The Texas Tech Red Raiders surge to No. 16, facing top-ranked Arizona in a pivotal Big 12 showdown with national title implications.
Texas Tech continues to cement itself as one of the nation’s most consistent programs, checking in at No. 16 in this week’s Associated Press Men’s Basketball Top 25.
The ranking extends a program-record streak to 23 consecutive appearances in the AP poll, a run that underscores the Red Raiders’ staying power on the national stage.
The respect goes beyond the AP voters. Texas Tech is also ranked No. 16 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, No. 19 in the NCAA NET, and No. 21 in KenPom, reinforcing the team’s strong analytical and résumé-based profile as February heats up.
At 17-6 overall and 7-3 in Big 12 play, the Red Raiders are entering a defining stretch.
Tech returns home Wednesday night to host Colorado at United Supermarkets Arena before heading to Tucson for one of the toughest assignments in college basketball ... a Saturday showdown with No. 1 Arizona at McKale Memorial Center.
The Wildcats, who are 23-0 and 10-0 in conference play, will also welcome ESPN College GameDay for the matchup.
Tech slipped from No. 13 to No. 16 following a home loss to Kansas, but quickly steadied itself with a gritty 70-63 road win at West Virginia.
That bounce-back performance kept the Red Raiders firmly in the national conversation.
Texas Tech owns two wins over top-10 opponents, including an 82-81 triumph over then-No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden and a 90-86 win over then-No. 6 Houston in Lubbock. Overall, Tech is 3-5 against ranked teams in 2026 and has shown it can compete with elite competition.
The current ranking streak is especially notable given last season’s late surge. After spending much of the year unranked, Tech climbed to No. 8 in the final AP poll following an Elite Eight run.
That momentum carried into this season, where the Red Raiders earned the highest preseason ranking in program history at No. 10.
With conference positioning, national perception, and March implications all in play, Texas Tech’s upcoming week could define just how high this season’s ceiling truly is.