Red Raider Basketball Falls in AP Poll Despite 2-0 Start
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The first week of Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball was headlined by standout performances from the team's stars.
Sophomore guard Christian Anderson had 34 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds in a 98-60 win over Lindenwood to open the season in front of the home crowd at United Supermarkets Arena. Junior forward JT Toppin followed that up with his own 30-point performance — 31 points and 14 rebounds — in a 98-77 win over Sam Houston State.
Despite their 2-0 start, which saw the Red Raiders outscore opponents 196-137, Texas Tech fell to No. 11 in the Week 2 AP Poll, dropping one spot from their initial ranking at No. 10.
No. 1️⃣1️⃣ in this week's @AP_Top25 pic.twitter.com/R2ENTg4hjs
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) November 10, 2025
The Red Raiders did their best against the teams in front of them, but they were the odd ones out in a very fluid top-10 reset after an active first week of college basketball.
With Arizona's win over Florida, the Wildcats climbed from 13th to fifth while the Gators dropped from third to 10th. Texas Tech also found itself on the outside looking in with Alabama's 103-96 win over St. John's, which shot the Crimson Tide up seven spots to eighth and dropped the Red Storm from No. 5 to No. 13.
In the end, only four teams in the top 25 remained in stagnant positions: No. 9 Kentucky, No. 16 Iowa State, No. 23 Creighton, and No. 24 Wisconsin.
Regardless, Tech will have opportunities ahead to play its way back into the top 10. While the Red Raiders' non-conference home schedule offers very little resistance, the scarlet and black have several road/neutral-site games that will offer a challenge.
First road trip of the season ✈️ pic.twitter.com/5mbEF4lirC
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) November 10, 2025
Next on the schedule is a trip to the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill., where Tech will take on the No. 14 Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday, Nov. 11. They have started hot as well, climbing up three spots in the rankings with an average margin of victory of over 50 points through two weeks (113 points per game).
Tech will also take on more power conference opponents at the Baha Mar Championship in late November. They play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first round and either the No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers or the Memphis Tigers, depending on the outcome. Both Purdue and Memphis are coming off NCAA Tournament bids.
In December, the Red Raiders have neutral-site matchups with the LSU Tigers — US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas — and the Arkansas Razorbacks — Revocruit Rematch at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The Red Raiders will also have a chance to prove their merit on Dec. 20 in New York City at Madison Square Garden; they will face the Duke Blue Devils on one of the biggest stages in sports. Duke is currently ranked fourth heading into Week 2 of basketball action.
Until then, Texas Tech will look for more dominant play from its stars, Toppin and Anderson. The complementary pieces they added over the offseason, like Donovan Atwell, Tyeree Bryan, and LeJuan Watts, will also be critical to the team's success. Luke Bamgboye has yet to suit up for the Red Raiders, and the team awaits his return to action.
However, if the team continues to get elevated play from unexpected places, like its freshman class of Nolan Groves, Jaylen Petty, and Marial Akuentok, they should be in a good position as the schedule intensifies.
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Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.
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