Texas Tech Bounces Back With Wire-to-Wire Road Win over West Virginia
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Texas Tech needed a bounce back win after their home loss to Kansas, and they got exactly that.
The Red Raiders took down West Virginia on the road 70 to 63, powering through the road crowd and putting together an overall solid performance. It may not have been a flashy win necessarily, but they got the job done.
Texas Tech’s dynamic duo of Christian Anderson and JT Toppin led the way in this one with solid performances from each. Alongside these guys, two other players put up double digit scores, Donovan Atwell and Jaylen Petty. Tech demonstrated a balanced attack in this matchup, putting together a wire-to-wire win where they led for the entirety of the game.
Looking at the stat sheet, Texas Tech succeeded in several key areas. They managed to knock down shots from beyond the arc, finishing 13-24 from three-point range, and shot around 48% from the field overall. The Red Raiders also led West Virginia in assists, with 17 to only 10 for West Virginia. They also shot 11-for-13 from the free throw line, leaving little unclaimed points on the board.
Anderson, back in the lineup after missing the Kansas game due to illness, posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists.
Donovan Atwell played his part as a three-point shooter, chipping in 15 points and going 4-for-5 from behind the arc. When multiple players contribute offensively like this, the Red Raiders become much harder to defend.
There were no flashy, highlight-reel performances from any one player in particular. Instead, Texas Tech won by having each player do their part, a good solid road victory from everyone involved.
However, one area that needs cleaning up is the turnover battle. Texas Tech lost it with 11 turnovers to West Virginia's 9. While not a major factor in this game, it's something worth noting going forward. Other opponents won't be as forgiving, especially when March rolls around and the margin for error shrinks.
Another major concern is second-chance points, and the lack thereof for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders only had 2(!) offensive rebounds all game, giving them no chance for second chance points on offense and they're fortunate West Virginia couldn't capitalize on that.
This win pushes the Red Raiders to sit alone in fifth place in the conference rankings at 6-3. They sit behind Iowa State, Kansas, Houston, and Arizona in the current rankings.
A solid, gritty road win for the Red Raiders. Nothing explosive, nothing flashy, but a win nonetheless. Now, Texas Tech turns its attention to Colorado at home, where they'll look to restart their winning streak at United Supermarkets Arena and continue building momentum as conference play heats up.
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Kade Nix is a sports writer covering Texas Tech on SI. He specializes in college basketball, college football, and the NFL. In 2021, he founded Kade’s Draft Room, a sports website that ran until 2025, and has an extensive background writing for multiple channels and sports websites. In addition to his writing experience, Kade has hands-on football scouting experience, including time as a Texas area scout for the Hula Bowl, giving him a unique perspective on player evaluation and the college sports landscape.