How Texas Tech Can Extend Their Perfect Home Record vs. Kansas

This season in the Big 12, there are few teams as confusing as the Kansas Jayhawks.

Fresh off an impressive home win against No. 13 BYU, the Jayhawks head to Lubbock for a pivotal matchup against Texas Tech carrying not only momentum, but also some lingering questions.

Kansas has stacked four quad-one wins this season, according to the NCAA NET rankings, including Iowa State, Tennessee and most recently, BYU. However, they also have five quad-one losses: North Carolina, Duke, UConn, West Virginia, and UCF, the same team that just handed the Red Raiders a road loss. With one of the best rosters in the country, and with whom some would crown as the best player in the entire country in Darryn Peterson, the Jayhawks remain difficult to evaluate.

When you look at the numbers, the shooting percentages tell a story of near-identical numbers. Kansas is shooting 47.9% from the field and 36.5% from three this season, nearly identical to Texas Tech's 47.5% and 39% respectively. But the real wildcard for Kansas is star freshman Darryn Peterson and his puzzling usage pattern.

Against BYU in a critical home game, Peterson played just 20 minutes - albeit productive ones, scoring 18 points, but a light workload for such an important conference matchup. That raises the question of how much Peterson will actually play against Texas Tech. He has appeared in only 11 of Kansas's 21 games this season, leaving opponents to game-plan around uncertainty.

For Texas Tech, the momentum swing is not in their favor coming into this one. Kansas is riding high on an impressive win against BYU, while Texas Tech limps in after a deflating road loss at UCF which halts a string of impressive wins in conference play. There is an equalizer, though: United Supermarkets Arena, one of the toughest places to play in not only the Big 12, but the country, especially during marquee matchups such as this one.

If Texas Tech wants to protect home court and keep their perfect 11-0 record alive, three areas demand immediate attention.

First, they have to win the rebounding battle. The UCF loss revealed the cost of losing on the glass, as Texas Tech was outrebounded and surrendered critical second-chance points, particularly on the defensive end.

Against a Kansas team capable of explosive offensive runs, allowing extra possessions is a recipe for disaster. With two high-flying offenses set to clash, points will come in bunches, making defensive stops and turnover management crucial down the stretch.

Second, Texas Tech MUST get to the free throw line and capitalize. In their statement win at home versus Houston, the Red Raiders shot 30 free throws and made 24, finishing at 80%. Against BYU, they shot an even better 82.6%. But in the loss at UCF, they managed just 12 attempts and converted only seven, shooting a measly 58.3%.

Those numbers aren't just coincidental, they’re telling about what works within their play style. Texas Tech thrives when attacking consistently, collapsing defenses, and creating opportunities. Whether it's feeding JT Toppin inside or having Christian Anderson break down defenders off the dribble, the Red Raiders are at their best when they're forcing rotations and making defenses choose between giving up layups or open threes.

TTU Freshman Jaylen Petty is an impact player for this Kansas/TTU game. If he can get hot and hit his shots, I don't see them losing at home🏀pic.twitter.com/9n0jVrDgdZ
— Kade Nix (@kadesdraftroom) February 2, 2026

On top of that, when Texas Tech gets to the free throw line consistently, it's a sign they're executing that game plan—attacking with purpose and capitalizing on the free points that come with it. Without that aggression, their offense stalls and becomes predictable.

Finally, Texas Tech has to dictate tempo and maintain momentum. This game will be decided by who controls the pace and imposes their style. The Red Raiders cannot allow Kansas to settle into any sort of rhythm or play the kind of game the Jayhawks prefer. If Texas Tech can leverage the crowd, push the tempo as needed, and sustain scoring runs without allowing Kansas to counter, they have a great chance to send the Jayhawks home with a loss and preserve their perfect home record.

For Kansas, this is a chance to answer questions about their consistency and clear the smoke in the air around their name. If they can prove they can march into a hostile environment and leave with a win, it will deliver a statement that steadies their conference campaign.

For Texas Tech, it’s a major opportunity to bounce back from a loss in a major way, and further bolster their resume as one of the premier contenders in college basketball.

Something has to give. Either the Red Raiders tighten up the details and reclaim control, or Kansas will weather the storm and solidify a spot among the Big 12 elite.

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