Texas Tech Red Raiders at Louisville Cardinals

Louisville becomes latest No. 1 to lose, falls to Texas Tech

Time to get rowdy? For the Red Raiders, you bet.

About the only thing wilder than the postgame party has been the upset craze at the top of the national rankings. Here's one poll position no team may want: Louisville is the latest No. 1-and-done team to lose soon after securing the top spot.

Benson sparked the Red Raiders with a pair of highlight-reel blocks, and Davide Moretti scored 18 points and hit successive 3-pointers that helped send them on their way and knock off undefeated No. 1 Louisville 70-57 on Tuesday night.

Louisville became the fourth top-ranked team to lose this season, joining Michigan State, Kentucky and Duke.

"I think it just means it's a great year for college basketball," Beard said.

It was a great night for the Red Raiders (6-3).

The Cardinals (9-1) easily played their worst game of the season, shooting an abysmal 34 % from the floor and leading scorer Jordan Nwora had only 14 points. Coach Chris Mack let loose his frustration in the Jimmy V Classic game in the final 90 seconds and was whistled for a technical.

Moretti hit a pair of free throws to seal the win and Texas Tech fans sitting behind the basket told security to "move the rope, we're running on the floor!"

"I don't know what it speaks of, I'm more worried about losing to Texas Tech," Mack said.

Then again, no team can be counted out this season against the hoops heavyweights.

Moretti buried two straight 3s midway through the second half (he missed his eight other attempts) for an 11-point lead that gave the Red Raiders the space they needed. Chris Clarke hit another 3 for Texas Tech and it went into a timeout with a seven-point lead.

Louisville could never make a run, and Nwora was held below his 21.4 scoring average. Louisville missed 3s, layups and generally looked lethargic on offense. Down eight, guard Darius Perry was whistled for a charge in the paint and the unraveling Cards were about out of chances.

"We're going to have to grow from this and use it as a lesson learned," Mack said.

Security did man the baseline to keep the wildly enthusiastic Red Raiders fans at bay.

"We had the Raider Power going in Madison Square Garden," Beard said.

The Cardinals missed 20 of 28 shots overall from the floor in the first half and were limited from 3-point range, the kind of shooting that gave a scuffling team like Texas Tech a chance.

And who knew, the walk-on would lead them.

Benson, one of only three players back from last year's team, had the Red Raiders fans going wild with a pair of sensational blocks that stunned the Cards. Benson stuffed Nwora, a player of the year candidate, and then finished the half with a monster rejection off a Lamarr Kimble shot at the horn to send the Red Raiders into halftime up 31-28. They led by as many as nine in the half and were in prime position to pull off the No. 1 stunner.

Benson, the shaggy-haired, ink-stained bundle of energy, had his teammates riled up from tip.

"Sometimes, it's hard to pump the breaks," he said. "But I'd rather pump the breaks than not be rolling at all."

"I don't think there's going to be one dominant team," Beard said.

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders got the confidence boost they needed and hope the remaining soft nonconference schedule can pad their record before Big 12 play begins in a few weeks.

POLL POWER

With the Cards all but out of the top spot Monday in the next AP poll, it will be the sixth time there have five No. 1 teams in one season. The record is seven in 1983. There have been seven seasons with six No. 1 teams.

UP NEXT

Louisville returns home Saturday to play Eastern Kentucky.

Texas Tech hosts Southern Mississippi on Monday in the first of five straight home games.

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How can I watch Texas Tech vs. Louisville?

• TV Channel: Texas Tech at Louisville 2021 College Basketball, week 6, is broadcasted on ESPN.
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