HOUSTON — The Texas Tech Red Raiders emerged victorious against the Houston Cougars with a narrow 82-81 win in overtime, marking their sixth consecutive triumph. Chance McMillian played a vital role in the victory, contributing 23 points and sinking two crucial free throws with just 16 seconds left in the extra period.
Along with McMillian, Elijah Hawkins and Kerwin Walton provided significant offensive support for Texas Tech, scoring 17 and 14 points respectively. For Houston, L.J. Cryer led the team with 22 points, while J’Wan Roberts and Milos Uzan added 18 and 10 points, respectively. This loss broke a remarkable 13-game winning streak for the Cougars and marked the end of their home dominance, which lasted since January 22, 2023, against Temple.
With the game tied at 72 with only 30 seconds remaining in regulation, Darrion Williams nailed a critical 3-pointer to level the score. Houston had the opportunity to win it at the buzzer; however, Roberts’ shot was thwarted by Federiko Federiko’s block.
In a dramatic turn during the first half, Texas Tech’s head coach Grant McCasland was ejected after receiving two technical fouls in quick succession due to his vehement argument over a flagrant 2 call on JT Toppin. The incident occurred when Toppin seemingly kicked Houston’s Joseph Tugler while executing a jump pass. Following a review, Toppin indeed received the flagrant foul and McCasland continued to dispute the decision as he was escorted away from the officials.
As a result of this thrilling contest, Texas Tech improved its record in Quad 1 games to 4-2, allowing them to remain competitive in the Big 12 standings as they sit just a game behind both Arizona and Houston. On the other hand, the loss dropped Houston’s record in Quad 1 matchups to 3-4 and ended their 18-game winning streak in the Big 12.
In a crucial moment for the team, following McMillian’s free throws, Roberts was penalized for traveling with only 1.5 seconds left. After stealing the inbound pass, Roberts attempted a desperate halfcourt shot, which ultimately did not connect.
In terms of performance at the free-throw line, Texas Tech had a solid showing with 24 successful attempts out of 34, while Houston converted 18 out of 27. The Red Raiders are set to host Baylor on Tuesday night, while Houston prepares to face Oklahoma State at home the same evening.
