The Big 12 chaos is in full swing, with Texas Tech surging and West Virginia fighting to stay alive, setting the stage for a wide-open race and a conference tournament that’s shaping up to be must-watch basketball.
No. 16 Texas Tech overpowered No. 4 Iowa State from start to finish in an 82-73 win at Hilton Coliseum.
The Red Raiders showcased remarkable balance, with all seven of its scorers finishing in double figures. Donovan Atwell led the way with 18 points, drilling 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Texas Tech caught fire early, hitting 10 of 11 shots during a dominant first-half stretch that had the Red Raiders pulling away and never looking back.
15-2 run for Texas Tech 👀
(via @CBSSportsCBB)pic.twitter.com/vmuVkxBS11
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 28, 2026
Even after Iowa State trimmed the deficit to six midway through the second half, Texas Tech responded swiflty. Jaylen Petty and Atwell buried a pair of outside shots to halt the momentum, and the Red Raiders pushed the lead back to double digits. Texas Tech led 77-62 with 2:28 remaining and never allowed Iowa State to seriously threaten down the stretch.
The victory marked Texas Tech’s fourth win over an AP Top-6 opponent this season and improved the Red Raiders to 3-0 since losing JT Toppin to a season-ending knee injury 11 days ago.
Grant McCasland’s team proved it remains a legitimate national contender with or without its best star.
West Virginia upsets No. 19 BYU 79-71 in Morgantown
West Virginia University kept its postseason hopes alive Saturday night, knocking off No. 19 BYU 79-71 in Morgantown behind a locker room full of heroes.
Honor stuff 🤩
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/aftflDi6aT
— WVU Men’s Basketball (@WVUhoops) March 1, 2026
Lorient powered the Mountaineers with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven offensive boards, adding three assists in a relentless interior performance. West Virginia turned 18 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points, a decisive edge over BYU’s eight offensive boards and eight second-chance points.
Five Mountaineers scored in double figures, led by Honor Huff’s 19 points. DJ Thomas delivered a massive shot off the bench during a second-half run to steady the lead.
BYU stormed back from a 14-point deficit and cut it to three in the final minute, but West Virginia closed it out at the line. Former Neumann star Robert Wright III led the Cougars with 23 points, while AJ Dybantsa added 20 and has now scored in double figures in 29 games, tying the program freshman record. Still, BYU clearly missed Richie Saunders’ presence.
TOUGH bucket from AJ Dybantsa to keep the Cougars in it 🔥
(via @FOXSports)pic.twitter.com/7WxD547Agi
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 1, 2026
The win keeps West Virginia alive on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but the Mountaineers likely must win their final two games to stay in the conversation.
