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Texas Tech basketball: Observations about Red Raiders’ 2023-24 Big 12 schedule

By Matthew Conner

Mar 4, 2023; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general overview of the team introductions before the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2023; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general overview of the team introductions before the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Texas Tech’s forward Robert Jennings (4) looks to pass the ball against West Virginia in a Big 12 basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech’s forward Robert Jennings (4) looks to pass the ball against West Virginia in a Big 12 basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, at United Supermarkets Arena. /

Texas Tech faces a tough 4-game closing stretch

The visit from Texas kicks off a tough closing stretch for the Red Raiders.  That’s a time when McCasland and Co. could be fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid.

After Texas comes to Lubbock, the Red Raiders will then take a long road trip to West Virginia on March 2 before facing Oklahoma State in Stillwater on March 5.  Then, on March 8, Tech ends the regular season with a home game against Baylor, a program that is annually one of the best in the conference under Scott Drew.

If Tech is right on the NCAA Tournament bubble at that time, this series of games will provide opportunities for resume-building wins.  However, none of them will be easy to put in the win column.

The good news is that Tech has won the last three games against the Horns in Lubbock.  What’s more, the program is 5-1 against UT at home since 2017.

As for playing in Morgantown, that’s been a different story.  Though Tech won there last season, the program has only two other wins at West Virginia (2019 and 2021).

Stillwater has been another tough place for the Red Raiders to survive even in years when the Cowboys have struggled.  Tech hasn’t come out of Gallager-Iba Arena with a win since the 2018-19 season (the year that the Red Raiders reached the National Championship Game).

Baylor has also had Tech’s number lately, even in Lubbock.  Going just 2-5 in the series since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Red Raiders’ only wins over the Bears during that time came in 2021 as Tech swept the season series.

It is likely that Tech could get off to a bit of a slower start this season as McCasland tries to install new systems on the court and a new culture in the locker room.  Thus, the tournament resume could be in need of Quad-1 wins near the end of Big 12 play.

This closing stretch may provide those opportunities but none will be easy.  The hope is, though, that Tech will be playing its best basketball of the year by that time.

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