Tonight, the Texas Tech basketball team faces a difficult task if it wants to avoid a third straight loss. The Red Raiders, who face No. 13 Baylor on the road, will be looking to get a road win against a team that suddenly has a significant home advantage in its new arena, Foster Pavilion.
Of course, this will be Grant McCasland's first time as Texas Tech head coach against his alma mater. He was a walk-on guard for the Bears from 1995 to 1999, then came to Texas Tech as director of operations from 1999 to 2001.
McCasland then returned to Baylor as an assistant under Scott Drew from 2011 to 2016. So tonight's game is sure to have a special feeling for the Red Raider head coach.
But the importance of this game for the Red Raiders goes beyond nostalgia alone. Tech is desperate for a win after losing games against TCU and home against Cincinnati last week. But winning in Waco is something tech companies have struggled to achieve over the past decade.
Since 2014, Tech is just 2-8 on the road against Baylor. That needs to change tonight if the Red Raiders have any hope of remaining in the Big 12 regular season race.
A big part of this game comes down to 3-point shooting. That doesn't bode well for technology.
With a team shooting percentage of 41.8%, Baylor is the nation's top 3-point shooting team. That's bad news for a Texas Tech team that ranks 227th nationally in allowing opponents to shoot 34.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Tip time 8pm
TV: ESPN Radio: Double T 97.3 FM
(All game notes courtesy of TexasTech.com)
Series history: Texas Tech leads 82-64.
Waco: Baylor leads 39-30.
The Red Raiders play at Foster Pavilion for the first time and look to end a two-game losing streak against the Bears, who swept the series last season… Tech swept the 2022 regular season series, but lost in seven games. . The last 10 games of the series…Tech and Baylor first met on January 2, 1937, with the Red Raiders winning 38-28 in Oklahoma City…The first game in Waco was in 1949.
Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland has been named to the 2024 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team coaching staff. USA Basketball announced on February 2 that the 2024 U.S. Men's Under-18 National Team will be led by Arizona State head coach Tommy Lloyd and supported by McCasland and Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry.
Texas Tech currently ranks 23rd in the AP Top 25 and USA TODAY Coaches Poll, 33rd in the NCAA NET rankings and 32nd overall in Kenpom. According to Kenpom ratings, Tech ranks 13th in offense and 86th in defense.
Pop Isaacs led Tech and the Big 12 with 20.5 points per game in conference games, scoring 25 points against TCU and 22 points against Cincinnati. Isaacs enters the matchup against Baylor having scored in double figures for a career-high 12 games in a row. Warren Washington ranks second in the Big 12 with 64.5 percent shooting in conference-only games and third overall with 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
Darrion Williams leads Tech with four double-doubles this season and is seventh overall in the Big 12 with 7.0 rebounds per game, while Chance McMillian is averaging 14.0 points and 24 3-pointers over the last five games. He has made 12 successful hits. make a reservation.
This game is not going well for the Red Raiders. Baylor is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, and Tech has struggled to defend its 3-pointers.
Additionally, the atmosphere in Waco is no longer sleepy, as the Bears' new home arena offers a lively, noisy home advantage despite having a capacity of only about 7,000 people. But Tech has won at tough road venues like Austin and Norman this year.
A key player to watch for Baylor will be true freshman Jacoby Walter. The McKinney, Texas, native is averaging a team-high 14.5 points per game and is expected to be a lottery pick in this year's NBA Draft. He's a talented player that Scott Drew is starting to acquire on a regular basis, and a player with potential that overshadows that of the players on the Red Raider roster.
Tech could also have a tough battle against Yves Missi in the paint. Baylor's big men are second in the conference in blocked shots with 1.7 per game. That could be a problem for the smaller Red Raider guards, especially Joe Toussaint, who struggled against Cincinnati's long shot blockers at the rim in Saturday's loss.
At the end of the day, battles are determined by style, and Baylor's strengths and style of play don't make for a great battle for the Red Raiders. For Tech to have a chance, the Red Raiders need to spoil this game and limit possession so Baylor, the Big 12's highest scoring team, can't score enough points to run and hide. there will be. But ultimately, Baylor will have too much talent and shooting for the Red Raiders to handle.
Prediction: Baylor 88 – Tech 79
