If you’re wondering why Christian Anderson missed the Texas Tech basketball team’s game against Kansas on Monday night, you’re not alone.
Anderson had started all 21 games for the Red Raiders to this point in the season, rarely coming off the floor, averaging 38.6 minutes per game, totaling 19.6 points and 7.5 assists for the 13th-ranked team in the nation.
Advertisement
Anderson’s absence from the starting lineup was curious as he had not been included on either of the Big 12 Conference-mandated availability reports, released Sunday evening and 90 minutes before tip-off.
That’s because, Grant McCasland said, the Red Raiders didn’t even know they’d be without their All-American point guard until about 15 minutes before tip.
“We didn’t have a plan,” the Texas Tech head coach said. “We were sitting in there about 15 minutes before the game trying to figure out exactly how we wanted to formulate 40 minutes of it.”
McCasland said that he wouldn’t get into specifics about why Anderson missed the game — the Texas Tech radio broadcast said he was out due to illness — but offered a bit more info into how it happened.
Advertisement
Head trainer Mike Neal communicated with McCasland that they were going to hold Anderson out of the team warmups initially, but the Red Raiders still anticipated him playing against the Jayhawks.
Christian Anderson watches from the tunnel as Texas Tech takes on Kansas in a Big 12 Conference men’s basketball game, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in United Supermarkets Arena.
“Then we got closer to going out there and they were saying we’re going to take him and try to warm him up while they’re doing intros and see if we can get him where he’s ready to play,” McCasland said. “And I just think everybody thought he was playing in the very end, and then the whole thought process was just keep trying to get him to see if he can, see if he can play at all.”
McCasland said Neal initially thought the Red Raiders would be able to play Anderson right until the team took the floor before the game.
Advertisement
Anderson joined his team for warmups before the second half of the game but looked lethargic. He remained near the team bench in the tunnel but did not play. Texas Tech wound up losing 64-61.
“We left halftime thinking there’s a chance he would play in the second half,” McCasland said, “and then just wasn’t able to go.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Here’s why Christian Anderson missed Texas Tech basketball’s loss to Kansas
