23. Texas Tech (13-4)
Last year was Grant McCasland’s first season at the helm at Texas Tech and it was a very solid step forward by getting back to the NCAA Tournament. From what we’ve seen to open this season, this team could do some damage if they get back into the Big Dance, though we’re still hoping to see it on a more consistent basis.
After last weekend’s heartbreaking loss to Iowa State, the Red Raiders bounced back nicely on the road, defeating Kansas State 61-57 on Tuesday night. Darrion Williams had 16 points while Elijah Hawkins had 14 points and 9 assists on a night where Texas Tech made 50% of their shots. On Saturday, they hosted an Arizona team that’s been playing great in recent weeks and sent them packing in a 70-54 win. The Red Raiders were paced by JT Toppin’s 20-point, 16-rebound performance in another great team performance.
The analytics love what the Red Raiders have been doing, especially on offense in recent weeks. They grabbed what’s already their third road win in league play and that 4-2 mark has them sitting very solidly in the Big 12. With these playmakers at their best, Texas Tech could be quite the sneaky team in the NCAA Tournament, but we’re weeks away from worrying about that. This team instead turns their attention towards the next road game at Cincinnati.