This year, Texas Tech basketball fans are dreaming of another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, given the way the Red Raiders are playing (when fully healthy), visions of another Final Four appearance are dancing in our heads.
Of course, the program has only been to the Final Four once in its 100-year history. That was back in 2019 when Tech joined Virginia, Michigan State, and Auburn in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
This year, should the Red Raiders find their way back to the biggest stage in college hoops, Tech fans won't have to travel nearly as far to see Tech try to cut down the nets. In fact, if Tech makes the Final Four this season, the stadium will be bursting at the seams with Red Raiders.
Texas Tech could have a home-court advantage in the 2025 Final Four
In 2025, the Final Four is returning to Texas. It will be held in the Alamo City, San Antonio on Saturday, April 5, with the National Championship Game taking place on Monday, April 7. That would be an ideal location for the Red Raiders.
Of course, that would make it easy for Red Raider fans across the Lone Star State to get to the Final Four. If that dream comes true, San Antonio will look like Lubbock South as never before.
In all, four Texas cities have hosted the Final Four. This will be the 11th Final Four to take place in the state, with San Antonio hosting five, Houston hosting four, Dallas hosting three, and Arlington hosting one.
The Final Four was most recently in Texas in 2023 when Houston held the event. It was most recently in San Antonio in 2018. The next time it will be in Texas will be in Arlington in 2030.
Other places Texas Tech could play in the NCAA Tournament
Of course, to get to the Final Four, teams have to win four NCAA Tournament games. That will require the Red Raiders (and others) to play at two other sites. So let's take a look at where Grant McCasland and his team might find themselves in the earlier rounds.
First/Second Round sites (March 20-23) |
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Lexington, Kentucky |
Providence, Rhode Island |
Seattle, Washington |
Denver, Colorado |
Cleveland, Ohio |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Raleigh, North Carolina |
Wichita, Kansas |
There are no opening-weekend sites in Texas. The closest places to Lubbock that the Red Raiders could find themselves in would be Wichita, Kansas (a seven-hour drive from Lubbock) and Denver, Colorado (an eight-hour drive from Lubbock).
Third/Fourth Round Sites (March 27-30) |
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Newark, New Jersey (East Regional, March 27 & 29) |
San Francisco, California (West Regional, March 27 & 29) |
Atlanta, Georgia (South Regional, March 28 & 30) |
Indianapolis, Indiana (Midwest Regional, March 28 & 30) |
None of the regional sites are within reasonable driving distance from Lubbock or anywhere else in Texas. Thus, Red Raiders wanting to see their team in the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 (should Tech get that far) will have to make some flight plans.
If the Red Raiders can find a way to navigate the first two weekends of the tournament, though, then there will be a Texas Tech party in San Antonio the likes of which we've never seen. Of course, there is plenty of work to do before that becomes a reality, but still, it is fun to dream about what that atmosphere might be like.