The Red Raiders' highly anticipated season is almost here, as we are just days away from the tip-off of the 2026-2027 season.

Though there's been limited public preseason action, there are two players who have stood out thus far that may have helped their case before the season opener on November 2nd against Jackson State.

Damarion Dennis

In the exhibition match against Kentucky, Damarion Dennis was a standout guard who looked like he could be a real contributor for this team in the future. Against the Wildcats, Dennis contributed 11 total points with 2 rebounds and a steal. He was efficient offensively in the matchup, as he shot 5-for-11 from the field at 45.4%.

It's no secret that Texas Tech's offense will be centered around their guard depth, at least for the time being, and Dennis can be a productive scorer for this team early on. He played nearly 26 minutes in the exhibition match, and you can expect that number to be a realistic reflection of what's to come this season.

Grant McCasland opted to run a four-man rotation in the backcourt, consisting of Dennis, Cruz Davis, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Dakari Spears. Dennis looked the most efficient and polished overall in the lone matchup, a good sign for Tech fans moving forward.

Josiah Moseley

Another player who showed some promise was 6’8” forward Josiah Moseley. Rebounding was a known concern for this team heading into the season due to the lack of height in the front court, as two of the most important players, Jamichael Stillwell and JT Toppin, will be sidelined to begin the season.

Moseley looks like a player who could alleviate some of that concern. Last season at Texas Tech, he averaged 13.9 minutes per game with 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. In the exhibition match against Kentucky, Moseley got a bit more at 18 minutes a game, shooting 2-for-4 from the field for 4 points and 10 rebounds, the highest of anyone on the team by a large margin.

Winning on the glass will be a tough uphill battle for this Red Raiders team this season, and if Moseley can produce in that department, there's a chance we see his minutes increase as the season goes on.

Texas Tech will enter the season ranked No. 19 in the AP Preseason Top 25 and No. 16 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. They were also expected to finish fifth in a competitive Big 12 Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The nucleus of the roster is senior forward JT Toppin, who was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 team.

Health and a successful return from injury are crucial for pushing the Red Raiders into elite national contention. Coach McCasland added a lot of depth in the backcourt and on the wing through the portal, bringing in dynamic possibilities such as Hofstra transfer guard Cruz Davis, NC State transfer forward Darrion Williams and UNC Greensboro shooter Donovan Atwell to offer secondary scoring options.

The availability and return timeline of important pieces, including JT Toppin and UCF transfer big man Jamichael Stillwell, will influence the early non-conference results and potential for the team. Incoming freshman Bassala Bagayoko and returning underclassmen will shoulder the burden of heavy minutes in the rotation until the starting big men are back at full strength. Before Big 12 play, Texas Tech’s floor and high-end potential will be tested with high-profile matchups against No. 3 Illinois at home and No. 2 Duke at Madison Square Garden.

It's an exciting season ahead with a very talented roster in Lubbock. The Red Raiders certainly enter with high expectations, and they'll need all hands on deck if they want to reach that potential.

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