Virginia Basketball: Keys to taking down Texas Tech in title game

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 05: Ty Jerome #11, Jay Huff #30, Kyle Guy #5 and De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Virginia Cavaliers look on during practice prior to the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 5, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 06: Virginia Cavaliers take the court. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Virginia basketball is 40 minutes away from cutting down the nets as national champions. What will it take for them to take down Texas Tech and win it all?

Virginia basketball is closing in on its first national championship in program history. After moving past Auburn in a thrilling affair, the Cavaliers are just one game away from winning it all. In order for them to cut down the final nets in Minneapolis, though, they will have to find a way to overcome the defensive juggernaut that is Texas Tech. This will certainly not be easy as the Red Raiders have been an incredibly impressive team throughout the regular season and the NCAA Tournament to reach this point. And while this National Championship game might not feature any of the traditional bluebloods, it has the makings of an incredibly competitive affair.

Texas Tech and Virginia are both widely regarded as two of the best defensive and most deliberate teams in the entire nation. Throughout this season, both teams have been superb at forcing their opponents into difficult shots while also operating at a highly-efficient level on the offensive end of the floor. Due to the fact that both teams play a slow pace, many expect that this will be a low-scoring affair but that will not make this contest uninteresting. These two defenses operate at such a high level that they can shut down the best offenses in the entire nation – and they have.

With that said, though, both teams are also extremely effective on the offense. For Virginia, they rely on a balanced attack that features an elite-level trio of dynamic scorers. They are rated as the third-most efficient offense in the country as they seemingly wear down their opposition with deliberate off-ball movement and unselfish teamwork. Texas Tech, on the other hand, is not as efficient on the offensive end but they can go through major spurts behind a superstar guard. In summary, this matchup projects as a hotly-contested national title game.

Now, without any further ado, let’s dive into looking at three potential keys for Virginia basketball to be successful against Texas Tech.

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