Texas Tech begins the 2023 calendar year by hosting No. 3 Kansas at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the United Supermarkets Arena.
As a program, Tech has beaten a top-10 opponent in eight straight seasons, a top-5 opponent seven in a row, and has 27 wins over top-10 teams in program history. The Red Raiders (10-3, 0-1 Big 12) are coming off a 67-61 loss at TCU last Saturday to open Big 12 play, while the Jayhawks (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) rallied from a halftime deficit to earn a 69-67 home win over Oklahoma State. Tech is on a 29-game home winning streak coming with an 8-0 home record this season. TTU and KU split their regular-season matchups with the home teams winning last season, including Tech taking a 75-67 win on January 8, 2022, in Lubbock. The Red Raiders and Jayhawks met in the Big 12 Championship final with KU securing a 74-65 in Kansas City before making its National Championship run in the NCAA Tournament.
Tech senior Kevin Obanor leads the Red Raiders with 15.8 points per game and is adding 6.2 rebounds, while sophomore Daniel Batcho is at 12.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game after having nine rebounds and five blocks at TCU. Pop Isaacs led the Red Raiders with 17 points at TCU after matching a freshman-season best five 3-pointers, while De’Vion Harmon is averaging 12.2 points per game and leads Tech with 4.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Harmon had 13 points, seven rebounds, and five steals at TCU. All five Texas Tech starters are averaging in double figures coming into the matchup against KU with Jaylon Tyson at 10.0 points per game. Obanor, Harmon, and Isaacs have started all 13 games this season.
Kansas junior Jalen Wilson leads the Jayhawks with 21.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while freshman Gradey Dick is at 14.8 points per game. Wilson and Harmon were teammates at Denton Guyer HS. Kevin McCullar is in his first season at KU after three years at Tech. He is currently averaging 11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. McCullar redshirted at Tech during the program’s 2019 Final Four run and averaged 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds last season for the Red Raiders who advanced to the Sweet 16. Dajuan Harris leads KU with 88 assists and is scoring 7.5 points, while KJ Adams is averaging 9.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. KU is averaging 78.1 points per game this season by shooting 48.1 percent from the field.
Tech will also host Oklahoma this week with a 6 p.m. matchup on Saturday at the United Supermarkets Arena. OU (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) hosts No. 25 Iowa State (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) on Wednesday in Norman, Oklahoma before traveling to Lubbock this weekend.
