Texas Tech joins daunting list of elite non-conference foes tackling Duke basketball
In this story:
Expectations are high in Red Raider country for the men's basketball program heading into the 2025-26 season. The team brings back speedy point guard Christian Anderson, who can shoot, see the floor, defend, and has experience. They also have the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, JT Toppin, who's looking to increase his production and play his way into NBA Draft Lottery contention.
Bringing those two back alone would have put Tech in contention to compete in the Big 12 and beyond, but they were not happy with just that. Head coach Grant McCasland went out and secured the commitment of a top-25 transfer portal class to add immediate-impact players. Being good on paper means nothing in sports; you have to show it on the field or court, and you have to do it against the best. Texas Tech has stepped up to the challenge this year and added a tough matchup against perennial powerhouse the Duke Blue Devils.
Duke's non-conference slate is ridiculous 😳
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) June 11, 2025
Texas (N)
Florida (H)
Texas Tech (N)
@ Michigan State
Arkansas (N)
Kansas (N)
Michigan (N)
@ Army
Indiana State (H)
Jon Scheyer doesn't duck smoke. 👀😈 pic.twitter.com/AsrlRON35p
Tech is not the only school that wants to test its abilities against the Blue Devils. Duke has one of the most difficult non-conference schedules I have ever seen. They are taking on multiple blue blood programs that are ranked in the preseason top 10 for next year. While the majority of the games are neutral sight-based, including the Texas Tech clash, the difficulty remains high nonetheless. The best-case scenario for the Red Raiders is Duke winning a majority of these games and Tech beating Duke. A big win like that goes a long way towards a higher seed in March. Tech has the talent; now it's up to them to gel as a team and produce a championship-level product.
- Enjoy more Texas Tech coverage on Texas Tech On SI -
More Texas Tech News
Texas Tech receives commitment from massive offensive lineman
Looking to make history at Texas Tech, GM James Blanchard turned down Notre Dame
Texas Tech football adds another commitment to 2026 recruiting class
Texas Tech working to flip elite wide receiver committed to rival Baylor
-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.