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BYU guard Robert Wright III (1) draws a foul from Texas Tech guard Tyeree Bryan (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.

Chase Seabolt, AP Photo

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BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) dribbles against Texas Tech during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.

Chase Seabolt, AP Photo

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Texas Tech forward JT Toppin (15) works around BYU forward Abdullah Ahmed (34) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.

Chase Seabolt, AP Photo

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BYU guard Richie Saunders, right, comes down with a rebound against Texas Tech during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.

Chase Seabolt, AP Photo

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After No. 11 BYU took a nine-point lead at 15th-ranked Texas Tech on Saturday, the Red Raiders played practically perfect basketball for the last eight minutes of the game.

Texas Tech made its final seven field goals — four of them 3-pointers — and converted 14 of 15 from the foul line, erupting on a 32-10 run to finish the game and claim an 84-71 Big 12 victory in front of a sellout crowd (15,098) at United Supermarkets Arena.

“They hit some big shots,” BYU senior guard Richie Saunders said. “Some of our mistakes, getting them to the foul line, that was hard to stomach. They outcompeted us in the last five minutes. It was just tough, man.”

The Red Raiders’ insane offensive performance was equal parts BYU mistakes (fouling 3-point shooters twice didn’t help) and just what happens sometimes on the road in the Big 12.

“We just didn’t sustain what we needed to sustain for 40 minutes,” Cougar head coach Kevin Young said. “Especially in an environment like this against one of the best teams. Playing at their house against a good team you have to sustain focus, execution and effort for 40 minutes. It’s hard to have lapses and we did that too much.”

Texas Tech’s Big 3 of JT Toppin, Christian Anderson and LaJuan Watts outscored BYU’s Big 3 (67 to 59) as the starters played most of the minutes on both sides.

Toppin, the Big 12’s best post player, finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, making 3 of 4 from the 3-point line. Anderson scored 22 points and Watts 20 for Texas Tech (14-4 overall, 4-1 Big 12), which made 11 3-pointers.

“With all due respect, usually it’s not three of them from Toppin and definitely not a banked in one from the top of the key but that’s life, you’ve got to keep playing through stuff,” Young said.

Robert Wright III scored 22 of his career-high 28 points in the second half, a big reason why BYU led by nine points with 9:25 to play. Saunders added 18 points and freshman AJ Dybantsa had 13, 11 in the first half, which ended his streak of 20 or more points in a game at 10. Saunders was 3 of 7 from beyond the arc but the rest of the Cougars made just 2 of 15, including an 0-for-6 performance from Kennard Davis Jr.

“I thought our guys did a good job getting to the basket,” Young said. “On a night where we go 5-for-22 from 3, I felt like if a couple of those threes go down it’s a little bit different of a game. Give them (Texas Tech) credit. I thought they played a really good basketball game. They outplayed us and deserved to win the game.”

Wright scored 10 points in a 16-2 BYU run midway through the second half, feeding Saunders for a 3-pointer and a 61-52 advantage with 9:25 remaining.

It looked like BYU had taken control but Wright had to leave the game for a few minutes with an injured finger and Texas Tech took the opportunity to turn the tables.

From there, the Cougars scored just two more field goals and Texas Tech went wild on the offensive end. Toppin banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key that gave the Red Raiders a 66-65 lead with 5:21 to play, a lead they would never relinquish.

The first half was tightly contested. The Cougars led 22-19 at the 7:53 mark on a 3-point play from Saunders, but the home team took a 32-31 halftime edge on Toppin’s 3-pointer in the final minute.

BYU (16-2, 4-1) saw its 13-game overall winning streak and its 12-game Big 12 winning streak end. The Cougars play next Saturday against in-state rival Utah in the Marriott Center. BYU beat the Utes 89-84 in Salt Lake City on Jan. 10.

“This is a opportunity to respond,” Saunders said. “What I want is for us to come in Monday morning, get locked in on film and get locked in with a growth mindset. But what I want first and foremost is to come in and have a great practice on Monday. Our mindset is that we’re going to get better and we will.”