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NCAA Basketball: 10 teams most likely to win their first National Championship in 2019

By Tristan Freeman

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - DECEMBER 31: Devon Hall #0 of the Virginia Cavaliers goes to the basket during Virginia's game againt the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena on December 31, 2016 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - DECEMBER 31: Devon Hall #0 of the Virginia Cavaliers goes to the basket during Virginia's game againt the Florida State Seminoles at John Paul Jones Arena on December 31, 2016 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – MARCH 25: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks with Zhaire Smith #2 during the first half against the Villanova Wildcats in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 25: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks with Zhaire Smith #2 during the first half against the Villanova Wildcats in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

10. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Highest program finish: Elite Eight in 2018

After just making history this past season by making the program’s first-ever Elite Eight appearance, Texas Tech looks poised to continue their winning ways.

The Red Raiders lost freshman Zhaire Smith, which hurts considering that he was never being considered a lottery pick out of high school. Good news is that they had his replacement already in Deshawn Corprew, one of the top Junior College transfers for next season.

Why Texas Tech can win it all

This roster will actually be even more balanced than the year prior. South Dakota grad transfer Matt Mooney isn’t a good driver as Keenan Evans but is a much better three-point shooter which will spread the floor. St. John’s grad transfer Tariq Owens provides a shot blocking defensive presence that the Red Raiders didn’t have before. Add to it sophomore Jarrett Culver who could be a First-Team All-Big 12 player, and this team could make another deep run in March.

Why Texas Tech can’t win it all

Besides Evans and Smith, four other players (Niem Stevenson, Tommy Hamilton, Justin Gray, and Zach Smith) graduated and will be gone. All six guys were above average defenders and helped the Red Raiders become a top-10 defensive unit last year. It remains to be seen if this revamped roster will be as good on that end of the court.

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