Texas Tech is the overlooked team in the West Regional, and that's just fine

There might not be any school in America that thrives in the role of the overlooked team more than Texas Tech. Though there is no definitive proof to support that theory, most Red Raiders believe that our school seems to perform best when it is either expected to lose or it is not the national talking point.

That will be the case this week in the West Regional in San Francisco as Tech tries to reach the Final Four for the second time in program history. Of course, being the forgotten team might just be the perfect recipe for head coach Grant McCasland and his team.

Across America, people are re-ranking the 16 remaining teams or giving their thoughts on which coaches are the best left in the field. Few have the Red Raiders very high on either list.

What's more, as Texas Tech, Florida, Maryland, and Arkansas arrive in San Francisco, almost no one will be talking about the Red Raiders. However, that could work to Tech's advantage.

Texas Tech is the forgotten team in the West Regional

While the Red Raiders have one of the most versatile and complete rosters in the country and they finished second in the Big 12 regular-season race, they aren't a sexy team. In other words, there aren't a lot of high-profile stories being written about them this week.

Meanwhile, the other tree teams in the region certainly have tons of buzz surrounding them. That begins with Florida.

The No. 1 seed in the West, the Gators won the SEC Tournament and entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the heavy betting favorites to win the National Championship. That hasn't changed through the first two rounds and now sitting at 32-4 on the season, they are expected to win the West.

Their opponent in the Sweet 16, No. 4 seed Maryland, is now the darling of the tournament thanks to their dramatic second-round win over Colorado State. After falling behind by a point in the final five seconds after Colorado State drained a clutch 3-pointer, the Terrapins answered with a buzzer-beating runner from freshman big man Derik Queen.

Because this year's tournament has been devoid of buzzer-beating drama or upsets, that Maryland win has been the talk of the college basketball world for the past few days. What's more, it was a controversial win with many fans believing Queen got away with a travel on the final shot. Thus, people have been debating that play non-stop since Sunday.

Now, Queen is one of the stars of the tournament, not only because of his dramatic game winner but also because of his impassioned post-game interview in the moments afterward. Now, Maryland has become one of the most talked-about teams in the tournament. What's more, as one of the few East Coast teams still alive, they are a media darling.

As for Tech's Sweet 16 foe, Arkansas, it is all about head coach John Calipari. One of the biggest names in the sport, he has won a National Championship and been to six Final Fours.

What's more, Calipari has had a wild year, as this time last spring, he left blue-blood Kentucky to take the job at Arkansas as his team was getting warm in Lexington. Then, he brought in an uber-talented roster featuring high-profile transfers and All-American freshmen, only to see injuries lead to a 0-5 start to SEC play.

Now, Arkansas is healthy and playing as well as it has all season. Thus, Calipari's star is shining bright once again, and he will be the biggest personality in San Francisco this weekend.

As for the Red Raiders, they enter the Sweet 16 having beaten two double-digit seeds by at least ten points. They haven't had any drama. They don't have players who demand the spotlight. Their coach isn't a household name in the sport. They aren't projected by anyone to make the Final Four.

Rather, the Red Raiders are simply a footnote for most people. That could be exactly what McCasland needs to give his team extra fire.

While playing for a spot in the Final Four should be motivation enough, Tech could come into this weekend with a chip on its shoulder thanks to being the forgotten team in the West Region. Hopefully, this will be another instance of a Red Raider team embracing the role of being an afterthought because, through the years, that's been when Tech has been the most dangerous in any sport.