LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Keenan Evans and No. 18 Texas Tech have done more than just win their first three Big 12 games. The Red Raiders haven’t trailed in a conference game yet.

When Kansas State made a bit of a run in the second half Saturday, Evans scored the game’s next four points off turnovers and the Red Raiders maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way in a 74-58 victory.

“We just drew it in our head that we were not about to be that team that was about to have a letdown,” Evans said. “Past teams have beaten top teams and, in the next game, get beat. We really didn’t want to be that team. This wasn’t a cupcake game. Every night in the Big 12 is a grind-it-out game.”

Evans finished with 27 points as the Red Raiders backed up that 85-73 win four days earlier at Allen Fieldhouse, their first victory ever on the road against No. 10 Kansas.

Texas Tech (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) is one of only two Big 12 teams to make it through the first three conference games without a loss. No. 6 West Virginia beat No. 7 Oklahoma 89-76 later Saturday. Those were the only other teams to start the day 2-0 in the Big 12, and the Red Raiders play both of them next week.

“Just really pleased to get another win in this league,” Tech coach Chris Beard said. “These games are so hard to win. I don’t think most people understand how hard it is to win a game in the Big 12 Conference. All the preparation, how well you have to play, so I just want to recognize our players. I thought we had two great days of preparation.”

By shooting 70 percent in the first half, the Red Raiders jumped out to a 20-4 lead and settled for a 40-22 advantage at the break. The Red Raiders were still shooting 61 percent when Beard pulled starters from the game.

Dean Wade had eight points for K-State (11-4, 1-2) in a 16-8 spurt to get within 48-40 with just under 12 minutes left. That’s when Evans converted two turnovers into points, and Tech added a third basket after a turnover right after that.

Barry Brown led Kansas State with 24 points and Dean had 14 before fouling out in the final 3 minutes. Cartier Diarra added 11 points.

All 10 Texas Tech players scored, and Zhaire Smith was the only other in double figures with 11 points.

“They had some success and had some issues last season, but I thought they’d come back and play with a lot of heart and toughness,” K-State coach Bruce Weber said. “That’s what’s happened.”

BIG PICTURE

Kansas State: The Wildcats fell one game below .500 in Big 12 play with a rivalry game against Kansas on the horizon after a midweek contest.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are 3-0 play for the first time since the 2003-04 season. They will almost certainly move up in the polls after two more double-digit victories this week, including the win over the Jayhawks.

HURT WILDCAT

K-State starting guard Kamau Stokes went to the Wildcats locker room with an apparent ankle injury before the first half ended and didn’t return. He scored two points in 15 minutes, well below his season average of 14.2 points per game.

Weber said Stokes would be evaluated further when the team returned home.

“Cartier hit a couple of 3s, he pushed it, made good decisions and got in the paint,” Weber said. “Obviously, he doesn’t have the same experience that Kam has, but he was solid for us and, depending what happens with Kam, obviously will have to get some more minutes if Kam’s out for a while.”

SMITH COMING BACK

Texas Tech forward Zach Smith, eight days after rolling his ankle in the Big 12 opener against Baylor, played 19 minutes and scored six points. He was limited in the game against Kansas.

“Zach Smith’s a warrior,” Beard said. “Average people, even good to great people, wouldn’t play any minutes at Kansas and wouldn’t even play tonight. But Zach’s an elite person who’s approached the rehab like a pro.”

UP NEXT

Kansas State returns home for a Wednesday game against Oklahoma State.

Texas Tech will visit No. 7 Oklahoma on Tuesday night. It’s the team’s second true road game this year, but it also is the squad’s fifth contest out of the state of Texas.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Marcus Mariota did everything he could to help the Titans advance in the playoffs, throwing a crazy touchdown pass to himself , running for crucial first downs and providing the kind of spark that Tennessee needed to rally from a 21-3 halftime hole.

Heck, he even threw a crucial block on the run that clinched the game.

It all added up to a heart-stopping 22-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, the first postseason win for the Titans in 14 years and one that will provide some relief — for the week, at least — for embattled coach Mike Mularkey and his remarkable bunch of underdogs.

“Special,” said Mariota, whose 205 yards passing included the go-ahead 22-yard strike to Eric Decker with six minutes left. “I’m part of a great team. I’m part of a group of guys that really believe in each other. And it’s something special.”

Now, the Titans will find out Sunday whether they’re headed to New England or Pittsburgh next.

