Baylor @ Texas Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 16, 2019 ) Baylor 61, Texas Tech 86

Baylor has passed just about every challenge it has been handed so far, knocking off three ranked teams thanks in large part to the stingiest defense in the Big 12. The fourth-ranked Bears have yet to see if they can take their show on the road, but they'll do so in two of the most hostile environments the conference can offer this week, beginning on Tuesday when they visit No. 21 Texas Tech.

Despite missing 18 of its first 20 field-goal attempts in the second half and shooting 31.3 percent for the game Saturday, Baylor handily beat Texas 59-44 by grabbing a season-high 19 offensive rebounds and holding a sixth opponent under 60 points. "I think the players really deserve the credit that no matter what the scheme is, they've bought in and really locked in defensively and cared about it," coach Scott Drew said after his Bears extended their winning streak to 10 games. Baylor, which will also travel to third-ranked Kansas on Saturday after not leaving the state of Texas since Nov. 24, will try its luck at ending the 15-game home winning streak of the Red Raiders, who are coming off their most lopsided margin of victory ever in a Big 12 game. Texas Tech improved to 8-0 this season in Lubbock, outscoring Oklahoma State 49-20 in the second half en route to an 85-50 victory Saturday.

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN2

ABOUT BAYLOR (11-1, 1-0 Big 12): Jared Butler (team-high 17.3 points) reached double figures for the 11th time in 12 games despite going 4-for-15 from the floor Saturday but is shooting 35.4 percent from the field over the last month (five games) - including 9-for-33 beyond the arc. MaCio Teague (15.2) also struggled with his shot (5-for-16), but he still managed to tie a season high in points (21) by draining all nine of his free throws. Freddie Gillespie (8.7), who ranks second in the conference in rebounding (9.4) and ninth in the country in offensive rebounding (4.0), has seven double-digit efforts on the boards this season and has pulled down at least 12 in four of his last six outings.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (10-3, 1-0): Freshman guard Jahmi'us Ramsey (team-high 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals) led the team in scoring for the sixth time in the nine games he's played this season with 18 points Saturday; over the last two contests, he is 8-for-11 from 3-point range. Virginia Tech graduate transfer Chris Clarke - a 6-6 guard who has collected at least 10 boards in four of his last six games and six times overall - ranks third in the Big 12 in assists (5.8), fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.68) and fifth in rebounding (8.9). Davide Moretti (13.2 points) has rediscovered his stroke from long-range recently, connecting on five of his last 10 tries over the last three contests after a five-game stretch in which he shot 11-for-42.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Texas Tech is 58-5 at home under fourth-year coach Chris Beard, including 23-5 during conference play.

2. Teague has made a 3-pointer in 37 consecutive games and drained multiple triples in 30 of those outings.

3. The Red Raiders and Bears each feature two of the country's top 100 free-throw shooters; Moretti (93.8; sixth), Butler (92.3; 10th), Texas Tech G Terrence Shannon Jr. (84.1; T-90th) and Teague (84.0; 94th).

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 61, Baylor 59