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Finally completely healthy, Texas Tech looks to be one of the best teams in the country

It’s not very often you can say a team ranked tenth in the NET and 11th at KenPom.com is underrated, but that’s exactly the case for Grant McCasland’s squad down in Lubbock. Four of Texas Tech’s eight rotational players have missed at least two games already this season, with leading scorer JT Toppin missing four.

All four of Texas Tech’s losses have been five points or less, with Tech falling twice by a single point, including an overtime home loss to Iowa State. Since that loss to the Cyclones, Texas Tech has won three straight, highlighted by a dominant win over Arizona, which has vaulted them up the computer rankings.

I’m not a big fan of the AP Poll, and for what it’s worth, their voters have yet to rank Texas Tech within the top 25 yet this season.

Last night’s win at Cincinnati gave the Red Raiders their fourth away win of the year (4-0 road record), led by 20 points from Toppin and 18 points off the bench from Christian Anderson in the 81-71 win.

Coming from North Texas, McCasland is well known for his team’s defenses, but it’s been the elite offense this season that has changed things for Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders currently rank seventh at KenPom in offensive efficiency, highlighted by top 20 numbers in effective field goal percentage (57.0%, 12th), offensive rebounding percentage (37.3%, 17th), and three-point percentage (38.9%, 13th).

Toppin (16.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg) has led the way for the Red Raiders, putting up dominant numbers early in the season before missing a month of action due to injury. He came back and scored 26 against UCF in his return, and after a bit of a dry spell has now scored 20 points in back-to-back games, adding 23 rebounds across the two games against Arizona and Cincinnati.

When you combine Toppin’s offensive paint presence with the rest of Texas Tech’s roster, you have a recipe for success. This team was a preseason Final Four selection of mine, and it seems to finally be coming together.

Along with the scoring load from Toppin, the Red Raiders get plenty of buckets from the duo on the wings of Darrion Williams (15.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.6 apg) and Chance McMillian (15.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg). Williams’ exceptional blend of scoring, size, quickness, power, and playmaking makes him a matchup nightmare for virtually any team when you consider you also have to stop Toppin. McMillian makes his living from outside the arc (47.2% 3P) but is extremely efficient no matter where he takes a shot from (55.0% FG, 89.4% FT).

In the backcourt, you get more scoring from freshman sparkplug Christian Anderson (9.5 ppg, 42.9% 3P) and sophomore Kevin Overton (9.4 ppg), and a perfect floor general to lead this team in Elijah Hawkins (9.1 ppg, 6.2 apg, 1.8 spg).

Anderson has been one of the many pleasant surprises among a talented freshmen class nationwide, giving Texas Tech an instant impact and logging the fourth most minutes on the team.

Hawkins has played some of his best basketball after the calendar turned to January, taking some time to settle in after transferring in from Minnesota where he was top ten nationally in assists. In January, Hawkins has logged four games with nine or more assists and three games in double figures in scoring, including a six three-pointer, 22-point performance on the road against BYU.

Federiko Federiko (7.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) has also been an under the radar guy for the Red Raiders, keeping opposing teams away from the rim and providing energy in his minutes off the bench.

I’ve been big on this team all year long, and it now seems as if everything is coming together. JT Toppin is healthy and playing terrific. Chance McMillian and Darrion Williams give the Red Raiders two guys on the wing that can create their own shot and are extremely effective. Then you have Elijah Hawkins and Christian Anderson, two completely different styled point guards, in the backcourt to wreak havoc on opposing guards and keep this team rolling.

If you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, now’s your last opportunity, because the Red Raiders are destined for success this season. Texas Tech finishes the month hosting Oklahoma State and TCU before a road tilt against Houston on February 1.

Other Things to Note:

• Chaz Lanier scores 23 to lead #6 Tennessee past #14 Mississippi State 68-56
• 22 points from Micah Parrish gives Ohio State stunning 73-70 win at Mackey Arena over #11 Purdue
• Aday Mara announces himself to college basketball after a year and a half with 22 points in UCLA’s 85-83 win over #18 Wisconsin
• Reyne Smith hits 10 three-pointers in Louisville’s dominant 98-73 win at SMU
• #16 Ole Miss hosts #13 Texas A&M in top 20 matchup in Oxford (9:00 ET, ESPN2)