Lady Raiders Ranked No. 21 Heading Into Big 12 Tournament

Texas Tech women's basketball team set to face Cincinnati/Kansas State winner in opening round

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Texas Tech Lady Raiders women's basketball team will enter the 2026 Big 12 Tournament as the No. 5 seed and ranked No. 21 in the latest AP Poll. They will face the winner of the Cincinnati/Kansas State matchup in the opening round on Thursday in Kansas City.

Why it matters

The Lady Raiders are looking to make a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament after a strong regular season that saw them finish 25-6 overall and 12-6 in conference play. Their ranking of No. 21 in the nation shows they are one of the top teams in the Big 12 and have a chance to earn an NCAA Tournament berth with a good showing this week.

The details

The Lady Raiders closed out the regular season with a 58-51 win over Arizona State. Their only loss in their last six games was a 68-59 defeat at Kansas. Other top Big 12 teams heading into the tournament include No. 10 TCU, No. 15 West Virginia, and Baylor. Iowa State and Oklahoma State also received votes in the latest AP Poll.

  • The 2026 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament is being held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • The Lady Raiders' opening round game against the Cincinnati/Kansas State winner is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2026.
  • The Cincinnati and Kansas State teams will play their opening round matchup on Wednesday, March 12, 2026 at 11 a.m.

The players

Texas Tech Lady Raiders

The women's basketball team from Texas Tech University, who are the No. 5 seed in the 2026 Big 12 Tournament.

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What’s next

The winner of the Lady Raiders' opening round game will advance to the quarterfinals on Friday, March 14, 2026.

The takeaway

The Lady Raiders have had a strong season and enter the Big 12 Tournament ranked in the Top 25 nationally. They will look to make a deep run in the tournament and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament berth with a good showing this week in Kansas City.