Texas Tech’s Offensive Questions Come Into Focus After Kentucky Exhibition

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Texas Tech’s final preseason test exposed several questions the Red Raiders must answer before the regular season begins. Facing a physical Kentucky squad inside Rupp Arena, the No. 19 Red Raiders struggled to maintain their early momentum, falling 76–65 to the No. 23 Wildcats on October 23.

Texas Tech showed flashes of its offensive potential, but inconsistent perimeter shooting and difficulty attacking Kentucky’s size prevented the Red Raiders from sustaining their early success. With the regular season approaching, the exhibition offered head coach Grant McCasland a valuable look at the areas his team needs to sharpen.

Perimeter Shooting Remains a Concern

Texas Tech’s three-point shooting stood out as one of the clearest areas for improvement. The Red Raiders finished just 8-of-30 from beyond the arc, limiting their ability to keep pace as Kentucky established control of the game.

Donovan Atwell and Damarion Dennis led Texas Tech with 11 points apiece. Atwell connected on three three-pointers, providing some of the perimeter production the Red Raiders will need throughout the season. Cruz Davis added 10 points and seven assists, helping create opportunities for his teammates even as the offense struggled to find consistent rhythm.

Texas Tech finished with 18 assists on 26 made field goals, a sign that the team was capable of generating scoring opportunities through ball movement. However, the shooting numbers showed that creating chances and converting them will both be important as the schedule becomes more demanding.

Kentucky’s Size Exposes Frontcourt Challenges

The Wildcats also presented a difficult matchup inside. Kentucky used its length and physical presence to challenge Texas Tech around the basket, with seven-footer Malachi Moreno scoring 15 points and collecting six rebounds.

Texas Tech finished with 33 rebounds, including 16 offensive boards, but Kentucky’s size still created problems in the half court. The Red Raiders will need stronger interior execution and defensive positioning when facing teams with comparable frontcourt advantages.

Bassala Bagayoko contributed 10 points, while Josiah Moseley pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. Their production offered encouraging signs, but Texas Tech will need consistent contributions from its frontcourt as it works to become more effective on both ends of the floor.

Balanced Scoring Offers a Foundation

Despite the defeat, Texas Tech had several players contribute offensively. Dennis provided an aggressive scoring presence, Davis helped organize the offense, and Atwell showed his ability to stretch the floor. Darrion Williams added nine points, three rebounds, three steals and three assists.

That balance could become an advantage if the Red Raiders develop greater consistency. Rather than depending on one player to carry the scoring load, Texas Tech has multiple options capable of contributing. The next step is turning those individual performances into a more efficient team offense, particularly when shots are not falling.

The exhibition also gave the Red Raiders a chance to experience a challenging road environment before the games begin to count. How the team responds to defensive pressure, cold shooting stretches and physical opponents will be important indicators of its early-season progress.

What Comes Next for Texas Tech?

Texas Tech opens its 2026–27 regular season at home against Jackson State on November 2 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock. The matchup gives the Red Raiders an opportunity to apply what they learned against Kentucky and begin building momentum.

The exhibition loss does not determine what Texas Tech’s season will become, but it highlighted areas that deserve attention: more reliable perimeter shooting, improved execution against size and a greater ability to maintain offensive rhythm when opponents make adjustments.

The Red Raiders have a foundation of balanced scoring and playmaking. Whether those strengths translate into consistent production will become clearer once the regular season begins.

Final Score: No. 23 Kentucky 76, No. 19 Texas Tech 65 — Exhibition, October 23, 2026.