Texas Tech Pushes Kansas to the Brink Without Christian Anderson - What We Learned
Right before tipoff against the Kansas Jayhawks, a buzz started to ripple through the arena - and not the good kind. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech’s floor general and one of the most impactful players in the Big 12, was nowhere to be seen during warmups.
When Tyeree Bryan was announced in the starting lineup, that buzz turned into real concern. Anderson’s absence wasn’t just about missing a talented scorer - it was about missing the engine that makes the Red Raiders’ offense go.
Let’s be clear: Tyeree Bryan stepping into the starting five isn’t a knock on his ability. But when you’re going up against Kansas - a program that’s a perennial contender and arguably the measuring stick in the conference - you want all your weapons.
And Anderson is more than just a weapon. He’s the guy who sets the tone, controls the tempo, and gets everyone in the right spots.
Without him, the Red Raiders were forced to adapt on the fly.
A Different-Looking Offense
What’s usually a fluid, well-spaced attack from Texas Tech turned into a grind. The offense lacked its usual rhythm - the kind of rhythm that Anderson so often orchestrates with his poise and vision.
Jaylon Petty, LeJuan Watts, and Jazz Henderson gave everything they had. They played with heart, effort, and a clear desire to step up in a tough situation.
But running the show against Kansas is a tall task for even the most seasoned backcourts - and this group was missing its conductor.
Instead of crisp ball movement leading to open looks on the perimeter or clean entry passes to JT Toppin in the paint, Tech was forced into tougher shots. The Red Raiders settled for more contested threes and had to work significantly harder to generate quality looks inside.
The numbers reflected the struggle: just 31% shooting from the field and 30% from deep. That’s the kind of inefficiency that’s hard to overcome against a team like Kansas.
The Anderson-Toppin Workload Question
All season long, Christian Anderson and JT Toppin have been ironmen for this squad, averaging 38.7 and 34.4 minutes per game, respectively. That kind of workload raises an important question - what happens if one of them gets into foul trouble or, as we saw here, can’t suit up at all?
Now we’ve seen the answer. And while the result didn’t go Tech’s way, the performance showed something that doesn’t show up in the box score: resilience.
The Red Raiders didn’t fold. They battled.
They took Kansas - one of the most complete teams in the country - to the wire. And they did it without their All-American point guard.
Big Picture: March Is Still the Goal
Texas Tech might be out of the regular-season conference title race, but that’s not the endgame. The real target is March - and playing your best basketball when it matters most.
This team still has a high ceiling. The pieces are there.
The chemistry is building. And if this game proved anything, it’s that the Red Raiders have the grit, toughness, and depth to weather adversity.
Taking Kansas to the brink without Christian Anderson isn’t just a moral victory - it’s a sign that this team can compete with anyone when healthy. And if the coaching staff can use this experience to fine-tune rotations and build confidence in their bench, they’ll be better prepared for whatever the postseason throws their way.
Next up: a road trip to Morgantown. Texas Tech heads to West Virginia for a noon tipoff this Sunday, February 8.
With or without Anderson, expect a battle. This team is learning how to fight - and that’s exactly what you want to see in February.