Derrick Henry added a career-high 156 yards rushing and another score for Tennessee (10-7), while a defense fileted by Alex Smith and the Chiefs (10-7) in the first half pitched a shutout in the second half — dooming the Kansas City franchise to another humiliating postseason defeat.

The Chiefs haven’t won a home playoff game since January 1994.

“I’m in shock,” Smith said. “The swing at halftime to the final whistle, definitely a shock. Yeah. Didn’t feel like we played up to how we’re capable of playing and that’s disappointing.

Smith threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns , but most of that came before halftime. He couldn’t get going in the second half and misfired on fourth-and-9 at the Titans 44 with just over two minutes to go, denying the Chiefs a chance for Harrison Butker to kick a go-ahead field goal.

Adding to the depression? Henry appeared to fumble as Tennessee tried to run out the clock.

The Chiefs’ Derrick Johnson picked up the ball and returned it for a touchdown with 1:47 to go, and the crowd went wild as fireworks shot off over Arrowhead Stadium. But a replay clearly showed Henry down, the call was overturned and Tennessee succeeded in running out the clock. Mariota threw a block that helped spring Henry for a 22-yard gain on third-and 10 late that helped finish off the comeback.

“Grit. It’s just grit,” Henry said. “We told them we’ve got 30 minutes left, all we’ve got to do is play our game. Execute the plays and everything will take care of itself.”

In the first half, the Chiefs looked every bit the team that had won four straight in convincing fashion, and the Titans looked every bit the team that backed into the playoffs.

Kareem Hunt, the league’s top rusher this season , plunged in from 1 yard for a 7-0 lead. Smith hit Travis Kelce, who later left with a concussion, with a 13-yard touchdown pass. And he added another TD toss to Demarcus Robinson on the final offensive play for a 21-3 lead at the break.

“We were feeling good,” Johnson said. “We came in 21-3 and that’s all we were talking about: ‘Finish. Don’t get complacent. We have bigger goals than this game.'”

But it was the Titans who finished, and it was Mariota who led the way. He capped a 91-yard TD drive to start the second half in the bizarre fashions: Mariota threw a TD pass to himself.

His throw to the end zone was batted right back at him by Darrelle Revis, and Mariota hauled it in and dived for the goal line. It was the first time a player has thrown a TD pass to himself in the playoffs, and the first time in any game since the Vikings’ Brad Johnson during the 1997 season.

“Right place, right time,” Mariota said with a smile.

Tennessee nearly squandered its momentum when Adoree Jackson fumbled a punt, but the Chiefs were unable to pick up a first down and Butker knocked a 48-yard field goal off the upright. And the Titans capitalized when Henry rumbled nearly untouched 35 yards for a touchdown a few minutes later.

The Chiefs’ offense had been rendered impotent by that point, unable to move the ball after Kelce left with a concussion in the first half. And the Titans blanketed Tyreek Hill whenever he touched the ball, and they stacked the box to slow Hunt down in obvious rushing situations.

Finally, the Titans pulled ahead on Mariota’s strike to Decker, and that led to more controversy from the officials. Tennessee went for a 2-point conversion and a field-goal edge, Mariota fumbled as he was getting sacked and Frank Zombo scooped up the ball for two points the other way.

But the officials had blown the play dead, ruling Mariota’s progress had been stopped, and the Titans retained the slimmest of margins — one that would stand up to the final whistle.

“I feel really good around our football team,” Mularkey said. “I know what I’m going to get from them every week. That’s a good feeling, knowing how they’re going to come out, no matter what.”

OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS

The Chiefs also complained about the officials blowing their whistles on a play late in the first half, when Mariota fumbled while getting sacked. He clearly lost the ball and the Chiefs picked it up, but the play could not be reviewed. Tennessee wound up kicking a field goal.

RECORD RALLY

Only two other road teams have rallied from at least 18 down to win a playoff game in NFL history. The Cowboys came back from 21-3 in the first half to beat the 49ers 30-28 in December 1972, and the Lions came back from 27-7 in the second half to beat the 49ers in December 1957.

KELCE HURT

Kelce sustained his concussion on a wicked blow from Titans S Johnathan Cyprien late in the first half. Kelce, who had four catches for 66 yards, lay stunned on the turf for a moment before wobbling to his feet. Trainers quickly took him to the locker room and he did not return.

UP NEXT

The Titans’ opponent in the divisional round will be decided Sunday. If the Jaguars beat the Bills in their wild-card matchup, Tennessee heads to New England to face the No. 1 seed. If Buffalo wins, the Titans head to face No. 2 seed Pittsburgh.