Red Raiders battled nerves and a furious comeback, clinching their first road victory of the season in a nail-biting thriller.
If Texas Tech fans were looking for proof this team can win ugly away from Lubbock, Saturday night in Boulder delivered it with interest and elevated heart rates.
No. 14 Texas Tech Red Raiders held on for a tense 73-71 road win over the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center, surviving a second-half comeback that nearly erased a 24-point lead.
It was Tech’s first true road win of the season and its first visit to Boulder in nearly 16 years. They made it memorable. Just not relaxing.
The Red Raiders looked like they were headed for a blowout early in the second half.
After leading 43-27 at the break, Tech opened with seven straight points and ballooned the margin to 58-34 with just over 13 minutes left. At that moment, it felt like one of those games where the road crowd slowly files out.
Then basketball reminded everyone that it has a sense of humor.
Texas Tech went ice cold, missing eight of nine shots and coughing the ball up four times. Colorado woke up, the building got loud, and suddenly the night turned into a test of nerves.
The steady hands for Tech were Donovan Atwell and JT Toppin. Atwell scored 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers, including two massive shots that slowed Colorado’s momentum just enough. Toppin added 16 points and 13 rebounds, playing the role of stabilizer when things got wobbly.
Christian Anderson chipped in 15 points, but this game nearly belonged to Isaiah Johnson. Johnson scored all 21 of his points in the second half, hitting all 13 of his free throws and fueling a 21-3 Buffaloes run that cut the lead to 61-55 with just over six minutes to play.
Colorado kept coming. Barrington Hargress scored 17, and Sebastian Rancik drilled a corner three with 42 seconds left to make it a two-point game. Tech had chances to ice it. It did not take advantage of those chances.
The final possession felt inevitable. Colorado raced the ball up the floor. Hargress launched a contested 25-footer at the buzzer. It rattled out.
Ballgame.
This was not pretty, but it mattered. Winning on the road in the Big 12 often means surviving momentum swings without panicking. Texas Tech bent hard and did not break. That is growth.
Next up, Tech returns home to host Utah on Wednesday night. The lesson from Boulder is simple. Close better. But also remember this. Road wins like this one are how seasons are built.