Christian Anderson and JT Toppin trade baskets to power No. 19 Texas Tech (9-3) over No. 3 Duke (11-1) at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders and Duke Blue Devils met for just the third time ever on the hardwood, gracing the historic grounds of Madison Square Garden on Saturday and leaving with possibly one of the best efforts in program history.
No. 19 Texas Tech used a double-digit comeback fueled by a dynamic duo that just put the rest of the country on notice and upset No. 3 Duke 82-81.
Christian Anderson was as sharp as they come in the second half, tallying 23 of his 27 points in the final 20 minutes. JT Toppin, though playing the majority of the second half with four fouls, grabbed crucial rebounds and alternated scoring clutch baskets with Anderson to post a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double. Forward LeJuan Watts was the top man for Tech early with 20 points, but he fouled out early in the second half.
Duke's star freshman Cameron Boozer scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with eight rebounds and seven assists from the interior. He was one of only two Blue Devils to score in double figures, joined by his twin brother Cayden and his 13 bench points. Duke shot just 59 percent from the free throw line (17-29), a stat that certainly contributed to the loss.
For the Red Raiders, this was a breakout for the three key offensive figures, issuing a feeling of optimism moving forward as just enough defense can potential do the job against the country's elite when things are clicking like this on the other end.
It's these types of games, no matter how they're won, that can ignite a run of wins in a pivotal point in the season leading into conference play.
Last year, it was coincidentally an identical 82-81 win at No. 6 Houston that kept a seven-game win streak intact for the Red Raiders and ultimately lead to them an Elite Eight berth, where the team benefitted from the experience of gutting out a hard-fought win earlier in the year to make a deep postseason run.
This is the type of game that can fuel that level of belief.
It's also a weight lifted off of the Red Raiders' shoulders during this grueling early-season stretch. Tech has now faced four ranked opponents in out-of-conference play - the team's most since 1956.
They finally earned their first ranked win of the year here against Duke, and it's likely one we'll look back on as a springboard to the rest of the season.
The Red Raiders hope to carry this momentum into its final non-conference game on Dec. 28 against Winthrop. Big 12 play gets underway with Texas Tech hosting Oklahoma State on Jan. 3.