Texas Tech is heading into the 2026-2027 season with the kind of buzz that only comes when a roster looks built for a serious March run.
The Red Raiders are coming off a second-round NCAA tournament exit last season, but the conversation in Lubbock has moved well beyond simply getting back to the field. This group is being viewed as a team with national championship upside, and the reason is pretty straightforward: Texas Tech has piled up experience, talent and versatility in all the right places.
Grant McCasland’s roster already reads like one of the stronger ones in the country, and that case gets even stronger if Jamichael Stillwell returns soon. JT Toppin’s comeback from injury would only push things further, potentially taking the Red Raiders from elite to something even more dangerous.
The backcourt is one of the clearest strengths. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Cruz Davis bring a combined seven seasons of college basketball with them, and both are coming off seasons in which they averaged 20 points per game. That kind of production gives Texas Tech a steady engine when the games tighten up.
Donovan Atwell adds another major weapon. He returns as one of the best three-point shooters in the country, giving McCasland a proven scorer who can stretch a defense and change the shape of a game in a hurry.
Then there’s Darrion Williams, back in Lubbock after a one-year stint with NC State. His return gives the Red Raiders a do-everything piece who can fit wherever he’s needed, and it’s already clear the fanbase has embraced the move.
The biggest uncertainty is up front, where Stillwell and Toppin are both currently out. For now, that puts a lot on Bassala Bagayoko and Josiah Moseley. Bagayoko, a 6-foot-10 freshman from Mali, and Moseley are both capable of making plays, but the frontcourt picture changes dramatically when Tech gets its key bigs back.
If that happens, the ceiling gets even higher. The source of this optimism isn’t just the starting group, either. Texas Tech also has depth pieces who could matter in a postseason run, including Wyoming transfer Damarion Dennis and freshman DaKari Spear in the backcourt, plus LaTrell Hoover and Marial Akuentok in the frontcourt.
That mix of skill and depth is a big part of why this roster looks so complete. But the final piece is McCasland himself. In three seasons at Texas Tech, he has established himself as one of the best coaches in college basketball, which explains why his name keeps surfacing in searches for other top jobs.
Put it all together, and Texas Tech has the kind of profile that can scare anybody in the bracket. With experienced talent, real depth and McCasland at the controls, the Red Raiders enter the 2026-2027 season with what looks like the highest ceiling in the sport and a real chance to reach Detroit in April.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Gets Timely Boost For An Offense That Keeps Stalling
Texas Techs offense has been looking for a steadier answer in tight spaces, and help is on the way. Running back Cam Dickey has been cleared to return after missing the past two games with a high ankle sprain suffered Oct. 3, giving the Red Raiders a needed option back in the mix as they try to clean up the parts of the offense that have been bogging down.
His absence has shown up most clearly in short-yardage and red-zone situations, where the Red Raiders have struggled to finish drives. Getting Dickey back should give Texas Tech a better chance to convert those chances into points, even if it does not solve every issue in an offense that has still been searching for rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Arizonas Surge Faces Its Toughest Big 12 Test Yet
No. 22 Arizonas rapid rise in the Big 12 now runs into one of the leagues most complete teams, with a trip to Lubbock to face No. 13 Texas Tech offering a clear measuring stick for where both programs stand. Each team enters at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play, which only sharpens the stakes in a matchup that feels more like an early November statement game than a midseason stop.
Arizona will lean on Noah Fifita, who is set to make his 42nd consecutive start and remains the steadying force of the offense, while Texas Tech is hopeful to get running back Cameron Dickey back from injury. For the Red Raiders, that potential return matters because depth and balance could prove decisive against a team that has already shown it can handle Big 12 pressure, and this one should tell plenty about how far Tech has come in the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Faces One Early Roster Problem It Must Solve Fast
Texas Techs roster looks deep enough to compete, but it has one early-season problem that could show up quickly in the paint: size. The Red Raiders do not have much height to lean on right away, which puts extra pressure on their rebounders and could make the glass a nightly concern if opponents attack inside. Until the frontcourt is back to full strength, the burden of holding things together falls on the players who can bring energy, toughness and second efforts.
Bassala Bagayoko and Darrion Williams loom especially large in that plan, with both expected to help offset the size gap through physicality and activity. Texas Tech will have to win some battles the hard way early on, using intensity to make up for what it lacks in inches, while waiting for JT Toppin to return from injury and give the roster a different look. For a team with bigger goals, solving that rebounding issue fast may be one of the first real tests of the season. [Read more 🡒]