No. 15 Texas Tech Closes Out Non-Conference Play on Sunday

LUBBOCK, TX — No. 15 Texas Tech will close its nonconference schedule Sunday when it hosts Winthrop at the United Supermarkets Arena on Sunday, Dec. 28. Tip-off in this weekend's matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Red Raiders (9-3) enter the matchup unbeaten at home this season and riding a 45-game home winning streak in nonconference play — the third-longest active streak in the nation. They are 22-0 in such games under head coach Grant McCasland. 

Texas Tech is coming off a dramatic comeback win over then-No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden, rallying from 17 points down in the second half. Christian Anderson scored 23 of his game-high 27 points after halftime and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week and to the conference’s Starting Five. LeJuan Watts earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors after scoring 20 against Duke and a career-high 36 earlier in the week against Northern Colorado.

JT Toppin leads Texas Tech with 21.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. The sophomore recorded his sixth double-double of the season against Duke and is second in the Big 12 in rebounding and fourth in scoring. Anderson ranks fourth nationally with 7.3 assists per game and has scored in double figures 12 times this season. The Red Raiders average 83.5 points per game with four players in double figures: Toppin, Anderson (19.9), Watts (14.5) and Donovan Atwell (10.8).

Winthrop (8-6), from Rock Hill, South Carolina, enters with a 2-5 road record and is coming off a 107-41 win over Clinton. The Eagles have one common opponent with Texas Tech — Arkansas — losing 84-83 to the Razorbacks, who beat Tech 93-86 in Dallas. Winthrop averages 90.3 points per game and has made 156 3-pointers (37.1%). Logan Duncomb leads the team with 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, while Kareem Rozier (13.2 ppg, 56 assists) and Kody Clouet (12.1 ppg) anchor the backcourt. Rozier hit seven 3-pointers and scored 23 against Arkansas, while Clouet added four 3-pointers.

Texas Tech enters the matchup ranked second in the Big 12 with 10.7 made 3-pointers per game and just 10.0 turnovers per contest. The Red Raiders have made 10 or more 3-pointers in eight games this season, including a program-record 17 in the opener against Lindenwood.

The program is seeking its sixth consecutive season without a nonconference home loss. Texas Tech has won 99 of its last 100 nonconference home games, with the lone loss coming in overtime to Kentucky in 2020.

After spending much of last season unranked before finishing No. 8 following an Elite Eight run, Texas Tech began this year at No. 10 in the AP preseason poll — the highest preseason ranking in program history. The Red Raiders have now appeared in 17 consecutive AP Top 25 polls, the longest streak in program history, and are 1-3 this season against ranked opponents.

Tip-off for Sunday's matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Texas Tech will open Big 12 play at home Jan. 3 against Oklahoma State before traveling to face No. 8 Houston on Jan. 6.