Texas Tech basketball at Oklahoma State: How to watch, game notes, and prediction

The Texas Tech basketball has a tough test on deck tonight. That might seem like an odd statement given that the opponent this evening is just a 12-17 overall Oklahoma State team that is only 4-12 in Big 12 play.

What makes this game a challenge, though, will be that Tech will have to go into a half-empty (at best) Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater and manufacture energy. That's always a dicey proposition when dealing with college teams given that the maturity of those squads can fluctuate from game to game.

It's been two months since Tech handed the Cowboys a 90-73 defeat in Lubbock. Since then, the Cowboys have been arguably the worst team in the Big 12.

Their best player, Bryce Thompson, is out for the season. They've dropped three games in a row. They have no hope of reaching the NCAA Tournament outside of a miraculous run in Kansas City next week. Their head coach is on the hottest of seats.

Still, this game has to make Texas Tech fans nervous. Tech hasn't won in Stillwater since late February of 2019, the year that Tech went to the National Championship Game. Thus, how this particular version of the Red Raiders handles the challenges of playing in Stillwater will be telling and could set the table for what happens in the rest of March.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State: Broadcast info

Matchup: Texas Tech (20-9, 9-7) at Oklahoma State (12-17, 4-12)
Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Venue: Gallagher-Iba Arena
Tip: 7 p.m. (CST), Tuesday, March 5, 2024
TV: ESPN+
TV CALL: Ted Emrich (play-by-play), Bryndon Manzer (analyst)
RADIO (Texas Tech Sports Network): 97.3 Double T FM
RADIO CALL: Geoff Haxton (play-by-play), Chris Level (analyst)

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State: Game notes

(All game notes courtesy of TexasTech.com)

Texas Tech will look to sweep its regular-season series against Oklahoma State for the first time since 2019 and for only the fourth time since their Big 12 series began in 1997 when the Red Raiders and Cowboys meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Tech won 90-73 in the first matchup this season on January 9 in Lubbock with Pop Isaacs leading the team with 24 points in the only game this season with all five starters scoring in double figures.

Historically, Texas Tech is only 5-27 all-time at Gallagher-Iba Arena and has lost four straight in Stillwater. Tech has swept regular season matchups against OSU in 2019, 2016, and 1997. The Red Raiders have dropped six of 10 in the series, snapping a three game losing streak to the Cowboys with the win in January

The Cowboys lead the series by a 50-25 margin, including a 38-19 win on January 1, 1937, in the first-ever meeting that took place in Oklahoma City. The programs played in Stillwater for the first
time on December 3, 1941, with OSU winning 53-40. OSU won the first eight matchups before Tech won 49-48 on December 13, 1954, in a game that was played in Goodwell, Oklahoma.

Texas Tech is currently 14-2 at home, 3-1 in neutral-court games, and 3-6 in true road games with road wins at No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 20 Texas on January 6 to begin Big 12 play and at West Virginia… For the program, the 2022-23 team went 18-0 at home to establish the best home record in program history.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State: Prediction

On paper, this is a game Tech should win. Of course, they don't play games on paper and this program's struggles in Stillwater are a reason for concern. Many times during Tech's current losing streak at OK State, the Red Raiders were favored only to go into a sleepy Gallagher-Iba Arena and be upset.

Still, this particular version of the Cowboys might simply be ready to throw in the towel for the year. They fired their best shot at rival Oklahoma a week ago Saturday but lost 84-82 in heartbreaking fashion at the buzzer. Since then, the Cowboys have dropped a six-point home decision to UCF and a 16-point decision at Texas.

With Thompson out, OSU has only one player, Javon Small, averaging over 10 points per game (14.5 per game in fact). That's why only two teams in the league (Cincinnati and UCF) score fewer points per game in Big 12 play than the Cowboys. What's more, they rank in the bottom three teams in the conference in field goal percentage, 3-point FG percentage, and assists.

On defense, OSU isn't any better. They are worst in the Big 12 during conference play when it comes to rebounding margin, they are last in field goal percentage allowed, and they are second-to-last in blocked shots (ahead of only Tech).

As long as the Red Raiders come to play with energy and excitement, they should be able to come out on top. Of course, the ghosts of Stillwater may have a few tricks up their sleeve as well so Grant McCasland's team had better be ready to treat this as an important game.

Final Score Prediction: Texas Tech 83 - Oklahoma State 72