Texas Tech’s Anderson, McCasland Set to Clash in U19 World Cup Final

LUBBOCK, TX — Texas Tech men’s basketball will be well represented in Sunday’s FIBA U19 World Cup final as freshman guard Christian Anderson and head coach Grant McCasland meet on opposite sides of the championship matchup in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Anderson will lead Germany against McCasland’s Team USA at 1 p.m. at Lausanne Arena. Both teams are undefeated at 6-0 after sweeping group play and winning three knockout stage games apiece.

Anderson, who holds dual citizenship, continued his standout international performance with 27 points, six assists, and five rebounds in Germany’s 84-72 semifinal win over Slovenia on Saturday. The Atlanta native is averaging 17.2 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game and ranks fifth in the tournament in assists and seventh in scoring.

Team USA, meanwhile, advanced to the title game with a 120-64 rout of New Zealand. The Americans will be seeking a record ninth U19 World Cup title, while Germany will make its first appearance in the final. The two countries have met twice before in the tournament’s history, splitting the matchups.

Anderson earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors last season after averaging 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game for the Red Raiders. He scored a season-high 22 points in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 win over Arkansas and finished the year tied for the team lead with 71 made 3-pointers.

McCasland, serving his second year as an assistant for USA Basketball, led the Red Raiders to a 51-20 record in his first two seasons and guided Texas Tech to the Elite Eight in March. He signed a six-year contract extension earlier this summer to remain at Tech through the 2030-31 season.

Sunday’s final will stream live on FIBA’s YouTube channel.