The Red Raiders clawed for a road win, learning tough lessons as football portal plans pivot, seeking elusive clean finishes.
Texas Tech got what it came for in Boulder: a road win.
But if you watched the final minutes, you know the Red Raiders didn’t exactly stroll out of Colorado with their feet up. A game that once featured a 24-point Tech cushion turned into a white-knuckle finish - one that offered a reminder of how unforgiving Big 12 play can be away from Lubbock.
On the latest episode of The Red Raiders Daily Blitz Podcast, host Timm “IndyCarTim” Hamm said the value of the win goes beyond the box score.
“You went on the road, you built a monster lead - up 24 - and then you looked up and Colorado had a shot to win it,” Hamm said. “That’s Big 12 basketball in a nutshell: nothing is easy, especially away from Lubbock.”
Texas Tech’s late-game wobble wasn’t mysterious.
Foul trouble shredded rhythm and forced uncomfortable rotations, while free-throw struggles poured gasoline on the comeback attempt.
The Red Raiders were 4-of-10 at the line in the stretch described on the show, while Colorado repeatedly cashed in at the stripe, narrowing the margin possession by possession.
Still, Tech’s defense delivered at the end, applying pressure without fouling on the final look to preserve the win.
Hamm also pointed to a name fans are quickly learning to trust in high-leverage moments: Donovan Atwell. His timely shooting and defensive presence continued to show up in the exact possessions that decide conference games.
“Donovan Atwell is the epitome of the 3-and-D player,” Hamm said. “Timely shots and a defensive finish - he gave you both ends of that definition.”
Now comes what Hamm dubbed a truth-telling stretch - three of the next four at home, with the two biggest nights of the season arriving back-to-back: BYU followed by Houston.
In an 18-game Big 12 slate, holding serve in Lubbock isn’t optional if Tech wants to be more than a tournament team.
While basketball ramps up, football remains stuck in “Portal Land,” where plans change fast and nothing is final until the signature hits. The show noted Texas Tech has missed on a few targets and watched others drift elsewhere, but the bigger takeaway is how the staff appears to be managing the board.
“They’re not sacrificing fit just to fill a spot,” Hamm said. “If the target isn’t an upgrade over what you already have internally, you keep the powder dry.”
That blend—grabbing the win, owning the lessons, and staying disciplined in roster-building - may define Texas Tech’s next few weeks.
The Red Raiders are still portaling, still hooping, and still chasing the version of themselves that closes games cleanly ... no matter the zip code.