DOWN GOES No. 1: Texas Tech Rewrites Program History, Stuns Arizona On the Road
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TUCSON, AZ — The NO. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders upset the NO. 1 Arizona Wildcats 78-75 in overtime, at McKale Memorial Center, Saturday evening. The tandem of sophomore guard Christian Anderson and junior forward JT Toppin combined for 50 points on a historic night.
As Anderson scores 19,Toppin became the first player in over 20 seasons to have 31 points, 13 rebounds, and zero turnovers against the number one team in college basketball, leading Tech to its third win over a number one-ranked opponent in program history.
"Man, I love the fight of this team, and these two guys (Anderson and Toppin) wouldn't let us loose," said Texas Tech Head Coach Grant McCasland when reflecting on the game in his post-game press conference. "I mean JT Toppin was not gonna be denied at the end of this game, it's a collective fight... "It's a team game, that's what it's about, that what makes it so fun, and it took everyone to get it done."
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the weekend in college basketball.
Both heavyweight teams felt each other out through the first few minutes of the first half. The Red Raiders struggled to get the ball to fall through the net, making just 30% from the field and beyond the 3-point line through the first ten minutes of the first half.
Nonetheless, it was the combination of the dynamic duo of Anderson and Toppin who were electric in the final ten minutes of the first half.
Anderson led the Red Raiders with 12 points on 4-9 shooting through the first half with six assists, with the 6 '3 guard scoring or assisting in 26 of Tech’s first-half points. Toppin was just behind him with 11 points from the field and three rebounds in the first half. Helping the Red Raiders create a commanding scoring offense on the floor.
In tandem on the defensive side of the floor, Tech bowed up a stifling defense against the Wildcats' own dynamic duo of freshman guard Brayden Burries and freshman forward Koa Peat, who combined for only six points early. Forcing Arizona to rely on nine points from senior forward Tobe Awaka and others for the majority of the first half.
ANDERSON IS ACTIVE FROM THE ARC 😤#TTW | 📺 ESPN: https://t.co/xcUrGbZdBa pic.twitter.com/hk8hFEzfRV
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 15, 2026
Texas Tech Coach McCasland stressed the importance of rebounding well and limiting points in the paint before tip-off this week. Tech held Arizona to only eight points in the paint, helping the Red Raiders head into the half tied 32-32 through the first 20 minutes of action.
Coming out of halftime, Arizona would be without Peat for the remainder of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Both teams would continue to battle with Arizona’s offense running through junior center Motiejus Krivas, freshman forward Ivan Kharchenkov, and senior guard Jaden Bradley, who all finished in double figures.
Krivas snagged 11 rebounds to go along with Burries’s seven points in the second half. As Anderson and Toppin continued to send haymakers, building off their excellent first halves as Toppin scored 12 alone in the second half.
With 11 lead changes and 11 times the scoreboard was tied, the Red Raiders went on a 9-0 run in the final four minutes of the second half, taking the lead twice in the final minute, both times thanks to senior guard Donovan Jackson.
After a scoreless first half, Jackson sank two key free throws with 57 seconds left, and knocked down his 300th career 3-pointer to extend the Tech lead by two with 25 seconds left on the clock, which looked like it would all but seal it for Texas Tech.
DONOVAN ATWELL pic.twitter.com/HzO9lzebTn
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 15, 2026
However, Arizona would not go away with Kharchenkov drawing a foul in the final few seconds of the second half, the 6 '7 forward sank two free throws to force overtime.
“We knew we had to get stops, rebounds, and not let them bully us on the glass, and keep fouling them to give them free points,” said Anderson when asked about the mentality of the team going into the late minutes of the second half and overtime. “We just said we got to lock on defense, get stops, and crash the glass, then go score on the other end.”
It was in the additional five minutes of play where Toppin lived inside the paint. Toppin led Tech with eight points in overtime, where he and multiple Red Raiders were able to grab second-chance points and key rebounds off the glass. Toppin even facilitated finding Donovan Jackson who knocked down a 24-foot 3-point jumper in the final two minutes of overtime.
Which helped Texas Tech seal its first win over the number one-ranked team since 2022, vs the then No. 1-ranked Baylor. Solidifying the Red Raiders third top 10 win this season since beating NO. 3 Duke in December, and NO. 6 Houston just under a month ago, adding to the record books.
“I knew he was going to be open there, we work on that every day,” said Toppin when asked if his pass off to Jackson was a designed play or something both players just know at this point in the season. “I know if he helps, he's gonna be open. They were doing that all game to try to steal that pass. I spun with the ball, and I’m gonna pass it to Don. That lights out every time.”
Toppin rewrote history tonight, becoming the first player to have 25+ points and 10+ rebounds at the AP No.1 team since Luke Maye for UNC in February 2019 at Duke, and the second player in Big 12 History for a 30-point double-double vs the AP No.1 team. While also grabbing his 47th career double-double, his 16th of the season as six games remain in conference play.
The 🐐@j1izzle is only the second player in Big 12 history to post a 30 point double-double vs. an AP No. 1 team.
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 15, 2026
Tonight he had 31 points & 13 rebounds. pic.twitter.com/eeWGPN41Bk
The road trip continues for the Red Raiders who will remain in Arizona as they will travel to face Arizona State on Tuesday night at Desert Financial Arena., tip off is set for 10 p.m. CT on ESPN.
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