Grant McCasland Calls for Defensive Growth as Texas Tech Opens 2025-26 Season
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As No. 10 Texas Tech basketball tips off its 2025-26 season against Lindenwood on Tuesday, head coach Grant McCasland didn’t shy away from pointing out the team’s weak spot.
The Red Raiders return a unit led by 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin. McCasland expressed full confidence in Tech’s offensive firepower. While scoring isn’t a concern, the third-year head coach made it clear that the defense isn’t where it needs to be.
McCasland said sharpening the team’s on-ball defense has been a central focus throughout the offseason. He acknowledged Tech's upcoming schedule while taking note of the landscape of opposing teams' point guards.
“If you ask me, the most difficult thing to defend is the middle of the floor when you've got ball screen angles and it's wide open, and how do you communicate all the coverages and take the confusion out and be the most aggressive you can be," McCasland said to the media on Sunday, Nov. 2.
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During the Elite Eight round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament against Florida, the Red Raiders gave up an 18-4 scoring run in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Gators defeated Tech 84-79 and went on to claim the national title.
Following elimination, Tech saw its fair share of players leave for opportunities elsewhere — whether it was transferring to a new program or declaring for the NBA Draft. The Red Raiders inked eight new players as a result, with five from the transfer portal and three true freshmen.
“Where our biggest area is, and we've made this very clear from the beginning, is just how much better can we get defensively, and this group has embraced that,” McCasland said. “Really, it's the continuity of your ability in practice to play against each other that makes you better.”
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The roster turnover, paired with preseason injuries, has limited how often the full roster has practiced together. McCasland declined to comment on the specifics but said he doesn’t expect anyone to be out for an extended period.
“We just haven't had enough continuity to really push ourselves to a level where I feel like I know exactly who we are,” McCasland said. “I love our talent. I just know we've got to improve on the defensive side of the ball significantly if we're going to get where we want to get.”
The Red Raiders recently competed in two private scrimmages with Oklahoma and Iowa. The team saw defensive progress during their scrimmage against Iowa. After a slow offensive start, defensive stops fueled a second-half surge.
While results of the scrimmage weren’t shared publicly, McCasland said he was encouraged by the way Tech settled in as the defense began to dictate the game.
“We did take a pretty significant lead in the second half, and it really was about us getting stops,” McCasland said. “And early in the game, we didn't play our best offensively, but I loved the way we settled in.”
McCasland emphasized that the non-conference slate will serve as the testing ground for Tech’s defensive growth. The goal, he said, is to use the early stretch to build the habits and consistency required before conference play.
“It’s a long season … but we learned this last year — you dictate how you end up competing in the opportunities you get in March in the early season,” McCasland said. “These games, all of them matter."
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Keith Inglis is a contributor for Texas Tech On SI with a passion for sports storytelling. He honed his journalism skills at the Daily Toreador, the university’s student-run publication, where he has covered Red Raider football, basketball, and tennis throughout his time at Tech.