Texas Tech hoops squad bolsters its championship chances with returning experience
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Returning production is a key aspect in any team's national championship aspirations. One-and-done schools like Kentucky dominated college basketball; athletes came to college to fulfill the one-year obligation imposed by the NBA. NIL changed that; athletes can stay in college and make more money than what the professional leagues offer now.
With NIL athletes staying and returning, production became an important metric. Bringing back productive players and pairing them with ready-to-play transfer players is the new blueprint for success and championship aspirations. Texas Tech has cornered the market in both of those phases of college basketball team building. Coupling a returning point guard in Christian Anderson and the Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin, Tech paired them with an elite transfer portal class. Production and addition have the Red Raiders in a great position to dominate college hoops in the 2025-26 season.
Big 12 returning scoring by percentage:
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 14, 2025
Iowa State 49.6%
Houston 49.4%
BYU 47.2%
Arizona 38.6%
Texas Tech 36.6%
Colorado 34.1%
Cincinnati 33.4%
TCU 28.1%
Kansas 16%
Utah 10.7%
Oklahoma State 9%
Kansas State 5.9%
Arizona State 1.7%
Baylor 0%
West Virginia 0%
UCF 0%
In a 16-team league, Texas Tech is returning the 8th most scoring production next season. Beyond the scoring metric, they are bringing back key veterans with experience that will matter when they clash with Big 12 basketball powerhouse Houston. The Red Raiders have the unenviable task of facing Houston twice in conference play. Anytime you face a national championship contender, it helps to have battle-tested players. Tech has those players, and with that experience, they can make waves in the Big 12 and wreck brackets in March.
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-e01c17fcdae4e0dd656bdc7ca6585efc-53691679a614377a6a1b52f78beac8fb.jpeg "Jerred Johnson")
Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.