Five February Texas Tech basketball games that the Red Raiders must win

February has arrived and that means there is only a little over a month until the Big 12 basketball tournament. That's why the year's second month is always a time when the intensity picks up on the hardwood.

Entering the month, Tech is 16-4 overall and 5-2 in Big 12 action. Each of those win totals is equal to what last year's team managed to accomplish in a full season thus showing how good Grant McCasland has been in his first year as head coach.

While it is great to see the Red Raiders in second place in the conference and ranked No. 15 in the nation, the reality is that February is where the rubber will meet the road as far as the league action is concerned. And it is shaping up to be a pretty difficult month for the Red Raiders.

The good news, though, is that of the eight games Tech will play this month, five will take place in Lubbock. That includes games each of the next two Saturdays.

So let's look at five games this month Tech has to win if the Red Raiders want to remain in position to contend for a Big 12 title when March arrives.