Red Raiders Begin New Season Ranked in Both Men's Basketball Polls

LUBBOCK - After spending the entire last season in the national rankings for the first time in program history, Texas Tech men's basketball begins the 2026-27 campaign in familiar territory.

The Red Raiders are ranked No. 19 and No. 16 in the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches polls, respectively, as announced on Monday.

READ MORE: No. 10 Texas Tech Put First-Half Woes to Rest in Win Over Arizona State

Texas Tech was preseason ranked No. 10 by the AP, which matched their highest ranking during last regular season.

In 2025-26, Tech finished the year at No. 21 in the AP Top-25, making for their record 29th straight appearance in the outlet's rankings. Counting this preseason positioning, that streak moves to 30 polls in a row that include the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland brought the team to its third straight NCAA tournament under his leadership last season. The Red Raiders advanced to the Round of 32 before losing to Alabama.

McCasland lost star point guard Christian Anderson to the first round of the NBA Draft and will be without All-American forward JT Toppin for a bit to begin the season, but Texas Tech reloaded with five transfer portal additions. Several players on this year's roster also lean on legal cases granting them additional eligibility amid the NCAA's new "5-for-5" rule.

The roster makeup has put the Red Raiders in a strong position to contend for a Big 12 championship, as Tech is the fifth-highest-ranked Big 12 team in the AP poll behind No. 5 Arizona, No. 10 Houston, No. 17 Kansas and No. 18 Iowa State.

Texas Tech went 2-2 against that conference quartet during the regular season last year, but 0-1 in the postseason. The Cyclones won in a blowout, 75-53, to eliminate Tech from the Big 12 Tournament in March.

In total, the Red Raiders went 5-5 against ranked opponents in the 2025-26 regular season, including wins against No. 1 Arizona on the road and No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden.

Texas Tech faces preseason No. 23-ranked Kentucky in an exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 23, at historic Rupp Arena in Lexington.

READ MORE: Texas Tech, Big 12 Football Rises in New Rankings After Wild Week 7

Then, the Red Raiders will host their third-annual Broadway Block Party to ring in a new basketball season with the Lubbock community on Oct. 29. The event will take place from 7:45-9 p.m. CT on the historic brick street across from the Texas Tech campus.

Tech begins its season on Nov. 2 at United Supermarkets Arena against Jackson State, with tipoff slated for 6:30 p.m.