Illinois has spent the first week of its season making things look easy, and now the Illini are headed into a very different kind of test.
After back-to-back blowout wins over Fairleigh Dickinson and Penn, Illinois is 2-0 and averaging 116 points. The defense has looked sharper, too, after what the source describes as a late-season breakthrough last year.
Texas Tech is also unbeaten at 2-0, but the Red Raiders have done it in a much slower, more deliberate way, scoring 152 points total. That contrast is what makes Tuesday’s non-conference matchup so intriguing: Illinois sits No. 41 nationally in adjusted tempo, while Texas Tech is No. 316, per KenPom.
The Red Raiders’ offense has already featured a familiar face. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who played two seasons at Illinois from 2023-2025, is Texas Tech’s leading scorer right now. He poured in 25 points in a 76-58 win over Bethune-Cookman in the Red Raiders’ most recent game.
Texas Tech has plenty of other perimeter threats, too. Donovan Atwell was one of college basketball’s best three-point shooters last season, and Cruz Davis brings two-way impact.
Inside, the Red Raiders lean on Darrion Williams, a two-time All-Big 12 selection who returned to Texas Tech after spending last season at North Carolina State. Williams has gotten off to a slow start, and he’s doing it without JT Toppin alongside him in the frontcourt.
Toppin is recovering from an ACL injury, but his absence doesn’t erase what he did against Illinois a year ago. The first-team All-American had 35 points and 11 rebounds in Champaign in 2025, a performance that helped Texas Tech push the Illini in what was both teams’ first major early-season test.
That game had to get a little strange for Illinois to survive it. The Illini were forced to put 6-foot-2 Kylan Boswell on the 6-foot-9 Toppin, and Toppin still carved them up on 17-for-25 shooting.
He also added three steals and three blocks. Texas Tech, outside of Toppin, struggled to find much rhythm and shot 27.3 percent from deep.
Illinois, meanwhile, got a breakout night from Andrej Stojakovic, who delivered 23 points along with three steals and two blocks in his first big moment in an Illini uniform. Boswell scored 22, and three other Illinois players finished with 11, including Zvonimir Ivisic, who started that game. The Illini won it 81-77.
Tuesday’s rematch is set for the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas, at 7 p.m. CT.
The game will air on Peacock/NBCSN. Local radio coverage will be available on Busey Bank Illini Sports Network affiliates, including WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM in Champaign and WLS 890 AM in Chicago, with streaming also available through Fighting Illini Productions and the Varsity Network App.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Recruiting Surge Is Starting To Feel Very Real
Texas Techs recruiting momentum has taken another notable step with the verbal commitment of 4-star linebacker Jeremiah Proctor, a prospect who had previously pledged to Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound defender from Gainesville, Georgia, gives the Red Raiders another high-upside piece for the 2027 class, and his profile fits the kind of national reach the staff has been trying to build. According to 247Sports, Proctor is ranked No. 372 overall and No. 29 among linebackers nationally.
For a program trying to turn recent recruiting buzz into something more durable, this is the kind of addition that matters beyond the headline. Texas Techs 2027 class is already sitting at No. 8 nationally, and landing a player with Proctors size and ranking only adds to the sense that the Red Raiders are making real progress on the trail. The bigger question now is whether they can keep stacking wins like this and hold that momentum as the cycle keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Techs Late Defensive Surge Meant More Than Just A Win
A late defensive surge did more than close out a tight win over West Virginia for Texas Tech. Three critical sacks in the final stretch helped the Red Raiders finish off the Mountaineers, and they also gave the defense a little extra meaning beyond the box score.
Those sacks count toward a fundraising effort for Ronald McDonald House Southwest, with fans able to pledge donations based on how many times Texas Tech gets to the quarterback. The cause supports families with children receiving medical care in local hospitals, so every big stop now carries a reminder that the impact of a strong defensive night can reach well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Fans Had Two Tough Reasons To Notice This Roundup
Texas Tech fans had a couple of unrelated but very different reasons to keep one eye on the sports roundup this week. On Sunday, David Bailey made his presence felt for the New York Jets by sacking Patrick Mahomes II and forcing a fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs, a reminder of the pass-rush talent the Red Raiders once had in the program. At the same time, the soccer team is gearing up for its Big 12 Tournament opener against UCF, adding a postseason note to the days conversation.
There was also plenty of attention on the womens side, where the Lady Raiders are set to host Lamar and will see Stephanie Okechukwu, the tallest player in NCAA womens basketball history, come through Lubbock. Volleyball, meanwhile, is still searching for relief after a loss to Arizona extended its skid to 14 straight and left the Red Raiders without a Big 12 win this season, a tough stretch that has made every remaining result feel a little more urgent. [Read more 🡒]