Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech: 2018-19 college basketball preview, TV schedule
Oklahoma and Texas Tech are the two most pleasant surprises in the Big 12 this season. They go head-to-head on Jan. 8 in a big matchup.
Who: Oklahoma (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) at Texas Tech (13-1, 2-0 Big 12)
TV schedule: Tuesday, January 8, 9:00 PM ET, ESPN News
Location: United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas
The Big 12 preseason power rankings didn’t reflect kindly on either the Oklahoma Sooners or Texas Tech Red Raiders. Oklahoma was ranked ninth, only ahead of their rival Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Red Raiders were a more generous fourth, but behind the likes of West Virginia and Kansas State.
They’re both exceeding expectations while foes are barely meeting quota.
After the departures of Zhaire Smith and Keenan Evans, it was fair to wonder if Texas Tech had reached their high point for a while. Yet, this year’s version seems even better with Jarrett Culver (18.7 points per game) leading the charge. Texas Tech has lost just one game, a close loss to Duke, arguably the best team in the country. Meanwhile, they’ve dispatched both Kansas State and West Virginia in conference play, the latter coming on the road in Morgantown. The Red Raiders have earned the respect of the pollsters, but the Sooners still have some room to grow.
Oklahoma has been playing in a media void since the exit of Trae Young, which has proven to be to their benefit. They went 11-1 in non-conference play, with their sole loss coming at the hands of a ranked Wisconsin squad. They already have a loss in conference play, but it came at Kansas, easily excusable. Christian James has been one of the quiet superstars of the college basketball season. He’s averaging 17.1 points per game and has nabbed six double-doubles in the last seven games.
Next. Top-25+ national power rankings. dark
Ultimately, the game between the two feels more like a toss-up than one might expect upon first glance. The Red Raiders have an obvious advantage that will carry them through the day, though: home court. Texas Tech hasn’t lost at home to Oklahoma since 2015. There’s no reason to expect that will be any different on Tuesday.
Prediction: Texas Tech 72 – Oklahoma 66