Donovan Atwell’s slow start from deep didn’t last long Thursday night, and Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland made it clear he isn’t worried about the senior guard.
After opening the season 0-for-10 from 3-point range, Atwell knocked down three second-half triples in Texas Tech’s 76-58 home win over Bethune-Cookman. The Red Raiders picked up their second victory, and Atwell finally got the kind of bounce-back night he had been waiting for.
McCasland addressed the slump in comments shared by Jacob Camarda of the Daily Toreador.
“I feel for him because he wants everybody to be so excited at (United Supermarkets Arena). That’s the nature of playing at home,” McCasland said.
“It’s so much fun playing in front of people that you love, and he loves being a Red Raider. He almost wants to play so well for everybody because you know what this place does when you start getting on runs… It’ll go in when it matters.”
Atwell arrived at Texas Tech from UNC Greensboro last year and is chasing his fifth season of eligibility with the Red Raiders. He’s been one of the conference’s most dangerous perimeter shooters, with 130 total 3-pointers last season. He went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, then suited up for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Summer League, where he shot 48.5% from beyond the arc.
Texas Tech also won an additional year of eligibility for Atwell in court, making him a major piece for McCasland’s roster. The Red Raiders are leaning on a group built around high-scoring transfers and two key returners in Atwell and Jamichael Stillwell. Through two games, UNLV transfer guard Dre Gibbs-Lawhorn leads the team at 15.0 points per game.
No. 19 Texas Tech now turns to a major test, hosting No.
3 Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at United Supermarkets Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
CT on Peacock.
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For Texas Tech, the bigger point is not just the noise around other programs, but what those results can mean in the race ahead. When the teams around you keep shuffling, every ranking bump, every postseason path and every remaining conference result starts to carry a little more weight. The Red Raiders suddenly have a Big 12 case that is difficult for fans to ignore, even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]