Texas Tech Basketball: A Team with Offensive Firepower, Defensive Questions, and a Steep Climb Ahead
After splitting games against Arkansas and Northern Colorado, it’s becoming increasingly clear who this Texas Tech team is-and who they’re not. Two games, two opponents with very different profiles, but one troubling throughline: the Red Raiders gave up 90-plus points in both. That’s not just a red flag; it’s a siren.
Right now, Tech is leaning heavily on its offensive firepower to stay in games, but the defense is lagging far behind. This isn’t just a matter of effort-it’s about personnel, size, and identity. And with Big 12 play looming, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Defensive Struggles: More Than Just a Bad Night
Let’s start with the obvious: this team is struggling to get stops. And it’s not a one-off. It’s systemic.
Texas Tech simply doesn’t have many natural defenders on this roster. Outside of Robert Bamgboye, who has shown flashes of defensive upside, the rest of the rotation lacks the instincts, length, and lateral quickness needed to lock down high-level opponents. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a program that, not long ago, was known for suffocating defense.
Effort is part of the equation-always is-but it’s not the whole story. This team is also undersized, especially in the post, and injuries have only made that worse.
The result? Opponents are getting comfortable looks both inside and out, and Tech hasn’t shown the grit or cohesion to consistently contest those shots.
And when you’re already giving up second-chance points due to rebounding issues, that’s a recipe for disaster.
What Needs to Change?
At this point, it’s unrealistic to expect a defensive transformation overnight. So the Red Raiders will have to lean into what they do well: scoring the basketball.
Christian Anderson, JT Toppin, and LeJuan Watts have shown they can fill it up, and they’ll need to do just that-especially in marquee matchups like the one coming up at Madison Square Garden against No. 3 Duke.
If Tech is going to pull off an upset in that game, it’s going to take something special. A lights-out shooting night from deep.
A career performance or two. And yes, at least a passable defensive showing.
Because Duke isn’t the type of team you can trade buckets with for 40 minutes and expect to come out on top.
Who’s the Closer?
When it comes to crunch time, there’s no debate-Christian Anderson is the guy. He’s got the handles, the shot-making ability, and the poise to create something out of nothing, even when defenses key in on him.
But don’t sleep on LeJuan Watts, especially after his recent performance. He’s proving he can handle pressure, make smart decisions with the ball, and rise to the occasion when it matters most. If the Red Raiders can get both guys clicking late in games, they’ll have a legitimate closing duo.
NCAA Tournament Outlook: Bubble Watch Begins Early
So, where does this team stand in the big picture?
Despite the defensive concerns, most signs still point to Texas Tech making the NCAA Tournament-but it’s going to be close. This isn’t a team that’s going to cruise into March Madness. They’ll have to fight for every win, especially in a loaded Big 12 where even the middle-of-the-pack teams can knock you off on any given night.
Selection Sunday could be a nail-biter. But if the Red Raiders can tighten things up-just enough on the defensive end-and continue to let their scorers cook, they’ve got a path to the dance.
It won’t be easy. It won’t always be pretty.
But this team has enough offensive talent to keep things interesting. The question is whether that will be enough when the games get tougher and the stakes get higher.