The No. 9-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders men’s basketball team suffered a critical 69-66 road loss to TCU on February 18, 2025, intensifying scrutiny of their Big 12 title hopes. Despite a late-game rally led by star forward Darrion Williams (18 points, 11 rebounds) and guard Pop Isaacs (15 points), the Red Raiders fell short in Fort Worth, dropping to 19-7 overall and 8-5 in conference play.
Head coach Grant McCasland called the defeat “a wake-up call” during his postgame press conference, emphasizing defensive lapses that allowed TCU to shoot 48% from the field. The loss snapped Texas Tech’s four-game win streak and pushed them to fifth place in the tightly contested Big 12 standings.
All eyes now turn to tonight’s high-stakes matchup against West Virginia (16-10, 6-7 Big 12) at United Supermarkets Arena. The Mountaineers will wear special Jerry West-inspired throwback jerseys, adding nostalgia to what promises to be a physical contest. Texas Tech’s backcourt duo of Kevin Overton and Elijah Hawkins must contain WVU’s explosive guard RaeQuan Battle, who averages 19.2 points per game.
Despite recent struggles, analytics favor the Red Raiders – they rank top-25 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and boast a perfect 14-0 home record this season. A win tonight would keep them in contention for a double-bye at next month’s Big 12 Tournament.
Key factors to watch:
- Health concerns: Sixth man Chance McMillian (ankle) remains questionable after missing practice Thursday
- Rebounding battle: Texas Tech leads the Big 12 in offensive rebounds (12.9/game)
- Coaching chess match: WVU’s interim coach Josh Eilert has deployed innovative zone defenses recently
