No. 14 Texas Tech unleashes a potent three-point attack and scoring duo, aiming for a statement win against No. 7 Houston.
Texas Tech isn't sneaking up on anybody anymore, and the AP voters keep proving it.
The Red Raiders climbed to No. 14 in this week's Associated Press Top 25, extending a program-record 18 straight appearances in the national poll as they head into a marquee road showdown at No. 7 Houston on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. CT at the Fertitta Center.
Tech and Houston each moved up one spot this week, setting the stage for a ranked Big 12 collision with real teeth.
And it's not just the AP that's buying stock in Grant McCasland's group. Texas Tech is also No. 14 in the Coaches Poll, No. 19 in the NCAA NET, and No. 20 on KenPom, a neat little flex for a team that's now 11-3, 1-0 Big 12, and heating up at the right time.
The Red Raiders are on a season-best four-game winning streak, and they didn't tiptoe into conference play; they kicked the door down with a 102-80 hammering of Oklahoma State in Lubbock.
That win was another reminder of Tech's biggest weapon ... the 3-point barrage. The Red Raiders matched their program/season record with 17 made 3s against OSU, and the 102 points were their highest output of the season.
Tech leads the Big 12 at 11.1 made 3s per game, has hit 10-plus treys in 10 games, and is shooting 38.1 percent from deep (155-for-407) - top-4 in the league and top-25 nationally.
At the center of the chaos is the country's nastiest one-two punch you're probably tired of hearing about - but can’t ignore: JT Toppin and Christian Anderson.
They're the only teammate duo in the nation both averaging 20-plus points, with Toppin at 21.2 PPG and Anderson at 20.5. Toppin just posted his eighth double-double (23 and 14) while Anderson flirted with a stat-sheet takeover with 19 points and a career-high 13 assists.
Anderson also leads the Big 12 at 7.5 assists per game and has been on a heater over the last five, averaging 23.0 points and 8.0 assists.
The supporting cast is humming too. LeJuan Watts (19 points, 9 boards) nearly grabbed a double-double against OSU, while Donovan Atwell drilled five threes on the way to 15 points, and Jaylen Petty added 12 with a career-best four triples.
Tech now has four players averaging double figures, and over the last five games, the Red Raiders are scoring 91.6 points per game while shooting 41.0 percent from 3-point range.
Now comes the real test. A Houston team on a seven-game win streak with a habit of turning ranked visitors into headline victims.
Tech already owns one big moment this year - an 82-81 win over No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden - but the Red Raiders are still looking for that defining road statement.
Tuesday night in Houston is the perfect place to make one.