Texas Tech drops its regular-season finale at BYU despite historic nights from Christian Anderson and Donovan Atwell as the Red Raiders now turn to the Big 12 Tournament.
The Texas Tech basketball regular season ended with fireworks, frustration and a reminder that March rarely follows a script.
In a high-scoring showdown at the Marriott Center, BYU basketball stormed back late to defeat No. 10 Texas Tech 82-76, spoiling a historic performance from Red Raiders guard Christian Anderson and sharpshooter Donovan Atwell.
The loss drops Texas Tech to 22-9 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 play, but the Red Raiders still finished tied for third in the conference standings and secured the No. 4 seed and a double-bye in the Big 12 Tournament.
Tech will open postseason play Thursday morning against either Iowa State, Arizona State or Baylor.
For most of the afternoon, Tech looked unstoppable from deep.
The Red Raiders buried 16 3-pointers, with Anderson and Atwell turning the game into a long-distance shootout.
Anderson poured in 23 points and nine assists, while rewriting the Texas Tech record books. The sophomore point guard now owns the program’s single-season assist record with 233, surpassing Elijah Hawkins’ mark set just last year.
He also added six made 3-pointers, continuing a breakout season that has made him one of the Big 12’s most dangerous playmakers.
Meanwhile, Atwell matched Anderson with 23 points, drilling six 3s of his own. His sixth triple pushed his season total to 121, extending his Texas Tech single-season record and giving him the Big 12 record for 3-pointers in conference play with 81, surpassing Oklahoma legend Buddy Hield.
Despite the offensive fireworks, the game turned where it often does in college basketball ... on the glass.
BYU dominated the interior, finishing with 20 offensive rebounds and a massive 48-14 scoring edge in the paint. The Cougars repeatedly generated second-chance opportunities that erased Texas Tech’s perimeter advantage.
After Atwell’s sixth three gave Tech a four-point lead midway through the second half, BYU responded with a decisive 15-2 run that flipped the momentum.
Tech still had one more punch left.
Anderson knocked down a clutch three-pointer with 1:46 remaining to tie the game at 75 and silence the arena. But BYU answered immediately with a go-ahead 3 from Kennard Davis, igniting a closing surge that sealed the game.
Robert Wright led the Cougars with 27 points, while five-star freshman AJ Dybantsa added 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Now the focus shifts to Kansas City.
With a double-bye secured, Texas Tech basketball enters the Big 12 Tournament rested and dangerous, hoping the next record-breaking night comes with a championship celebration.
Follow the Red Raiders: Keep up with Texas Tech sports news at Red Raides Roundtable and follow Timothy Hamm on X @IndyCarTim.