If you’ve ever spent a Tuesday night inside the United Supermarkets Arena when the bass is thumping and the student section is losing its collective mind, you know Lubbock is a different beast. It's loud. It’s dusty. It’s basically a house of horrors for any visiting team that thinks they’re just going to waltz in and grab a win. Right now, everyone is staring at the texas tech red raiders basketball schedule trying to figure out if Grant McCasland has the horses to actually pull off a Big 12 title run.
Honestly, the schedule is a grind. There is no other way to put it. This year’s slate is like running a marathon through a minefield.
The Remaining Big 12 Meat Grinder
We are deep in the thick of it now. The Red Raiders (currently 14-4, 4-1 Big 12) just came off a massive statement win against BYU. But if you think the path gets easier from here, you haven't been paying attention to how stacked this conference is.
The immediate future is a gauntlet. On Tuesday, January 20, the team heads to Waco to face Baylor at the Foster Pavilion. That’s an 8:00 PM CT tip-off on Peacock. Then, they come right back home for a massive Saturday night showdown against Houston on January 24. That game is already sold out. If you don't have tickets yet, you’re basically looking at paying a kidney on the secondary market.
Here is what the rest of the texas tech red raiders basketball schedule looks like for the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season:
- Jan 31: at UCF (11:00 AM CT, Orlando)
- Feb 2: vs. Kansas (8:00 PM CT, Lubbock) - This is the Big Monday game everyone has circled.
- Feb 8: at West Virginia (12:00 PM CT, Morgantown)
- Feb 11: vs. Colorado (7:00 PM CT, Lubbock)
- Feb 14: at Arizona (TBA, Tucson) - This Valentine's Day trip to the desert will be brutal.
- Feb 17: at Arizona State (10:00 PM CT, Tempe)
- Feb 21: vs. Kansas State (1:30 PM CT, Lubbock)
- Feb 24: vs. Cincinnati (6:00 PM CT, Lubbock)
- Feb 28: at Iowa State (3:00 PM CT, Ames) - Hilton Magic is real, and Tech always struggles there.
- Mar 3: vs. TCU (6:00 PM CT, Lubbock)
- Mar 7: at BYU (9:30 PM CT, Provo) - The regular-season finale at the Marriott Center.
Why This Year Feels Different
Look, we’ve seen good Tech teams before. We saw the 2019 run. But this group under Grant McCasland has a specific kind of grit that feels like old-school Lubbock basketball mixed with modern-day efficiency.
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JT Toppin is the absolute real deal. The guy is averaging 21.3 points and over 11 rebounds a game. He leads the Big 12 in boards and is basically a walking double-double. Seeing him work in the paint is like watching a masterclass in positioning. He doesn't just outjump people; he out-thinks them.
Then you’ve got Christian Anderson. Most people weren't sure how the sophomore would handle the primary ball-handling duties in the toughest conference in America. He's answered that by leading the Big 12 with 7.5 assists per game. He’s the engine. When Anderson is clicking and finding Toppin or LeJuan Watts in transition, this team is nearly impossible to stop at home.
Navigating the Road Hazards
The home record is perfect (10-0), but the road is where seasons go to die in the Big 12. Texas Tech is 1-2 on the road so far in conference play. That’s the stat that should keep you up at night.
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Winning in Lubbock is "easy" (relatively speaking). Winning in places like Ames, Lawrence, or Tucson? That’s where champions are made. The late February swing through Arizona and Iowa State is going to be the ultimate litmus test. If Tech can split those four road games, they’ll be in a prime position for a top-3 seed in the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City.
Key Matchups to Watch
You’ve got to mark your calendar for February 2. Kansas coming to the United Supermarkets Arena is more than just a game; it’s an event. Bill Self usually has a plan for the "Raider Power" chant, but the atmosphere that night will be electric.
Another sneaky big game is the finale against BYU on March 7. If the standings stay as tight as they are now, that game in Provo could determine who gets a double-bye in the conference tournament. BYU is tough at home, and that 9:30 PM tip-off is going to be a late-night stress test for Red Raider fans.
Practical Steps for Fans
If you're planning on following the texas tech red raiders basketball schedule through the finish line, here is what you need to do:
- Check the TV listings early: The Big 12’s deal with ESPN+ and Peacock means games are scattered. Don't wait until 7:55 PM to realize you don't have the right streaming login.
- Monitor the secondary market: For the Kansas and Houston home games, prices fluctuate wildly. If you’re buying, Tuesday mornings are often the "sweet spot" for price drops.
- Watch the injury report: With McCasland's high-intensity defensive style, depth is huge. Keep an eye on the minutes for role players like Tyeree Bryan and Donovan Atwell.
- Plan for Kansas City: The Big 12 Tournament starts March 10. If you’re going, book your hotel in the Power and Light District now before the prices triple.
The road to the Final Four in San Antonio starts with surviving February. This Texas Tech team has the talent, the coaching, and the home-court advantage to make it happen. Now they just have to prove it on the hardwood.