Calling something "nasty" generally involves a negative connotation. An exception to this rule is when it comes to playing defense.

Down 10 against TCU with 7:57 to go, there was one way the 23rd-ranked Texas Tech basketball team was going to make the comeback. The Red Raiders had to find their edge, get nasty.

"Just had to double down on how gritty we were," Pop Isaacs said. "A lot of these games come down to the last four minutes and who gets nastier and who gets tougher. I know for us to win this game, we were going to have to tough one out."

Again without big man Warren Washington, who missed his second consecutive game with a foot injury, the Red Raiders struggled offensively against the Horned Frogs. Isaacs and Chance McMillian continued to struggle from 3-point range. Darrion Williams battled foul trouble all night.

Something had to give.

ABOUT THE GAME: No. 23 Texas Tech basketball overcomes 10-point deficit to topple TCU: 3 takeaways

"For me, I just told the guys, honestly, it just comes down to guarding," Joe Toussaint said. "That's all it is. You've got to want to guard. You can't teach defense. You've got to want to stop the other team from scoring."

Behind the fourth sold-out United Supermarkets Arena crowd in Big 12 play, the Red Raiders got defensive. Neither team made a jumper in the final seven minutes and change. Everything was either contested at the rim or a free throw.

A season-high 10 steals and an aggressive mentality to attack the basket proved the difference in Texas Tech's 82-81 comeback victory.

It was the third time this season the Red Raiders (19-7 overall, 8-5 in Big 12) have overcome a double-digit deficit to win, all of them coming at home.

"To be a part of this atmosphere and to have this homecourt advantage is remarkable," Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "We don't win that game if it's not for the people in the building, and I mean that."

McCasland was especially happy with the play of his starting backcourt. In the first meeting with TCU, Toussaint (14 points) had nine assists but also turned it over eight games in the loss. On Tuesday, he rebounded with seven helpers and one giveaway.

As for Isaacs, his shooting struggles continued. Over Tech's past five games, Isaacs has shot 4-of-30 from 3 — McMillian, likewise, has converted three of his past 22 attempts from beyond the arc.

Isaacs finished 4-of-11 from the field against TCU and missed all five 3s. It's not his first shooting slump of the season, and he found a way to make a difference by getting to the free throw line 12 times, converting on 11 of them to finish with a game-high 19 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

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"Coaches and teammates, they put the ultimate trust in me to be able to do everything," Isaacs said. "The main thing is just for me to stay aggressive, whether that's look to score or make plays. Me looking to score opens up things for everybody else.

"My teammates aren't really worried about the numbers. My coaches aren't worried about the numbers. We're just trying to win basketball games. Whatever's the best formula to win that game, that's what we're gonna do."

On Tuesday, the formula was just enough offense and timely defense down the stretch. It doesn't have to be pretty. It just has to work.

"It's just the communication and talking in the huddle," Isaacs said. "The togetherness was at a high level tonight for sure."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: No. 23 Texas Tech basketball gets 'nastier' while staying together