Donovan Atwell knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers in a 34-second span, then went 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 22 seconds to lift No. 12 Texas Tech to a 90-86 victory against No. 6 Houston on Saturday at Lubbock, Texas.
The Red Raiders snapped the Cougars’ program record 16-game road winning streak and spoiled a record-setting performance by Houston freshman Kingston Flemmings.
J.T. Toppin led Texas Tech (16-4, 6-1 Big 12) to its second home win against a ranked foe in an eight-day span with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Atwell and Jaylin Petty scored 18 apiece and combined to go 9 of 14 from 3-point range, while Christian Anderson scored 12 points with nine assists.
It was just enough to offset Flemmings’ 42 points, the most ever for a Cougars freshman. Houston (17-2, 5-1 Big 12) allowed a season-high 12 3-pointers, while allowing 90 points in regulation for the first time since 2018.
After a red-hot first half, which ended with the Red Raiders in front 55-49, Texas Tech missed its first seven 3-point tries of the second half. That allowed Houston to lead by as many as four points with 10:51 remaining.
Atwell, who drained 3 of his 3-pointers in the first half, ended the drought from long distance with 5:55 left in the game on pass from Toppin to put Texas Tech back in front 78-77.
After Chae McCarty missed from deep for Houston, Atwell corralled the rebound and got the ball back again from Toppin and buried another 3-pointer with 5:21 left for an 81-77 cushion.
Houston crept back within two points twice down the stretch, the last time when Flemmings scored on a drive with 15 seconds to go. But Atwell nudged the lead back to 90-86 with a pair of free throws and the Cougars missed three 3-point attempts in the last 8 seconds.
Down at the break after allowing the most points ever in a half under Sampson, Houston stormed back in the early stages of the second half with a 12-4 run and 21 points in the initial 8:44. Flemmings scored 11 of those and the Cougars’ defense revved up to force the Red Raiders into 5-of-16 shooting in the same span.
Texas Tech shot just 34.5% (10 of 29) in the second half and 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
In the first half, the Red Raiders went 10 of 19 from 3-point range paced by Petty (4 of 5) and Atwell (3 of 4). The Cougars also struggled to contain Toppin, who scored 17 points before halftime and snatched seven rebounds.
–Field Level Media
