Give the NCAA Tournament committee this much. They nailed this matchup.
It may look like just another 5 vs. 12 on paper. It’s not. Not really.
These Akron Zips love to fire from deep. Texas Tech does it even more. Different wrinkles. Same idea. Let it fly.
If you like outside shooting, this one’s for you.
Akron spent most of the year living in the shadow of Miami (Ohio) in the MAC. Then it flipped the script, won the conference tournament and punched its ticket. Now it’s chasing something bigger.
Texas Tech limps in a bit. Three straight losses. Offense stalled. Defense slipped. But when it’s right, it’s dangerous. Just ask Duke, Arizona, Iowa State and Houston.
Winner gets either Alabama or Hofstra.
How to Watch
Date: Friday, March 20
Time: 12:40 pm ET
TV: truTV
Streaming: March Madness Live, Paramount+, Max
Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa
Numbers tell the story
Texas Tech lives beyond the arc. Top five nationally in threes made at 11.5 per game. Nearly 40 percent from deep.
Akron moves it as well as anyone. Top 10 in assists at 18.4 per game. Ball pops. Shots come quick.
Why Akron can make this interesting
The Zips aren’t intimidated by the moment or the math.
They average about 11 threes a night and when those fall, they’re tough. Real tough. They’re 24-2 when they hit at least nine.
They’ll spread you out, whip the ball around and dare you to keep up.
Why Texas Tech should advance
Here’s the catch: Texas Tech doesn’t just shoot threes. It defends them.
Teams rarely get clean looks all game, and the Red Raiders have been just as consistent knocking down nine or more themselves.
Akron doesn’t do much damage at the rim. Doesn’t live at the line. So if the threes aren’t falling, it can get away from them fast.
Prediction
Texas Tech isn’t flawless. Not right now. But it’s better equipped for this exact kind of game.
Akron will hang early. Maybe even lead. A couple quick threes, a little tempo, some belief.
Then the Red Raiders settle in. Defensively first. Then on the glass. Then from deep. And once that happens, it starts to tilt.
I’m rooting for Akron all the way. But I think Texas Tech pulls away in the second half.
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