In a thrilling matchup on December 16, 2025, the No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders triumphed over Northern Colorado with a score of 101-90, marking a significant milestone as they extended their impressive nonconference home winning streak to an astonishing 45 games. The star of the night was LeJuan Watts, who delivered an incredible performance, scoring 36 points with a remarkable shooting accuracy of 12 out of 13 attempts. His teammate, JT Toppin, also made a notable contribution with 23 points.
Texas Tech, boasting an overall record of 8-3, maintained control throughout most of the game, never falling behind after establishing a lead of up to 14 points. However, it was a pivotal second-half surge by Watts that solidified their victory.
Northern Colorado, now 9-2 for the season, managed to tie the game twice in the second half, thanks to Brock Wisne's back-to-back baskets. Wisne's fast-break layup leveled the score at 70 with just over 13 minutes left on the clock, and following a jumper from Toppin, he again evened the score with another shot, capping a remarkable 19-5 run for the Bears.
In response, the Red Raiders unleashed a powerful 13-4 run within a span of three minutes. Christian Anderson contributed with two free throws, followed by Watts, who scored two more free throws, two jumpers, and a three-pointer. A highlight dunk by Toppin punctuated this critical stretch, showcasing Texas Tech's offensive prowess.
Anderson finished the game with 14 points and six assists, while Jaylen Petty also contributed 14 points. Donovan Atwell added another 10 points to the scoreboard.
For Northern Colorado, Zach Bloch stood out with 17 points and eight assists, and Vincent Delano chipped in with 16 points.
It's worth noting that Texas Tech has not lost a nonconference home game since a narrow overtime defeat against No. 15 Kentucky in January 2020. Under the leadership of third-year head coach Grant McCasland, the Red Raiders have maintained an impressive home record, going 22-0 in nonconference games at home.
Looking ahead, Northern Colorado is set to host Denver on Saturday, while Texas Tech will face a challenging opponent in No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden that same evening.
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