'Back Home': Texas Tech Basketball Begins Fall Practices

LUBBOCK, Texas -- The Texas Tech men's basketball team has taken shape and taken the practice floor with one another as classes have gotten underway this week.

Grant McCasland enters his fourth year as the Red Raiders' head coach, and he'll enter the 2026-27 season with a number of new faces.

The squad is filled with five returners and nine newcomers, four of which are freshmen.

"I love being back out here," McCasland said at practice, via Tech Athletics.

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Among the notable offseason acquisitions are Darrion Williams, who returns to Texas Tech after a season at NC State, and the retention of Donovan Atwell, who is signed and on the official team roster due to an injunction that grants him a fifth year of eligibility.

High-profile transfers like Cruz Davis, Jamichael Stillwell, and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn are also expected to be key pieces of the roster this season.

"It was really nice having everyone here," Davis said. "It was a long summer not having a full team, but we still put in the work to be ready for days like this. We did a lot of learning today, and that will only continue. I had a lot of fun playing with the guys today."

Davis comes back to his home state after averaging 20.1 points and 4.1 assists per game at Hofstra last season.

Gibbs-Lawhorn also filled it up last season out of UNLV's backcourt. The 6-1 senior guard scored 20.7 points per game, which led the Mountain West Conference.

"I've been wanting to be on the court with our entire team all summer," Gibbs-Lawhorn said. "Today was great. It's a blessing to have our whole squad together. Coach was right when he said we have a lot to work on but I know everyone here is ready to work and become a team. We have to come together faster than some other teams that have been together longer but we're ready to make that happen."

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Texas Tech begins the season on Nov. 2 with a home game against Jackson State, but all eyes are on the matchup with Kentucky on Oct. 23, an exhibition that will be played at historic Rupp Arena in Lexington.

The Red Raiders will likely be without All-American big man JT Toppin, who despite returning to the team for his senior season, remains out with the torn ACL injury that cut his 2025-26 season short.

Toppin's old NCAA tournament running mate from Tech's Elite Eight berth in 2024-25, Williams, is happy to be back in the 806.

"It felt really good for me," said Williams, who averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game for the Wolfpack last year. "Being back home, in a number 5 jersey and on this court, it just feels right. It was great getting out there with all of us together competing with a lot of energy and expectation. It's a really great feeling."