Texas Tech’s first and only exhibition offered a mixed bag, but the biggest takeaway came into focus fast: the Red Raiders need Jamichael Stillwell and JT Toppin back on the floor.
Without them, Texas Tech ran into trouble inside in a 76-65 road loss to Kentucky. The matchup showed how much the Red Raiders may miss size and physicality when they face a rugged front line like Malachi Moreno, especially with the Big 12 season looming.
That said, the rebounding numbers were not a disaster. Texas Tech actually won that battle 33-29.
There was plenty for Red Raider fans to keep in perspective, though. Kentucky played well, Rupp Arena was a difficult setting, and this was only an exhibition in October. Texas Tech looked like a team that still needs time to come together, but the talent level was still easy to see.
The shooting wasn’t there. Donovan Atwell went 3-for-11 from beyond the arc, and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn did not have one of his cleaner nights. Even so, the source of optimism is obvious: those are the kinds of performances that can improve as the group settles in.
One encouraging sign came from the bench. Damarion Dennis gave Texas Tech a lift with 11 points on 5-for-11 shooting, and he did enough throughout the night to suggest he could be a meaningful part of the offense. In a game where much of the wing play was inefficient, Dennis stood out.
That was part of the story for Texas Tech overall. Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn struggled in the backcourt, but Dennis gave the Red Raiders a reserve option they can trust if those issues linger. And while the loss will go in the exhibition column only, the larger picture remains intact: with more health, this team has a chance to become a serious threat.
Texas Tech now turns to the season opener, where the mistakes start counting for real. But even after the loss at Kentucky, there was enough there to suggest this roster can still grow into something dangerous.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Has A Stake In The Big 12's Next Decision
Cincinnatis upset win over Texas Tech on Saturday did more than shake up the Big 12 race. It also set off a conference review after fans stormed the Nippert Stadium field, putting the Bearcats in line for a possible $50,000 fine under the leagues field-storming policy. The Big 12 is now examining whether the appropriate security measures were in place and whether a safe path was provided for the visiting team and officials.
For Texas Tech, the interest goes beyond the loss itself, because the leagues next decision will help define how these postgame scenes are handled moving forward. The Big 12 typically reaches a ruling within days of incidents like this, so Cincinnatis situation should be settled soon, with the conference weighing both the celebration and the safety issues that came with it. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Techs QB Problem Just Changed The Big 12 Picture
Texas Techs trip to Cincinnati turned into more than just a lopsided 37-18 loss. It exposed how fragile the Red Raiders can look when the offense stalls inside the red zone and the ground game, on both sides of the ball, starts slipping away. Will Hammond threw for 227 yards, but the one interception and one fumble were part of a messy night for an offense that never found enough rhythm to keep pace.
On the other side, the Bearcats controlled the line of scrimmage in a way that changed the feel of the game and, by extension, the Big 12 conversation around Texas Tech. Cincinnati piled up 257 rushing yards, with Cole Tabb doing most of the damage, and the Red Raiders spent too much of the night chasing answers after Brendan Sorsby was unavailable because of eligibility issues tied to gambling allegations. For Texas Tech, the loss was frustrating enough on its own, but the bigger concern is what it says about how quickly the margin can disappear when the quarterback situation turns uncertain. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Faces Its First Real Road Test At Cincinnati
No. 8 Texas Tech heads to Nippert Stadium for what figures to be its first true road test of the season, and the matchup brings a familiar sort of Big 12 stress. Joey McGuire and defensive coordinator Shiel Wood spent part of the buildup circling Cincinnatis running game, while also keeping an eye on quarterback JC French IV and the ways the Bearcats try to make a defense stay honest. For a Red Raiders team that has looked sharp and physical, this is the kind of game that starts to reveal how much of that success travels.
Texas Techs defense has been one of the early talking points around the program, and recent individual performances have only added to the optimism. But road games have a way of testing discipline as much as talent, especially in a venue like Nippert where the noise and tempo can change the feel of a game quickly. The broadcast will be easy to find, but the bigger question is whether the Red Raiders can take their defensive confidence on the road and handle a Cincinnati team built to make opponents work for every stop. [Read more 🡒]