By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
There’s no rest for the weary.
After a historic comeback win over No. 11 Kansas Saturday, the Bears (14-7, 6-4) will travel to Lubbock on Tuesday to take on No. 13 Texas Tech (17-4, 8-2). A top-10 team according to all the analytics sites, the Red Raiders are on a tear, going 8-1 with five double-digit wins since the turn of the new year.
“They’re a top team in the country, well-coached program,” graduate wing Jalen Celestine said. “It’s gonna be a dogfight for sure.”
The Red Raiders, ranked sixth by EvanMiya’s Net Relative Rankings, overcame a controversial early ejection against No. 5 Houston for an 82-81 overtime win on the road. They’re 8-2 in Big 12 play, with their two losses coming by only five combined points.
JT Toppin just got EJECTED… for that?! pic.twitter.com/4vehWoxGTg
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 1, 2025
“Just shows you, not only is Tech really good, but they’re also deep,” Drew said. “To lose JT Toppin and then win — there is a pretty big statement.”
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland spent the first half of the 2010s as an assistant coach in Waco before taking the head coaching position at Arkansas State. He’s 40-15 in his two seasons in Lubbock.
“Grant’s done an amazing job,” Drew said. “We always knew he was a great coach, that’s why we hired him. … He really has them playing at a high level.”
Baylor appeared to suffer a major loss in the second half Saturday when star freshman wing VJ Edgecombe tumbled under the offensive basket with a lower-body injury and had to be helped off the floor. Drew said the injury was not as bad as initially feared.
“It wasn’t bad,” Drew said. “VJ’s a tough kid and VJ’s a tough healer. And VJ’s a winner. If he can go, he’ll go — it’ll be us holding him back [if he doesn’t play]. And you respect and appreciate that.”
The Red Raiders consistently pack out United Supermarkets Arena, boasting the highest average attendance of any team in the state. The Bears are 10-1 at home but just 4-6 away from the friendly confines of Foster Pavilion.
“Obviously it’s an away game, so it’s going to be the same atmosphere we just had, but for the other team,” Celestine said. “We’re in their arena, so we’re not going to expect anything. It’s really just the guys out there on the court, the guys wearing ‘Baylor’ on the front [of their jerseys] that are with us, and we just gotta go in there and fight.”
The Bears will tip off at 8 p.m. Tuesday at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
