Finally, the best sporting event of the year, the NCAA Tournament, has arrived. And tonight, the Texas Tech basketball team will try to take the first step toward glory by defeating the No. 14 seed UNC Wilmington Seahawks in Wichita, Kansas.
Texas Tech is searching for its first NCAA Tournament win since 2022 when the Red Raiders reached the Sweet 16 in the first year of the Mark Adams era. Since then, the program missed the 2023 tournament and lost in the first round of last season's tournament.
“With this group, I think there is a real urgency to want to play together as long as we can,” Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland said. “They really do love each other. It’s genuine. I think that is a big part of winning and competing this time of year. You have to be more unselfish than you’ve ever been. More humble than you’ve ever been. I think there has to be a realness to do whatever you need to do to get it done. Every game will be different and this first game will take everything we have to win. We’re aware of that and I think our guys are willing to do it.”
Red Raider fans likely do not know too much about the Seahawks. They enter this tournament with a record of 27-7. That includes a six-game winning streak.
Finishing second in the Coastal Athletic Conference regular-season race, they had a record of 14-4 in league play. Then, they managed to win their conference tournament by beating Hampton, Charleston, and Delaware to earn the automatic bid to the Big Dance.
This year, UNCW played only one team from a power conference. In November, they lost at Kansas 84-66.
Ranked just 102nd in the NET, their NET strength of schedule is just 326th nationally. Thus, it is fair to question whether they are ready to compete against one of the best teams in the country.
UNCW is led in scoring by 6-foot-1 senior guard Donovan Newby, who is averaging 14.6 points per game. However, he's one of just two Seahawks that score in double figures.
However, putting up points is something that the Seahawks do well. Averaging 79.4 points per game (52nd nationally), they have a balanced attack that features seven players putting up at least 7.4 points per game.
On the other end of the court, UNCW allows 69.9 points per game (116th in America). However, in their seven losses this season, they've given up an average of 77 points per game. Thus, it will be interesting to see if they can hold the Red Raiders below Tech's average of 80.9 points per game, which is good for 30th in the NCAA.
Texas Tech fans have been waiting all season to see their team get another crack at the NCAA Tournament after being ousted on the first day of last year's tournament. It is time for this program to take a step forward under McCasland's guidance and make some serious noise in the Big Dance. Therefore, Red Raiders around the country will be staying up late tonight to take in all the action. So here's a look at everything fans need to know about this first-round matchup.
Texas Tech vs. UNCW broadcast info
Tip: 9:10 p.m. Central, Thursday, March 20
TV: truTV
TV CALL: Tom McCarthy, Steve Smith, Debbie Antonelli, AJ Ross
Westwood Radio: Ted Emrich, Casey Jacobson (XMSirius 211)
TEXAS TECH SPORTS NETWORK: Geoff Haxton (play-by-play), Chris Level (analyst)
Texas Tech vs. UNCW series history
Texas Tech and UNC Wilmington will be meeting for only the second time ever with the Red Raiders earning an 85-76 win on November 22, 2002, to open Bob Knight’s second season in Lubbock in the only previous matchup. Tech’s all-time leading scorer Andre Emmett led the Red Raiders with 23 points in the game.
Texas Tech vs. UNCW odds
Odds courtesy of FanDuel.com.
Favorite | Moneyline | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
Texas Tech -15.5 | UNCW +890 Texas Tech -1700 | 142.5 |
Texas Tech vs. UNCW game notes
Game notes courtesy of TexasTech.com.
- As a program, Texas Tech has played in 20 NCAA Tournaments and is 19-21 all-time. The Red Raiders were a No. 6 seed last season, falling 80-67 to NC State in the first round in Pittsburgh. Tech advanced to the 2019 NCAA Final Four as a three-seed where it fell 85-77 in overtime to Virginia in the championship game. The Red Raiders have reached national prominence in recent years, making the NCAA Elite Eight in 2018, the final Monday night in 2019 and the 2022 Sweet 16.
- UNC Wilmington earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Coastal Athletic Conference Championship. The program will be playing in its seventh NCAA Tournament, making its first appearance since 2016-17.
- The Seahawks come into the national tournament 14th nationally with a 7.3 rebounding advantage over its opponents this season and led the CAA with 22.1 free-throw attempts per game, 16.5 free throws made, 79.4 points per game, and a 9.5 scoring margin.
- Tech leads the Big 12 and is seventh nationally with a 1.67 assist-to-turnover ratio along with being second in the conference by shooting 37.9 percent from 3-point range, with 10.2 3-pointers per game, a 13.3 scoring margin of victory and a 55.5 effective field goal percentage… The team is third in the conference stat rankings (28th nationally) by scoring 80.9 points per game and with a 76.4 free-throw percentage… Tech's defense has limited 11 opponents under 60 points this season and is fourth in the conference by holding teams to 67.6 points per game.