonia finished as the Friars' third leading scorer with 15.8 points a night with the most minutes on the floor across the squad. Illinois also returns forward David Mirkovic, who averaged 13.3 points per game and eight rebounds; Tomislav Ivisic, who averaged 10 points a night, shooting in the high 40s from the field; along with Andrej Stojakovic, who tested the waters of the 2026 NBA Draft before returning to Champaign fresh off averaging 13.5 points a night while on the floor, shooting 50% from the field.

Illinois comes to Lubbock as part of a home-and-home series that began in Champaign last November, where Illinois handed the Red Raiders an 81-77 loss in the team's first ever meeting, with senior forward JT Toppin finishing with 35 points and 11 rebounds on the night.

Stonehill College

The penultimate matchup of a five-game homestand in Lubbock for the Red Raiders has Tech taking on the Stonehill College Skyhawks. The Skyhawks finished 6th in the Northeast Conference, going 12-21 overall and 8-10 in NEC play.

12th-year head coach Chris Kraus returns a nice chunk of his roster from last season, with guard Davante Hackett returning after leading Stonehill in points per game with 13.6 a night.

The Skyhawks also return guard Herman Koffi, who had his best season, finishing with 12.8 points a night, shooting 40% from the field and 88% from the free-throw line. Stonehill added Anquan Boldin Jr. from Florida A&M via the portal. This matchup will be the first between the Skyhawks and Red Raiders of both programs.

New Orleans

Wrapping up a five-game homestand for Texas Tech, the Red Raiders host the New Orleans Privateers. In Head Coach Stacy Hollowell’s second season at the helm, New Orleans went 15-18 overall, finishing 5th in the Southland Conference with a 12-10 record.

In his last season, Hollowell and his side advanced to the second round of the conference tournament for the first time since 2024.

The Privateers lost five players in the portal, including starting center Churchill Abass, who committed to UCF, TJ Cope to Tarleton State, and small forward MJ Thomas, who was third on the team in points per game. With a few capstone pieces from last season now out of eligibility, the Privateers will need to adjust their roster.

The Red Raiders beat the Privateers 82-50 in a win in Lubbock last November. This season's matchup will be the fourth all-time meeting, with Texas Tech leading the series 2-1. This will be the final home game of the month, as the Red Raiders will travel to Las Vegas for the Players Era Tournament.

Omaha

Dec 28, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Omaha Mavericks guard Grant Stubblefield (3) dribbles the ball toward the defense of Oregon Ducks guard Wei Lin (23) during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas Tech will host the Omaha Mavericks in December for the final trio of home games that wrap up the non-conference schedule.

After making the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament in 2024/25, Omaha Head Coach Chris Crutchfield enters his fifth season with the program, fresh off going 16-17 and 8-8, finishing fifth in the Summit conference. The Mavericks reached the second round of the conference tournament with the second-best win percentage in Crutchfield’s tenure when the season wrapped up.

The Mavericks secured two three-star prospects via the high school recruiting window: 6'3" point guard Jonny Jordan from Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis and three-star shooting guard Marcus Gillespire from Overtime Elite.

While in the portal, the Mavericks acquired former Nebraska forward Justin Bolis and North Texas guard Cahmai Crosby. Omaha did lose a good chunk of their starting five, including Paul Djobet, who led the team in points per game and transferred to Texas State.

Texas Tech faced Omaha in McCasland's first season in an 87-58 win. This will be the first time the two sides have faced each other since 2023 and the fifth time overall.

Incarnate Ward

For the first time since 2021, the Red Raiders will have an interstate showdown against Incarnate Ward in Lubbock. The Cardinals finished last season 12-19, going 7-15 and finishing 12th in the Southland Conference.

In UIW’s third season under Shane Herriman, the Cardinals were top five in points in the conference and also top five in field goal percentage in the conference. It was defensively that Incarnate Ward struggled, finishing in the bottom three in field goal percentage allowed and the bottom four in points allowed to opponents, allowing nearly 73 points a night.

However, heading into the upcoming season, the Cardinals have gone through a major overhaul. Five of the Cardinals' top scorers in points per game either ran out of eligibility or hit the portal.

Incarnate Ward secured forward D'Arrae Goodwin from San Diego and guard Maximo Garcia-Plata from Florida State. Returning players like Love Bettis, who averaged 17 minutes of action a night; Drew Barbee; and Amani Drummond look to have expanded roles with all the turnover in the offseason, among others. Texas Tech is 4-0 against UIW all time.

Mississippi Valley State

Dec 22, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils guard Delkedric Holmes (2) dribbles the ball while defended by West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) during the second half at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In what will be the final home game of the non-conference schedule, Texas Tech will host the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils to wrap up non-conference play just before the new year. The Delta Devils finished 3-30 last season, going 2-16 in conference play and finishing bottom of the SWAC. Mississippi Valley State changed the offseason, firing fourth-year Head Coach George Ivory and hiring former UAB, Texas Southern, and Detroit Mercy Head Coach Mike Davis.

As part of the turnover, the Delta Devils lost a plethora of players to either eligibility or the portal, including guard Michael James, who led the team in minutes and scoring with nearly 21.4 points a night and was one of only two players to average double figures last season.

Tech last faced Mississippi Valley State in 2018 in what was an 84-52 win. This season's matchup will be the first time the two teams have played since 2018.

As mentioned previously, Texas Tech will take part in the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas in November. In this tournament, the Red Raiders will face Louisville in the first round. The tournament could play four games with the likes of Oregon, St. John's, Tennessee, Maryland, Iowa State, or San Diego State in later stages if the Red Raiders advance.

Texas Tech will also take on Duke in a neutral-court rematch at Madison Square Garden in New York City four days before Christmas on December 21st as part of the non-conference schedule. The Red Raiders upset the then No. 3 Blue Devils in an 82-81 win last season at MSG. The win became a key part of Tech’s season resume as the season progressed.

Where Texas Tech will play on the road is still to be announced, as is part of the non-conference schedule and the schedule for conference play. Nonetheless, the bones of the early portion of the Red Raiders' schedule are starting to take shape, with tip-off in the fall just a few months away. Non-conference home schedule tip-off times and broadcasting designations have not been announced.

Texas Tech 2026/27 Non-Conference Home Schedule

Monday, November 2: Jackson State at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Thursday, November 5: Bethune-Cookman at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Tuesday, November 10: Illinois at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Saturday, November 14: Stonehill College at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Wednesday, November 18: New Orleans at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Tuesday, December 8: Omaha at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Tuesday, December 15: Incarnate Word at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)
Monday, December 28: Mississippi Valley State at Texas Tech (United Supermarkets Arena)