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College basketball world goes wild for Texas Tech after improbable win at Houston

Thanks to its remarkable road win over Houston, the Texas Tech basketball team was the toast of the college basketball world Saturday night.
ByMatthew Conner|
Feb 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Darrion Williams (5) reacts after shooting a three point basket to tie the game with seconds left on the clock against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Darrion Williams (5) reacts after shooting a three point basket to tie the game with seconds left on the clock against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There are always moments when special teams realize what they are capable of. That's likely what we witnessed from the Texas Tech basketball team on Saturday night.

In an 82-81 victory over Houston in Space City, the Red Raiders showed the nation that they deserve to be considered amongst the best teams in the country.

From a resume perspective, Tech needed this win to put itself in the conversation for a top-4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Previously, the Red Raiders checked in anywhere from a No. 5 to a No. 8 seed in most "Bracketology" projections.

However, prior to Saturday, Tech had gone 0-2 against ranked teams this season leaving many to want to see more before considering the Red Raiders a true contender. The Red Raiders lost to then-No. 22 Texas A&M 72-67 in Fort Worth in early December in a game star forward JT Toppin missed not because of an ejection but because of an injury.

Then, in the fourth game of Big 12 play, Tech fell to then-No. 3 Iowa State 85-84 at home in overtime. That game saw the Red Raiders miss three critical free throws down the stretch as they blew a 13-point lead.

While the rest of what Tech had done in Big 12 play had been impressive, a 7-2 record including a 4-0 mark in road games, head coach Grant McCasland and his team still lacked a marquee win.

Tech needed to come up with the type of triumph that would vault them into the national conversation. This team needed to slay a dragon.

That's exactly what they did in Houston. As a result, people around the country were talking about the Red Raiders after their win over the No. 6 team in the country, one that came without JT Toppin or Grant McCasland for the final 36 minutes of play. So let's take a look at what the college basketball world had to say about Texas Tech on social media after the Red Raiders stunned the nation.

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