PREVIEW: #5/5 Men’s Basketball Travels to Face #9/10 Texas Tech

HOUSTON – Winners of 19 of its last 20 games, the #5/5 University of Houston Men's Basketball program makes a quick return to action when it faces #9/10 Texas Tech at 8 p.m., Monday, inside United Supermarket Arena.

The game features two of the Big 12 Conference's Top-Three teams. #5/5 Houston leads the league with a 15-1 league mark while Texas Tech is tied for second with Arizona at 12-4.

The Cougars' 15 conference wins this season is tied for fourth in school single-season history and trails only 2022-23 (17-1, American Athletic), 2018-19 (16-2, American Athletic) and 1982-83 (16-0, Southwest).

Houston enters Monday's game following a 68-59 win over #8/8 Iowa State inside Fertitta Center on Saturday afternoon. Graduate guard LJ Cryer led all players with 28 points – his team-leading sixth 20-point game of the season – and drained five 3-pointers while junior point guard Milos Uzan added 19 points with four rebounds.

It was Houston's 36^th home win in its last 37 games inside Fertitta Center and pushed the Cougars' all-time mark in their home facility to 107-7.

In addition to their success in front of the hometown fans, Houston has enjoyed success on the road. The Cougars have won their last 12 road games to lead the nation and set a Big 12 Conference record.

Monday's game will be the second of two regular-season meetings against the Red Raiders. Texas Tech took an 82-81 win in overtime inside Fertitta Center earlier this month to halt the Cougars' 33-game home winning streak.

Fans can view Monday's digital game program by clicking here.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Monday's game on ESPN with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (analyst) and Kris Budden (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Monday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play). The pregame show begins at 7:45 p.m., Monday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Monday's game by clicking here.

BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH
• Texas Tech brings a 21-6 overall record and 12-4 mark in Big 12 Conference play into Tueday's game.
• The Red Raiders are tied for second with Arizona in the Big 12 standings, through games of Feb. 22.
• Texas Tech was ranked #9 in the Associated Press poll and at #10 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll, released Feb. 17.
• The Red Raiders are 14-2 in home games this season.
• Texas Tech has won three of its last four games. Only a 69-66 loss at TCU on Feb. 18 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Texas Tech claimed a 73-51 win over West Virginia in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday afternoon.
• Against West Virginia, sophomore forward JT Toppin led the Red Raiders with 22 points and eight rebounds while freshman guard Christian Anderson finished with 21 points and a game-high five 3-pointers. Senior guard Elijah Hawkins and sophomore guard Kevin Overton finished with 10 points apiece with Hawkins' five assists tied for game-high honors.
• This season, Toppin leads Texas Tech with 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Senior guard Chance McMillian stands second with 15.1 points per game while junior forward Darrion Williams is a close third with 14.9 points per contest. Anderson stands fourth among the Red Raiders with 10.0 points per game, and Hawkins leads the team with 6.5 assists per contest.
• Head Coach Grant McCasland is in his second season at Texas Tech and his 11th year as a collegiate head coach.
• McCasland has built a 255-106 record during his career
• He previously compiled a 135-65 record at North Texas (2017-23) and was 56-12 at Midwestern State (2009-11).
• McCasland has posted a 1-2 record against Houston during his career.
• McCasland has compiled a 1-2 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers
• 1999 graduate of Baylor.

SERIES HISTORY vs. TEXAS TECH
• Houston holds a 31-28 lead in the series, which began during the 1960-61 season.
• At 59 games, the series against Texas Tech is tied as the seventh most played in Houston history. It equals the series against Memphis and trails only SMU (92), Texas A&M (87), Rice (84), TCU (76), Texas (66) and Tulsa (61.)
• Monday's game will be the second of two regular-season meetings during the 2024-25 season.
• In the recent encounter, #22/19 Texas Tech took an 82-81 win in overtime against #6/5 Houston inside Fertitta Center in Houston on Feb. 1.
• That loss snapped the Cougars' four-game winning streak against the Red Raiders.
• In the first meeting , Texas Tech took a 69-67 win during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Consolation in Lawrence, Kan., on March 18, 1961.
on Road: Texas Tech holds a 14-8 lead in games played in Lubbock, Texas, during the series.
• Texas Tech has won the last five meetings in Lubbock.
• Monday's game will be the first meeting in Lubbock, since the Red Raiders took a 62-48 win on Jan. 1, 2003.
• Houston has not won in Lubbock, since an 83-80 win on Feb. 25, 1992.
• In the first meeting in Lubbock, the Cougars enjoyed an 81-77 victory on Feb. 16, 1978.

UP NEXT
• Following Monday's game, Houston returns to Fertitta Center to play host to Cincinnati at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, March 1. That game will air on CBS.
• The Cougars then close their regular-season home schedule and celebrate Senior Night against Kansas at 8 p.m., Monday, March 3, in Fertitta Center. That game will air on ESPN.
• From there, Houston closes its regular-season schedule when it meets Baylor at 9 p.m., Saturday, March 8, inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas.
• Fans should note the 9 p.m., starting time, which was recently changed from earlier published schedules.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.

Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.

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