Contrasting styles and mirror-image expectations clash Saturday in another high-profile showdown of ranked Big 12 Conference teams, and this time it’s a rematch of a close game that remains fresh in both teams’ minds.
With the game time moved to 1 p.m. CT due to the winter storm sweeping across the country, No. 6 Houston faces No. 12 Texas Tech in Lubbock in a battle between the league’s best defense and one of its most prolific offenses.
The Cougars (17-1, 5-0 Big 12) sit in second place in the league behind top-ranked Arizona. Their closest call in conference play so far was a 69-65 win against the Red Raiders (15-4, 5-1) on Jan. 6.
Texas Tech narrowly escaped Colorado with a 73-71 win, but the Red Raiders are formidable at home: 10-0 this season with an average scoring margin of 20.2 points. They have won all three Big 12 home games by 22, 14 and 13 points — the latest against No. 11 BYU last Saturday.
The challenge looks tougher against a Houston team that makes scoring difficult every possession. The Cougars allow just 60.1 points per game, the second lowest in the country, and opponents shoot only 39.1% from the field (second in the Big 12, 15th nationally). In the first meeting, the Red Raiders’ scoring was their second lowest this season, and they shot just 41.1% overall.
“We’re definitely excited about getting another chance against them because we didn’t think we played very well before,” Texas Tech guard Donovan Atwell said. “We know we have to be locked in on both sides of the ball.”
The Red Raiders come in after a much different game, following a 92-73 romp on the road at Baylor. Texas Tech connected on 14 of 19 3-point attempts in the first half and finished the night shooting a season-best 63% from deep (17 of 27). The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in 3-pointers made (216) and attempted (553).
Despite those numbers, the player who has Houston coach Kelvin Sampson’s full attention the most is Texas Tech forward JT Toppin. The 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year and a preseason All-American, Toppin averages 21.6 points and a Big 12-leading 10.8 rebounds. He contributed 18 and 11 in the first game between Houston and Texas Tech and matched a career-best with five blocked shots.
“He’s the most efficient basketball player in the country,” Sampson said. “He takes shots he can make. I just love the way the kid plays. He plays with great focus.”
Besides Toppin, the Cougars will also have to contend with Red Raider point guard Christian Anderson, who tops the Big 12 with 7.4 assists per game and has been lethal from beyond the 3-point arc, hitting 45.3%. Anderson drained eight 3s against Baylor, while Atwell connected on 7 of 10.
The Cougars counter with a tough, well-rounded team that mixes experienced veterans and talented freshmen from a squad that nearly won the national championship last season.
Emanuel Sharp is Houston’s leading scorer (15.9 ppg) and top 3-point shooting threat (38.6%), while highly touted freshman Kingston Flemings has settled in as one of the top players in the Big 12 with averages of 15.6 points and a team-best 5.4 assists.
To beat the Red Raiders earlier this month, the Cougars needed a boost from Flemings, and he delivered with nine points in the final 2 minutes, part of a 15-point second half and game-high 23 points.
Freshman Jaylen Petty led Texas Tech against Houston, tying a season-high with 20 points in the loss, buoyed by 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
–Field Level Media
