Preview: Texas Tech at West Virginia

STAR CITY, W.Va. (Interstat) — Two Big 12 teams looking to rebound from recent stumbles will meet Sunday when the Texas Tech Red Raiders visit the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum.

Texas Tech (16-6, 5-4 Big 12) has dropped two straight, including a narrow 64-61 home loss to Kansas on Monday, after a six-game winning streak had propelled them into the conference title conversation. The Red Raiders’ offense, which averaged 84.3 points during that streak, managed just 61 and 80 points in the two defeats.

West Virginia (15-8, 4-6) halted its own two-game skid with a gritty 65-59 road win at Cincinnati on Thursday. The Mountaineers have been a tough out at home, boasting a 10-2 record in Morgantown this season.

The matchup features a compelling duel at guard between Texas Tech’s LeJuan Watts and West Virginia’s Honor Huff. Watts, the Red Raiders’ dynamic scorer, is coming off a 19-point, 5-assist effort against Kansas and has averaged 16.4 points over his last seven games. Huff orchestrates the Mountaineers’ attack, logging heavy minutes and coming off a 17-point, 6-assist performance in the win at Cincinnati.

Texas Tech will aim to leverage its more efficient offense, which ranks among the league’s best, against a West Virginia defense that has been inconsistent in conference play. The Red Raiders have shown resilience on the road this season, including a signature win at Duke in nonconference play.

For West Virginia, success will hinge on defending home court and controlling the tempo. The Mountaineers have shown they can beat top competition, evidenced by a win over Kansas last month, but have struggled against the league’s elite defenses, as seen in blowout losses to Houston and Arizona.

Sunday’s contest is critical for both teams’ postseason positioning. Texas Tech looks to avoid a third consecutive loss that could see them fall in the standings, while West Virginia seeks a quadrant-one win to bolster its NCAA tournament resume.

Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.