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Texas Tech basketball the talk of the nation after dramatic win over No. 3 Illinois

Thanks to the incredible atmosphere in Lubbock and the impressive win over Illinois, the Texas Tech basketball team is getting plenty of national attention.
ByMatthew Conner
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Texas Tech's Jamichael Stillwell gestures after a defensive stop against Illinois during a Division I non-conference men's basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech's Jamichael Stillwell gestures after a defensive stop against Illinois during a Division I non-conference men's basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tuesday night in Lubbock was no ordinary November college basketball experience. The No. 16 Texas Tech basketball team hosted No. 3 Illinois in one of the most highly anticipated non-conference games in program history.

Fortunately, the Red Raiders came away with an 84-78 victory in front of a crowd that was as loud and intense as any United Supermarkets Arena has ever witnessed, short of Chris Beard's return to Lubbock as head coach of the Texas Longhorns.

"Man, what do you say about the United Supermarkets Arena?" head coach Grant McCasland said after the game. "You can't describe it to people. It is phenomenal. I've been in so many buildings where, when you're not playing good or not shooting good, the energy kinda feels like 'Aw, when are you guys going to do something?' and this place will not let us lose.

"I don't know how else to say it. The blessing of being on the Red Raider basketball team is playing in the U.S.A. when it is full like this."

Certainly, fans from across the Big 12 have known for years that Lubbock is a brutal place to play, especially when the Red Raiders have a team capable of competing for a Big 12 and National Championship. However, it feels like some of the national media is still ignorant of what has developed in the Hub City.

For generations, college basketball has been dominated by teams from the eastern portion of the country (with the exception of UCLA's amazing run under John Wooden). Therefore, the media, which is also largely concentrated in markets east of the Mississippi, tends to ignore what happens in far-flung locales such as Lubbock.

That's why early-season non-conference games at home are special. They draw new viewers from new markets to United Supermarkets Arena. That allows Lubbock and Texas Tech to put their best foot forward, and that's exactly what happened on Tuesday night.

Therefore, Texas Tech is one of the stories of the day in the world of college sports. People from around America were impressed not only by what the Red Raiders did on the court, but also by what the fan base showed in support.

It is great to see the U.S.A. finally start to get its national due as one of the elite environments in college basketball. So let's take a look at some of the top social media posts from people outside of the Texas Tech ecosystem who were taken aback by what they saw Tuesday night.

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