Current Format: First Round |
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Overall Record: 7-6 |
Texas Tech has been to the NCAA Tournament 13 times since the expansion of the field in 1985. During that time, the first round has been a bit hit or miss with Tech going 7-6 overall.
Tech started out going 0-3 in first-round games. That included one-and-done tournament experiences in 1985 (a 55-53 loss to Boston College), 1986 (a 70-64 loss to Georgetown), and 1993 (an 85-67 loss to St. John's).
In 1996, the Red Raiders finally picked up some momentum on the way to the Sweet 16. However, that run began with a frightening 74-73 victory over No. 14 seed Northern Illinois.
2002 was the year that Tech fell to Southern Illinois in the first round. Two years later, a tight 76-73 win over No. 9 seeded Charlotte got Tech to the second round.
In 2005, the Red Raiders began a Sweet 16 run with a dominant 78-66 win over No. 11-seeded UCLA in the first round. Then, in Bob Knight's final NCAA Tournament, 2007, Tech fell in the first round to Boston College 84-75.
Tech wouldn't get back to the Big Dance again until 2016 when Tubby Smith led his team to an improbable bid. But the dance was short with Tech falling to Butler in the first round, 71-61.
Fortunately, the worm would begin to turn after that. In 2018, Tech opened the tournament with a 70-60 win over Stephen F. Austin, and a year later, it was a 72-57 victory over Northern Kentucky in the first round.
In 2021, Tech took out Utah State in the first round, 65-53, and in 2022, Tech opened with a 97-62 thrashing of Montana State. Now, the Red Raiders will look to extend their four-game first-round winning streak by taking down No. 11-seeded NC State on Thursday.