Texas Tech knows exactly how TCU will feel heading into tonight’s game.

After all, the Red Raiders were there less than one week ago.

Texas Tech's John Roberson, left, scores in front of Washington's Venoy Overton during overtime in an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Geoffrey McAllister)

“They’re going to be pumped up just like we were pumped up to play Washington,” Tech point guard John Roberson said. “We’re the first team they play that’s ranked, so they’re going to take this opportunity and try to do something with it. We understand that and we know we have to play a heck of a game if we’re going to beat them on their home court.”

On Monday, Tech jumped into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in more than four seasons.

Coach Pat Knight said the team’s accomplishments warrant the recognition.

“Look at our record, we’re 8-0,” Knight said. “We’ve beaten two Pac-10 teams, we’ve beaten a Southland team at their place, where a Big 12 team hadn’t gone in nine years. We’ve beaten some really good teams, so I think these kids deserve that honor.”

The No. 23 Red Raiders were one of just five Division I basketball teams with 8-0 records as of Sunday night. They defeated then-No. 12 Washington 99-92 in overtime last Thursday at United Spirit Arena. Tonight they travel to Fort Worth for a game against unranked TCU, who Roberson expects to be the first of many teams gunning to take them down.

Knight said after a string of less-than-stellar seasons, it could take some adjustment for Tech to adjust to all the attention. The Raiders went 30-34 the past two seasons. After that and a preseason prediction they’d finish ninth in the Big 12, they knew the season would at least begin with few people paying attention to this team’s potential.

“We took people by surprise, which we were intending to do,” Roberson said. “We can’t do that anymore now that we’re ranked.”

Roberson took home Tech’s second award of the day, being named the Big 12 Player of the Week. He scored 25 points against Washington, including 13-of-13 from the free-throw line, leading Huskie coach Lorenzo Romar to call him the reason the Raiders won the game.

Roberson has five or more assists in six of Tech’s last seven games, and is seventh on the school’s all-time list with 354.

“We’ve had the rookie of the week in David Tairu earlier, so to have two guys already within four weeks of the program speaks volumes for our program and where we’re at,” Knight said.

Knight cautioned that with just one-fourth of the season finished, it’s too early to place any real meaning in the ranking.

But Roberson said through eight games, Tech has played like one of the country’s best teams.

“I think we have. I think our defense has shown tremendously in the games we’ve played. I think we’re hitting on all cylinders. We have so many people who can score the ball, we have so many weapons, I really do think we’re a Top 25 team right now.”

To comment on this story:

courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com l 766-8735

terry.greenberg@lubbockonline.com l 766-8700

Men’s basketball Top 25

1. Kansas (62) 7-0 1,621

2. Texas (1) 6-0 1,514

3. Villanova (1) 8-0 1,460

4. Kentucky 8-0 1,417

5. Purdue 7-0 1,409

6. West Virginia 5-0 1,272

7. Syracuse (1) 8-0 1,270

8. Duke 7-1 1,058

9. Tennessee 6-1 1,047

10. Florida 8-0 1,024

11. North Carolina 7-2 985

12. Michigan State 6-2 876

13. Ohio State 7-1 806

14. Connecticut 6-1 787

15. Georgetown 6-0 723

16. Texas A&M 7-1 512

17. Washington 6-1 495

18. UNLV 7-0 429

19. Cincinnati 5-1 334

20. Wisconsin 6-1 298

21. Gonzaga 6-2 279

22. Butler 6-2 221

23. Texas Tech 8-0 219

24. Georgia Tech 6-1 171

25. Mississippi 7-1 127

Others Receiving Votes: Memphis 99, Clemson 96, Vanderbilt 74, Florida State 59, Kansas State 59, Northwestern 48, Miami (FL) 46, Oklahoma State 41, Notre Dame 37, New Mexico 35, Illinois 18, Charlotte 18, Baylor 17, Richmond 17, Louisville 15, St. John’s 14, Missouri State 14, Brigham Young 13, Pittsburgh 11, Dayton 8, Seton Hall 6, California 5, Minnesota 5, North Carolina State 3, Cornell 3, Illinois State 3, Tulsa 3, William & Mary 2, UAB 1, Northern Iowa 1.

Dropped From RankingsClemson 18, Louisville 20, Florida State 21.