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Texas Tech Looks to Bounce Back Against West Virginia
Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland confident team will be ready for tough Big 12 matchup
Feb. 7, 2026 at 11:31am
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Texas Tech is coming off a two-game losing streak as they head to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the Mountaineers. Head coach Grant McCasland spoke to the media about the challenges of the Big 12 Conference, his team's mindset, and the status of star point guard Christian Anderson, who missed the previous game due to illness.
Why it matters
Texas Tech is currently fifth in the Big 12 standings, looking to bounce back and keep pace with the conference leaders. This game against West Virginia, led by McCasland's friend and fellow coach Ross Hodge, will be a tough test as the Red Raiders try to regain their competitiveness and winning ways.
The details
McCasland opened his press conference discussing the competitiveness of the Big 12, praising West Virginia's recent win over Cincinnati. He emphasized the need for his team to be fully prepared and give their best effort to put themselves in position to win, regardless of the opponent. McCasland also expressed confidence that Anderson, Texas Tech's All-American point guard, will be ready to play after missing the previous game due to illness.
- Texas Tech is coming off a two-game losing streak heading into this matchup with West Virginia.
- The Red Raiders' previous five-game win streak included victories over Houston and BYU.
The players
Grant McCasland
The head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team.
Christian Anderson
Texas Tech's All-American point guard who missed the previous game due to illness but is expected to be ready for the West Virginia matchup.
Ross Hodge
The head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team, who is a close friend of McCasland.
What they’re saying
“Big 12 Conference, man. What a fight every every day and every night to to be great in this league. And no different than playing on Sunday at West Virginia. And obviously Ross Hodge being one of my best friends. I love what he's doing with their team. They're finding ways to win close games. They've been in a lot of them and winning on the road at Cincinnati says a lot about how tough they are. Looking forward to the opportunity to go compete and we're going to have to play our best.”
— Grant McCasland, Head Coach, Texas Tech Red Raiders
“So really the focus has been on how do we do our best to give ourselves the best chance to win this game. Doesn't matter who the head coach is. Doesn't matter who we're playing. Just look at the numbers, look at the personnel, and look at what we got to do. Put ourselves in position. I feel like our practices have been awesome and our preparation has been right. I know that if we go out and do everything that we've practiced in order to put ourselves in position with all our heart, we'll be better no matter what. And that's kind of my heart going into it.”
— Grant McCasland, Head Coach, Texas Tech Red Raiders
“Now, we're not trying to play together. We're competing together. And I think that allows you to actually win, not just perform. And there's a difference between competitiveness, playing, and winning. Going out there and trying your best to play without getting in trouble.”
— Grant McCasland, Head Coach, Texas Tech Red Raiders
“I would anticipate Christian (Anderson) being ready to go with no complications from what he dealt with against Kansas… we've had two great practices with him doing everything that we did prior to and seen no ill effects or no negative from what happened on Monday against Kansas, so I anticipate him being a full go.”
— Grant McCasland, Head Coach, Texas Tech Red Raiders
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This game against West Virginia will be a crucial test for the Texas Tech Red Raiders as they look to bounce back from their recent losing streak and regain their competitiveness in the tough Big 12 Conference. Coach McCasland's confidence in his team's preparation and the return of star point guard Christian Anderson will be key factors in determining their success.
