February 28, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Donovan Atwell (12) celebrates during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images Every time Iowa State started to gain momentum in the second half Saturday, Texas Tech had an answer.
Whether it was a 3-pointer on one end, a block on the other, or a stingy job from the defensive backboard, the Red Raiders simply refused to buckle down for what was called the Hilton Magic.
The result was another meaningful win over a sixth-ranked or better opponent this season (82-73), which was also the Cyclones’ first home loss of the season.
Donovan Atwell had 18 points and made six 3-pointers, Luke Bamgboye had his best game since taking over as the starter for the injured JT Toppin (13 points), and Christian Anderson worked through late foul trouble to score 12 points and have seven assists to lead No. 16 Texas Tech (22-7). The 12-4 Big 12s tied for second in the conference with Houston.
The Red Raiders are 3-0 since losing Toppin, the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year, to a season-ending knee injury.
No. 4 Iowa State (24-5, 11-5) got 22 points from Joshua Jefferson and 20 from Milan Momcilovic, but was unable to dig out of a hole that deepened to 45-25 late in the first half.
The Cyclones came back to 65-59 with 7:08 to play on Tamin Lipsey’s dribble-drive bucket and the home crowd roared at the top of their lungs.
That rally came after Iowa State failed to overcome a 16-point deficit despite Anderson being tagged for his fourth foul just before the first media timeout of the second half and heading to the bench for nearly six minutes.
Jaylen Petty and Tyeree Bryan shared lead guard duties with Anderson sidelined and combined for 17 points in the second half.
More importantly, Petty helped Texas Tech regain its footing after a Cyclones run. He attempted a timely 3-point shot and moments later hit a mid-range jump shot late in the shot clock. Both buckets came after Bamgboye blocked a shot at the rim.
Atwell hit his final 3 points with 4 minutes, 47 seconds left and Bryan completed a 10-0 run with a driving layup to push the lead to 75-59 and Iowa State unable to recover.
Atwell’s big day from beyond the arc helped the Red Raiders complete 14 of 29 from deep against one of the Big 12’s best defenses.
Conversely, the Cyclones had trouble making shots from anywhere throughout the game, shooting 39 percent overall (23 of 59), including 8 of 24 from 3-point territory. Jefferson and Momcilovic combined to connect on 13 of 28 field goal attempts.
Iowa State came back into the game in the second half, stepping up its defense, especially against Anderson. The Cyclones forced 10 turnovers in the second half, which led to 12 points. Iowa State scored a total of 17 points off turnovers.
Led by Atwell’s 15 points, Texas Tech held a comfortable 45-29 lead at halftime. The Red Raiders have made five of their last eight 3-pointers after 10 starts and have knocked down 10 of 11 shots from inside the arc with 11 assists on 18 field goals.
Jefferson and Momcilovic each had 13 points to help the Cyclones outscore Texas Tech 44-37 in the second half, but the Red Raiders had enough in the tank to hold on for another massive NCAA Tournament restart-boosting win.
–Field level media
