It is a special day for the Texas Tech basketball program as the Red Raiders will play for a trip to the Final Four. This is just the third opportunity the program has had to reach college basketball's biggest stage.
In 2018, Tech reached the Elite Eight for the first time. However, that's where that run would end as No. 1 seed Villanova kept the Red Raiders at bay for a 71-59 win on their way to winning the National Championship.
A year later, the Red Raiders broke through. Taking down No. 1 seed Gonzaga 75-69, Tech qualified for the Final Four for the first time in its history.
Today, another No. 1 seed, Florida, stands between Tech and the Final Four. Therefore, the Red Raiders will have to slay another giant if they want this NCAA Tournament run to continue.
Florida is one of the favorites to cut down the nets in San Antonio. They are second in the KenPom.com rankings, and they have won nine games in a row to push their season record to an impressive 33-4.
That record includes a mark of 13-4 in Quad-1 games. This year, Florida has secured wins over elite teams such as Tennessee (twice), Auburn, and Alabama (twice). What's more, the SEC Tournament title they won earlier this month proved that they are peaking at just the right time.
The Gators are one of the best offensive teams in the nation. They average 85.5 points per game, the third most in the NCAA.
On defense, they are a bit more pedestrian. The 69.4 points per game they allow is solid but far from elite, just good for 90th in the country.
Four Gators average double figures in scoring. Tops among that group is sensational senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., a deadly outside weapon who shoots 38.6% from 3-point range. He averages 17.7 points and 4.2 assists per game.
Certainly, Tech will have to be at its best to upset the West Region's top seed tonight. However, if the Red Raiders can win at Houston (and do so without JT Toppin or Grant McCasland for most of the game), then they can beat any team in the country, and fans across Raiderland will be checking out the broadcast to see if Tech has more magic left in this season.
Texas Tech vs. Florida broadcast information
Matchup: No. 3 Texas Tech (28-8) vs. No. 1 Florida (33-4)
Location: San Francisco, California
Venue: Chase Center
Tip: 5:09 p.m. (CDT), Thursday, March 27
TV: TBS
TV CALL: Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi
Westwood Radio: Ryan Radtke, P.J. Carlesimo
TEXAS TECH SPORTS NETWORK: Geoff Haxton (play-by-play), Chris Level (analyst)
Texas Tech vs. Florida series history
The last time these programs met, Texas Tech prevailed 69-66 in the 2018 NCAA Tournament Second Round in Dallas, Texas. The Gators are 2-1 all-time in the series, though, with a 79-76 win on December 10, 1960, in Gainesville before taking a 71-69 overtime win on December 8, 1962, in Lubbock.
Texas Tech vs. Florida odds
Odds courtesy of FanDuel.com.
Favorite | Moneyline | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
Florida -6.5 | Texas Tech +235 | 157.5 |
Texas Tech vs. Florida game notes
Notes courtesy of TexasTech.com.
- Through three NCAA Tournament games, Darrion Williams leads the team with 20.3 points per game, along with adding 8.0 rebounds per game after having nine against the Razorbacks. JT Toppin is also averaging 20.3 points to go along with 10.7 rebounds per game, while Christian Anderson and Elijah Hawkins are scoring 11.3 points per game each.
- For the season, Tech is shooting 36.7 percent from 3-point range but is now at 25.0 percent
through its trios of wins.
- Grant McCasland has led the Red Raiders to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons and is in the national tournament for the third time in his career as a head coach. His 51-19 record at Tech is the best start for a head coach in program history.
- Tech improved to 3-1 in overtime games this season after its 85-83 overtime win in the Sweet 16 over Arkansas… The Red Raiders also earned an 82-81 overtime win at Houston and a 111-106 double-overtime win over Arizona State after dropping an 85-84 overtime decision against Iowa State at home on January 11.
- Tech leads the Big 12 and is sixth nationally with a 1.67 assist-to-turnover ratio after having 12 assists and eight turnovers against Arkansas, 13 assists and only five turnovers against Drake, and 21 assists and only seven turnovers versus UNCW. Through three NCAA Tournament games, Tech has 46 assists and 20 turnovers. Tech has double-digit assist totals in all 36 games this season after having 12 assists on 34 makes against Arkansas. The Red Raiders are averaging 16.5 assists per game, which ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 26th nationally.
- Texas Tech has already made the most total 3-pointers (361) in program history overall and in Big 12 play. Tech's average of 10.1 3-pointers per game is above the previous record of 8.5, which was set last season. Tech has currently made 353-for-952 of its 3-point attempts (37.1 percent), passing the previous record of 289 from last season (34 games). The Red Raiders have made 10 or more 3-pointers in a program record 21 games this season, including setting a program high in the NCAA Tournament with 13 against UNC Wilmington. Against Baylor in the Big 12 quarterfinals, Tech set a program record by making 12 3-pointers by halftime. Through two NCAA Tournament games, Tech is 15-for-60 from 3-point range.