Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2018 ) Texas Tech 71, Oklahoma State 79

With sights set on the Big 12 championship, a revitalized No. 15 Texas Tech can't afford a mishap when it travels to Oklahoma for the second time in five days to play struggling Oklahoma State on Wednesday. The Red Raiders have won four of their last five contests after a three-game losing streak and sit with three others in a group with four losses chasing conference leader Kansas State.

"We have been getting better in practice and in games," Texas Tech coach Chris Beard told reporters after the Red Raiders beat Oklahoma 66-54 on Saturday to sweep the season series over Oklahoma for the first time since 2010. "I think today we made a couple steps and that is what we are all trying to do this time of year. We all feel the pressure and the need to win these games, but there is something bigger than each individual game that is coming. For us, it's just playing the best we can." Davide Moretti led the Red Raiders with 14 points against the Sooners, while Jarrett Culver scored 13 points, Norense Odiase secured 11 rebounds and freshman Kyler Edwards recorded a career-high six assists. Oklahoma State, coming off an 84-72 loss at No. 14 Kansas on Saturday despite 22 points from Cameron McGriff, has dropped six straight conference games - their longest streak since losing 13 straight (tournament included) from 2016-17. The Red Raiders are 4-23 all-time in Stillwater against the Cowboys, who lead the conference by shooting 38.6 percent on 3-pointers with 200 made this season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (19-5, 7-4 Big 12): Moretti (10.7 points, 40 3-pointers, 41.7 percent) has scored in double figures in 10-of-11 conference games, has led the team in scoring in five games this season and has gone 9-for-18 on 3-pointers and 13-for-13 at the free-throw line over his last four games. Culver leads the Red Raiders in scoring (17.6 points), rebounding (6.3) and assists (3.8) but has scored 35 points in the last three games. Tariq Owens (8.2 points, 5.3 rebounds) leads the Big 12 and was tied for 10th in the country with 59 blocked shots - 12 shy of the school record set by Tony Battie in 1996-97 - and Matt Mooney (10.6 points) is second in the conference with 1.79 steals per game.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (9-14, 2-8): Freshman guard Isaac Likekele had 14 points and six assists in the game against the Jayhawks that was tied 36-36 at the half. McGriff leads the Cowboys this season with 13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, Lindy Waters III is at 12.2 points and 2.8 assists while leading the conference in 3-point shooting (46.3) with Thomas Dziagwa ranking fourth at 44.7 percent. Over the last seven games, 6-10 freshman Yor Anei (7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks) is averaging 10.3 points and 6.0 rebounds over his last four contests.

TIP-INS

1. Texas Tech leads the nation in defense by limiting opponents to 36.2 percent shooting and is third by holding teams to 57.3 points per game and fifth in 3-point defense (27.3 percent).

2. Anei has 47 blocks on the season, which already ranks 16th in school history for a season. The freshman can move into the top 10 with seven blocks.

3. The Red Raiders have been ranked in 12 straight polls after starting the season unranked.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 69, Oklahoma State 54