Texas Tech's Perfect Home Record Falls in Heartbreaking Loss to No. 11 Kansas
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In a highly anticipated top-15 matchup in Lubbock, Texas Tech’s perfect home record came to an end. No. 11 Kansas escaped Lubbock with a win that came down to the wire in the final seconds of the second half.
No. 11 Kansas ESCAPES with a win in the final moments vs No. 13 Texas Tech
— Kade Nix (@kadesdraftroom) February 3, 2026
What a game 🔥pic.twitter.com/U8mohxRG0T
This loss stings for Red Raider fans for multiple reasons, but perhaps none greater than the fact that the Red Raiders faced a full strength Kansas team without one of their own stars in Christian Anderson. His absence was felt all game as Texas Tech came up shorthanded against the Jayhawks who possess one of the better rosters in college basketball.
When Kansas has its full arsenal available, they're one of the scariest teams not only in the Big 12, but in the entire country. Monday night proved exactly why.
Texas Tech’s offense just couldn’t find a rhythm. The Red Raiders shot an ugly 31.9% from the field, converting only 23 out of 72 attempts all night in what became a frustrating evening full of missed opportunities. From beyond the arc, they managed just 12 of 40, and one of the more telling stats is that they only shot from the free throw line five times all night.
That last stat is crucial. In a previous preview of this matchup, getting to the free-throw line was identified as a key to victory for Texas Tech.
The Jayhawks clearly came with the strategy of locking down JT Toppin, and for the most part, it worked. Kansas held Toppin to just ten points on 5-of-18 shooting, including 0-for-3 from three-point range. Without Toppin’s usual interior presence, the Red Raiders just could not find their rhythm.
They also essentially operated with a five-man rotation the entire night, with five players logging over 30 minutes. This is a crucial warning flag, as it raises questions about the depth of their roster and makes the margin for error on said five far too thin to escape with a win.
Then you have to look at Kansas and identify what went right. That being said, the answer is simple: Darryn Peterson.
The star freshman played nearly the entire game, which has been a question mark all season long, yet his presence proved crucial to Kansas’s success in this one. Late in the second half, Peterson buried two clutch threes that effectively put the Red Raiders away.
Darryn Peterson comes up HUGE for Kansas in the clutch 🤯pic.twitter.com/gPMzhshFsO
— Kade Nix (@kadesdraftroom) February 3, 2026
Interestingly, both teams had four players score in double figures, with the leading scorers each posting 19 points, Peterson for Kansas and LeJuan Watts for Texas Tech. Kansas matched Texas Tech's three-point percentage at 30%, but the difference came at the free-throw line. The Jayhawks got there more often and capitalized, shooting 10-of-13 from the stripe compared to Texas Tech's measly five attempts.
Across the board, Texas Tech actually won some key statistical battles. They had fewer turnovers. They out-rebounded Kansas. And they still lost. That's what makes this one so difficult to digest.
For Texas Tech, this pill may be tough to swallow, but there is a silver lining in this one. They lost by three points to a full strength Kansas team without potentially their most game changing player. With Anderson playing, this game could have ended in a very different way. Red Raider fans can take some solace in that.
Still, moral victories don't show up in the win column. This was a game Texas Tech had to win if they want to make noise in March. Winning the rebounding battle, limiting turnovers, and still coming up short means execution down the stretch has to improve. The margin for error in close games is unforgiving, and right now, Texas Tech is on the wrong side of it.
The Red Raiders have to learn from this one quickly. The schedule doesn't get easier, and if they can't close out tight games against elite competition, March will be a short stay.
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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.