Texas Tech snaps Houston’s 11-game winning streak with offensive power
No. 12 Texas Tech snapped No. 6 Houston’s 11-game win streak with a statement 90-86 win at home Saturday in Lubbock picking up its 12th-straight home win.
The 90-point mark by the Red Raiders is the most Kelvin Sampson’s squad has allowed since the 2023-2024 NCAA tournament in an 100-95 OT win over 9-seed Texas A&M in the second round.
It was redemption day in Lubbock, as Texas Tech (16-4, 6-1 Big 12) flipped the script from a 69–65 loss to the Cougars earlier in January to stay perfect at home against a Houston team (17-2, 5-1) that had won 11 straight and owned the nation’s longest road winning streak at 16.
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The Red Raiders carried a 55-49 lead into halftime behind JT Toppin’s 17 points and Kerwin Walton’s 14.
Houston answered in the second half, turning the game into a shootout. Kingston Flemings tied it at 63-63 as part of a season-high 42-point performance, the most ever by a Houston freshman.
But Toppin kept Texas Tech in front, and Donovan Atwell delivered the decisive stretch, drilling back-to-back threes to give the Red Raiders an 81-77 lead with four minutes to play.
DON WITH BACK-TO-BACK THREE’S FROM THE CORNER 😤🔥#TTW | 📺 ESPN: https://t.co/qyebsixJAH pic.twitter.com/ncIH5jgMTw
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) January 24, 2026
Toppin finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the season as Texas Tech held on down the stretch to secure the win.
Texas Tech travels to UCF on Saturday, Jan. 31, while Houston hits the road to face TCU on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
No. 22 North Carolina rallies past No. 14 Virginia for first ACC road win
No. 22 North Carolina secured its first ACC road win of the season with an 85-80 victory over the Cavaliers, snapping the No. 14 Virginia’s 11-game home win streak in the South’s Oldest Rivalry.
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North Carolina (16-4, 4-3 ACC) erased a 15-point first-half deficit and outscored Virginia (16-3, 5-2 ACC) 25-15 over an 11-minute stretch in the second half to swing momentum. The game was tied 67-67 with 7:31 remaining before the Tar Heels closed it out.
Freshman Caleb Wilson led North Carolina with 20 points, tying Tyler Hansbrough for most 20-point games by a freshman in program history.
North Carolina will face Georgia Tech on Saturday Jan. 31, while Virginia heads to Notre Dame.
No. 11 Illinois hands No. 4 Purdue its second straight loss
Keaton Wagler delivered a performance for the ages, pouring in 46 points — the most ever scored by a visiting player in Mackey Arena — to lift No. 11 Illinois past No. 4 Purdue 88–82. Wagler’s eruption powered the Illini to a signature road win and handed the Boilermakers their second loss of the week after Tuesday’s 69–67 setback at UCLA.
Illinois trailed 43–39 at halftime but stormed out of the break with a 7–0 run between Wagler and Jake Davis. From there, Wagler repeatedly answered Purdue pushes, steadying Illinois whenever the game tightened. His late free throws sealed the victory after Purdue’s Braden Smith drilled a three to cut the deficit to 82–80.
Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic added crucial interior scoring and second‑chance points, helping Illinois control the glass in the final minutes. Smith led Purdue with a flurry of late buckets, but the Boilermakers struggled to generate consistent stops against Wagler’s relentless shot‑making.
Illinois closed the game on a 9–5 burst, tightening defensively and winning key possessions at the rim. The victory marks the Illini’s biggest road triumph of the season and sends Purdue into a rare two‑game slide.
4️⃣0️⃣ points! 💥@IlliniMBB’s Keaton Wagler has the most points by an opponent in Mackey Arena history.
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/gZHsY41Xpb
— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 24, 2026
