Texas Tech basketball vs. Baylor: How to watch, game notes, prediction

Saturday, the Texas Tech basketball team hosts its regular-season finale when No. 11 Baylor comes to town. It will be the final college home game for guard Joe Toussaint and center Warren Washington.

What's more, the Red Raiders will be trying to avenge February's six-point loss to Baylor in Waco. Additionally, with a win, Grant McCasland's team could lock up the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Tournament giving the team a double-bye to the quarterfinals in Kansas City.

Of course, if Kansas loses to Houston, Tech will also earn the No. 4 seed. However, everyone in scarlet and black wants to end the regular season with a win.

Baylor will be a tough test though. That's because they have three big men that they can throw at the undersized Red Raiders. That group is led by 7-foot freshman Yves Missi who averages 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He also blocks 1.5 shots per game.

When these teams last met, he put up 17 points and 7 rebounds in a game that Tech's Warren Washington missed due to the flu. Now, Washington is questionable to play in this game as he continues to heal from a toe injury sustained on February 12 against Kansas.

The Bears enter the game 22-8 overall and ranked 11th nationally. So scoring a win over the Bears would be a huge statement for the Red Raiders. Here's hoping they can pull out another big home win.

Texas Tech vs. Baylor: Broadcast info

Matchup: No. 11 Baylor (22-8, 11-6) at Texas Tech (21-9, 10-7)
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Venue: United Supermarkets Arena
Tip: 5 p.m., Saturday, March 9, 2024
TV: ESPN2
TV CALL: Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play), Adrian Branch (analyst)
RADIO (Texas Tech Sports Network): 97.3 Double T FM
RADIO CALL: Geoff Haxton (play-by-play), Chris Level (analyst)

Texas Tech vs. Baylor: Game notes

(All game notes courtesy of TexasTech.com)

• Series History: Texas Tech leads 82-64
  In Lubbock: Texas Tech leads 47-22
  Last 10: Baylor has won 7 of last 10

• The Red Raiders look to snap a three-game losing streak to Baylor after taking a 79-73 loss in Waco on Feb. 6.. Tech swept the regular-season series in 2022 to end a four-game losing streak at that time to the Bears. The programs met for the first time on January 2, 1937 with Tech earning a 38-28 win in Oklahoma City.

• Texas Tech is on a two-game winning streak and looks to even its season series against No. 11 Baylor when it hosts the regular-season finale at 5 p.m. on Saturday at United Supermarkets Arena. The Red Raiders (21-9, 10-7 Big 12) are coming off road wins at Oklahoma State and West Virginia while the Bears (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) have won three straight with victories over TCU, Kansas, and Texas.

• The Red Raiders enter the final game of the regular season tied with Kansas for fourth in the Big 12 standings, while Baylor is third. No. 1 Houston tops the standings with a 14-3 record while No. 6 Iowa State is second at 11-6. Behind Tech and KU is BYU and TCU at 9-8 with one game to play. The top four seeds will get a bye at the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship which is from Tuesday-Saturday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

• Grant McCasland has joined Mark Adams (2021-22) and Knight (2001-02) as the only two coaches in program history with 20-plus wins in their first seasons… Adams won 27 games in his first season and led Tech to the 2022 NCAA Sweet 16 while Knight won 23 games in his first season

Texas Tech vs. Baylor prediction

This game is a tough one to predict. That's because we don't know if Warren Washington will play and he would be a huge asset against a big Baylor squad.

Also, we don't know how much of a boost the Red Raiders will get from playing at home. Tech is 14-2 at United Supermarkets Arena this year and a big crowd is expected for the home finale, even though the students have begun spring break. Playing on the road hasn't been easy for Baylor this year as four of their six Big 12 losses have come away from Waco.

Expect a high-scoring affair, though. Baylor is second in the Big 12 in points per game at 82. However, their defense allows 71.3 per game, which is good for only 11th in the Big 12.

These are also the two best 3-point shooting teams in the conference. Baylor leads the way by shooting 40.3% as a team while Tech shoots 36.4%.

Where this game could turn is on the glass. Baylor is third in the Big 12 with a rebound margin of +6.03 while Tech is 12th at just +0.67.

In the end, Baylor's size will be too much for Tech. Yes, Tech did keep the game in Waco close and that gives Red Raider fans some hope. However, that night, Baylor shot only 27.8% (5-18) from the 3-point line.

That likely won't happen again on Saturday. That's why Baylor will win a close game in Lubbock.

Final Score: Baylor 85 - Texas Tech 80