Previews: Cincinnati at No. 16 Texas Tech

by Riverfront U Team February 24, 2026

The Cincinnati Bearcats will look to extend their winning streak to five games Tuesday night when they travel to Lubbock to face No. 16 Texas Tech at United Supermarkets Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN2, and from a Cincinnati perspective, it’s another opportunity to prove this late-season surge is more than just a hot stretch.

Cincinnati (15-12, 7-7 Big 12) enters the matchup riding its biggest win of the season — an 84-68 road victory at No. 8 Kansas. It marked the Bearcats’ fourth straight win and showcased the identity they’ve leaned on all season: elite defense, rebounding toughness and timely shot-making.

Defensively, Cincinnati continues to shine:

10th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency (KenPom)
Allowing just 67.0 points per game
15th nationally in non-steal turnover percentage (9.4%)
30th nationally in opponent offensive rebound percentage (26.7%)
Opponents shooting just 41.2% from the field and 31.6% from three
Forcing 13.04 turnovers per game (5th in the Big 12)

The Bearcats have also dictated tempo more effectively during this four-game stretch, forcing opponents to average 17.9 seconds per possession and grinding games into defensive battles.

Offensively, Cincinnati averages 72.7 points per game and ranks third in the Big 12 with 26.3 three-point attempts per contest. While they sit last in the league in three-point percentage (32.5%), they showed their ceiling at Kansas by hitting 12-of-31 from deep.

Cincinnati Leaders

Baba Miller: 13.9 points, 10.2 rebounds per game (2nd in Big 12 in rebounding). Nearly posted a triple-double at Kansas (18 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds).
Moustapha Thiam: 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds per game. Exploded for 28 points and eight boards at Allen Fieldhouse, earning Big 12 Starting Five honors.
Day Day Thomas: 11.0 points and a team-best 3.6 assists per game.
Jalen Celestine: Coming off a 14-point outing at Kansas, including four made threes.

Cincinnati is 2-5 on the road in conference play, but the win at Kansas may signal a shift in confidence away from home.

Scouting Texas Tech

(Photo: Texas Tech Athletics)

Texas Tech (20-7, 10-4 Big 12) has been one of the conference’s most dangerous teams, especially in Lubbock where it is 13-1 overall and 6-1 in Big 12 home games. The Red Raiders are coming off a dominant 100-72 win over Kansas State and average 82.1 points per game while shooting 39.2% from three as a team.

However, the biggest storyline entering Tuesday is the absence of preseason Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear on February 17.

Toppin was averaging:

21.8 points
10.8 rebounds
1.7 blocks
16 double-doubles this season

He was the only player nationally averaging over 20 points and a double-double. His absence dramatically alters Tech’s frontcourt presence and rebounding dominance.

Still, the Red Raiders remain explosive offensively, leading the Big 12 with 11.4 made threes per game and boasting a 55.9% effective field goal percentage.

Players to Know

Christian Anderson 6'3 Sophomore G

19.1 points per game
Big 12-best 7.7 assists per game (3rd nationally)
44.2% from three (91 made threes)
200 assists this season

The freshman guard controls everything offensively. He can score at all three levels and is equally dangerous as a facilitator.

Donovan Atwell 6'5 Senior G

13.0 points per game
Big 12-leading 100 made threes
45.7% from deep (2nd nationally in makes per game at 3.7)

Atwell has been scorching hot lately, shooting 54.3% from three over the last five games.

LeJuan Watts 6'6 R-Junior F

12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds per game
Physical forward who will take on a larger interior role without Toppin.

Luke Bamgboye 6'11 Sophomore F

Recently inserted into the starting lineup
Posted 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks vs. Kansas State

His rim protection (25 blocks in limited minutes this season) adds a different element defensively.

Keys to Victory for Cincinnati

1. Run Tech Off the Three-Point Line

Texas Tech has made 10 or more threes in 21 of 27 games. Cincinnati must extend defensively and avoid over-helping off shooters like Atwell and Anderson. Making Tech a two-point scoring team without Toppin inside plays into UC’s defensive strengths.

2. Win the Rebounding Battle

Grant McCasland emphasized team rebounding as the key for Tech. With Toppin out, this is where Cincinnati can tilt the game. Miller and Thiam must control the glass and limit second chances.

3. Disrupt Anderson

While Anderson averages 7.7 assists per game, Cincinnati ranks 15th nationally in protecting against non-steal turnovers and forces over 13 turnovers per game. Physical on-ball pressure could disrupt Tech’s rhythm.

4. Efficient Perimeter Shooting

The Bearcats don’t need to be lights out, but if they approach the 12-for-31 performance from Kansas, it will open driving lanes and prevent Tech from packing the paint.

5. Handle the Road Environment

United Supermarkets Arena has been one of the toughest venues in the Big 12 (13-1 home record). Cincinnati must weather early runs and avoid live-ball turnovers that fuel Tech’s momentum.

Final Thoughts

This game presents a fascinating contrast. Texas Tech is an elite offensive team that thrives on ball movement and three-point volume. Cincinnati is an elite defensive group that slows pace, limits efficiency and rebounds at a high level.

Without JT Toppin — the conference’s most dominant interior presence — the matchup shifts dramatically. Texas Tech still has firepower, but Cincinnati’s size, defensive discipline and rebounding give the Bearcats a real opportunity to steal another road win.

If Cincinnati controls tempo, contests threes and wins the battle on the glass, it can extend its streak to five and further solidify its NCAA Tournament résumé. But against a top-20 team that rarely loses at home, the margin for error will be razor thin.

Tuesday night will reveal whether this four-game surge is simply momentum — or something much bigger.