With four teammates sidelined, Christian Anderson scored a career-high 34 points to propel No. 10 Texas Tech to a 98-60 victory over Lindenwood in the opening game for both teams Tuesday in Lubbock, Texas.
In his Red Raiders’ debut, UNC Greensboro transfer Donovan Atwell added 22 points, including 13 in the second half when Texas Tech pulled away.
Texas Tech’s quartet were sidelined by lower-body injuries, including JT Toppin, last year’s Big 12 Player of the Year.
Anderson, who helped bring Texas Tech to the Elite Eight last season as its sixth man, topped his previous career high in the first half when he tallied 25 points. Anderson also posted a career-high 11 assists and added seven rebounds.
All of Texas Tech’s injured players were frontcourt players, but the Red Raiders still ruled the boards, 59-43, as freshman Nolan Groves pulled down 16 rebounds in his college debut.
Mekhi Cooper scored 15 points and Milos Nenadic contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds to pace Lindenwood, which is a full member of Division I after playing two reclassification seasons in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Texas Tech got off to a slow start, falling behind 12-7 before going on a 14-2 run to take the lead for good.
Horner and Tyeree Bryan triggered the run with 3-pointers. Anderson scored the final eight points of the flurry as the Red Raiders surged to a 21-14 lead.
Texas Tech closed the half with a rush, making seven straight shots, including five 3-pointers, with two each from Jalen Petty (nine points, eight rebounds) and Anderson, and took a 58-30 lead at the break.
After hitting 51.3% of its shots in the first half, including 12 of 23 (52.2%) from deep, Texas Tech went cold early in the second half. Despite the drought, the Lions never got the deficit inside 22 points.
The Red Raiders finished with 17 triples, their most in a game in program history. Atwell made 6 of 13 shots from deep.
Also sidelined for Texas Tech were transfers LeJuan Watts (Washington State), Josiah Moseley (Villanova) and Luke Bamgboye (VCU).
