Louisville vs. Texas Tech: Biggest storylines for 2019-20 matchup

1. As the schedule has gotten tougher, the Red Raiders have struggled

Texas Tech began the season on a roll, winning five their first five games and did so handily winning by an average of 26.5 points. That start earned them a No. 12 ranking and it looked like the Red Raiders would again be a team to reckon with this season, but their schedule was a bit on the light side, with wins over the likes of Houston Baptist and Long Island, but since that win over Long Island on Nov. 24 things have not been the same for Beard and Crew.

Post-Thanksgiving not only has Texas Tech has seen their fortunes do a complete 180-degree turn. The troubles began in Las Vegas at the Continental Tires Invitational where they lost to Iowa, shooting just 32%. The downward spiral continued in the consolation game against Creighton where they forced overtime after erasing a 14-point halftime deficit but lost 83-76.

In their last game, the Red Raiders had hoped to right the ship against DePaul on the road, but 22 turnovers and a minus-7 rebounding margin led to their second-straight overtime and third-straight loss overall. There aren’t many breaks left in the schedule before Big 12 play, this game provides them a chance to prove they are still a force and not a team that has feasted on inferior teams early.