LUBBOCK, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas Tech Red Raiders used a dominant performance from beyond the arc and a stifling defensive effort to pull away from the Milwaukee Panthers for an 80-63 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Friday night at United Spirit Arena.

A crowd of 13,126 watched the Red Raiders improve to 3-1 on the young season, while the Panthers fell to 2-3.

The game was decided by Texas Tech’s three-point shooting and its ability to capitalize on Milwaukee’s mistakes. The Red Raiders connected on 13 of 31 attempts from long range, while the Panthers managed just 4 of 17. Texas Tech also scored 18 points off 11 Milwaukee turnovers, compared to just 8 points the Panthers generated from 8 Red Raider giveaways.

Christian Anderson led all scorers with 18 points for Texas Tech, orchestrating the offense with a game-high 7 assists. Donovan Atwell and Tyeree Bryan provided crucial scoring support, adding 17 and 13 points, respectively. The Red Raiders’ depth was on full display as Jaylen Petty came off the bench to score 11 points, all in the first half, to help build the early lead.

Milwaukee was led by Danilo Jovanovich, who scored 17 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Sekou Konneh was a force inside for the Panthers, contributing 12 points and 8 rebounds in just 14 minutes of action.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair for the first seven minutes. Milwaukee opened the game with a flurry, hitting three consecutive three-pointers to take an early 9-3 lead. Texas Tech responded with a 15-2 run, fueled by three-pointers from Atwell and Anderson, to seize an 18-11 advantage.

Petty’s hot hand from deep extended the Red Raiders’ lead. He hit three three-pointers in a four-minute span, pushing the Texas Tech lead to 34-23. The Panthers chipped away, closing the half on a 7-2 run, but still trailed 41-36 at the break.

Any hope of a Milwaukee comeback was quickly extinguished in the second half. Texas Tech opened the period on a 12-4 run, capped by another Atwell three-pointer, to establish a 53-40 lead and force a Panthers timeout. The Red Raiders’ defense tightened, holding Milwaukee to just 27 points in the second half and never allowing the lead to dip below double digits for the remainder of the game.

Texas Tech’s control was reflected in its offensive efficiency. Despite both teams having 65 possessions, the Red Raiders scored 80 points for an offensive rating of 123.7, while Milwaukee’s 63 points translated to a rating of 96.7. The Red Raiders also won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Panthers 41-34 and securing 13 offensive rebounds.

The win sets up Texas Tech for a matchup against Wake Forest on Nov. 20 in the Bahamas. Milwaukee will look to rebound on the road at Wichita State on Nov. 22.