Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Basketball Announces Non-Conference Home Schedule
August 13, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Eight home games, including a five-game home stand at United Supermarkets Arena to begin the season, are part of the Texas Tech non-conference schedule during the 2026-27 men's basketball season. Among the highlights of the non-conference home schedule is the season opener against Jackson State, hosting Illinois which is coming off a trip to the 2025 Final Four, and the final non-conference game before Big 12 play against Mississippi Valley State on December 28. Game times and television designations will be announced when available.
Texas Tech will open the 102nd season in program history by hosting Jackson State on Monday, November 2 with the goal of finishing the season on Monday, April 5 in the National Championship Final at Ford Field in Detroit. The five-game home stand to begin the season includes the return game of the home-and-home series against Illinois on Tuesday, November 10 in the third game of the season. The Red Raiders are currently on a 46-game non-conference home winning streak with a 23-0 record in non-conference home games under head coach Grant McCasland. Tech's 46-game streak is the second longest in program history behind a 54-game streak that ended with a loss to No. 15 Kentucky on January 25, 2020.
The Red Raiders have also previously announced playing in the Players Era in Las Vegas and a neutral-court rematch against Duke at Madison Square Garden. Tech opens the Players Era against Louisville on Tuesday, November 24 in a tournament that could see them play four games. Tech, which earned an 82-81 win over Duke last season at MSG, will take on the Blue Devils for the second straight season and fourth time overall on Monday, December 21 at MSG. The Big 12 has also previously announced the conference schedule matrix and will announce the full conference schedule when available.
Single game tickets for all Texas Tech Big 12 home games will go on-sale first to Red Raider Club members and Red Raider Basketball season ticket holders via a special pre-sale later this fall once the Big 12 Schedule has been released. Assigned pre-sale dates are determined by Red Raider Club Member level and will be emailed to Red Raider Club Members and season ticket holders in advance of the pre-sale.
NON-CONFERENCE HOME SCHEDULE
Monday, November 2: Jackson State at Texas Tech
Texas Tech opens its season on Monday, November 2 against Jackson State at United Supermarkets Arena. The Tigers are coming off a 12-21 overall record and went 10-8 in SWAC games. The Red Raiders are 2-0 all-time against Jackson State, including a 102-52 win in Houston in the 2022 season and an 84-75 win in Lubbock in 2012. Trey Jackson is entering his first season as the head coach at Jackson State after four seasons with the program as an assistant coach. The Red Raiders are 3-0 in season openers under McCasland and are 74-27 all-time in the first game of the season in program history. Tech is currently on a 26-game winning streak to begin the season with the last loss coming against Indiana to begin the 1999-2000 season. The Red Raiders earned a 98-60 win over Lindenwood to begin last season. This will be the first time Texas Tech has opened a season against Jackson State.
Thursday, November 5: Bethune-Cookman at Texas Tech
The first week of the season continues with a matchup against Bethune-Cookman on Thursday, November 5 at the USA. The Wildcats went 17-15 overall and were 14-4 in SWAC play – ending their season with a loss to Prairie View A&M in the opening round of the conference tournament. Tech is 2-0 all-time against Bethune-Cookman with a pair of home wins. The Red Raiders most recently earned a 94-61 win to open the 2024-25 season. The Wildcats, who are from Daytona Beach, Florida, are led by head coach Reggie Theus who is entering his sixth season. Theus, who has also been the head coach at New Mexico State and Cal State Northridge, was an NBA All-Star during his playing career.
Tuesday, November 10: Illinois at Texas Tech
A Final Four team from last season comes to Lubbock on Tuesday, November 10 in the third game of the season with Illinois in a home-and-home series that began last season with the Red Raiders playing in Champaign. The Fighting Illini earned an 81-77 win over the Red Raiders in the first-ever matchup between the two programs. Illinois went 28-9 overall and 15-5 in Big Ten play last season, reaching the Final Four where it lost a 71-62 semifinal matchup against UConn. Brad Underwood is entering his 10th season as the head coach at Illinois and has a 245-135 career record that also includes three years at SFA and one at Oklahoma State. Last season, JT Toppin led Tech with 35 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots at Illinois.
Saturday, November 14: Stonehill College at Texas Tech
Tech and Stonehill College will meet for the first time ever when they square off in the fourth game of the season on Saturday, November 14 at United Supermarkets Arena. Playing out of Easton, Massachusetts and the Northeastern Conference, Stonehill College is coming off a season where it went 12-21 overall and 8-10 in NEC games. Chris Kraus is entering his 12th season leading the program and is 175-181. Stonehill transitioned from NCAA Division II to Division I in the 2022-23 season. The Saturday matchup in November comes with the Tech football team playing at Oklahoma State that day.
Wednesday, November 18: New Orleans at Texas Tech
Tech plays its fifth straight home game to start the season by hosting New Orleans for the second straight season. The matchup comes on Wednesday, November 18 and will be the fourth all-time meeting with the Red Raiders owning a 2-1 all-time record in the series, including earning an 82-50 win last November in Lubbock. The Privateers went on to finish their season with a 15-18 overall record and were 12-10 in Southland Conference action. New Orleans is led by head coach Stacy Hollowell who is entering his second season with the program. The conclusion of the five-game home stand leads into the trip to Las Vegas for the Players Era.
Tuesday, December 8: Omaha at Texas Tech
The Red Raiders will return from Las Vegas to host Omaha for the fifth time in program history. Tech is 4-0 all-time in the season going into a Tuesday, December 8 matchup at the USA. The Red Raiders rolled to an 87-58 win over the Maverick in McCasland's first season. Omaha is coming off a 16-17 overall record last season, including going 8-8 in Summit League play. Chris Crutchfield is entering his fifth season leading Omaha and has a 62-71 record with the program.
Tuesday, December 15: Incarnate Word at Texas Tech
Incarnate Word and Texas Tech will play for the fifth time ever and first since 2021 with a matchup set for Tuesday, December 15 in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are 4-0 all-time in the series, most recently with an 84-62 neutral-court win in a game on South Padre Island. Tech is 3-0 all-time at home in the series with UIW. The Cardinals will return to Lubbock from San Antonio after a season where they went 12-19 overall and were 7-15 in Southland Conference play. Shane Heirmanis entering his fourth season with the program and is currently 39-59.
Monday, December 28: Mississippi Valley State at Texas Tech
The final non-conference game of the season for the Red Raiders is a matchup against Mississippi Valley State on Monday, December 28 at the USA. The Delta Devils are coming off a 3-30 overall record and 2-16 record in SWAC games but are now under the leadership of head coach Mike Davis who has won 412 games in his head coaching career. Davis, who also coached at Indiana, UAB, Texas Southern and Detroit Mercy, took over the program in May. Texas Tech is 1-0 all-time against the Delta Devils after earning an 84-52 win on November 9, 2018 in Lubbock.
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