The Texas Tech Red Raiders have a strong body of work this season, and a slow end to the season didn’t do anything to knock them down from a high seed. Even though the Red Raiders aren’t a traditional college basketball powerhouse they would love to make a run to the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight or even further.
The journey will begin with a first-round matchup against the No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. Texas Tech is a substantial favorite and will aim to run away with this win to avoid any early-round hijinx that tends to befall several high seeds.
The Lumberjacks made it here by winning the Southland Conference Tournament and hope the stay isn’t a short one.
Don't miss the hardwood action from Intrust American Airlines Center at 7:57 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on truTV.
We'll have NCAA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NCAA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Texas Tech is listed as the 11-point favorite in this matchup, although most of the money is on Stephen F. Austin to cover the spread. The scoring total is 138 points, and the “under” has been the much more common choice.
Texas Tech is 24-9 straight up and 14-16-1 against the spread. The Red Raiders have covered in two of five attempts on a neutral court. Texas Tech is 12-12-1 attempting to cover as the favorite.
Stephen F. Austin is 28-6 straight up and has covered in four of its five games against the spread. The Lumberjacks have covered in both tries as the underdog this season and will aim to do so once again.
Key Stat
Three. That’s the number of high-major opponents the Lumberjacks faced in the non-conference this season. Stephen F. Austin acquitted itself well, winning one and losing the other two by a combined six points.
The Lumberjacks first faced off against Mississippi State in mid November, falling 80-75. They went on to beat LSU by a point on December 16 before losing by a point to Missouri in the very next game on December 19th.
Stephen F. Austin is back in the NCAA tournament this season after missing the cut last year. The Lumberjacks have never made it out of the second round and will hope their experience against those high-major teams early on will pay off now in the tournament.
Player To Watch
Keenan Evans — Texas Tech’s senior guard is hoping to end the season the way he started it. He might not be 100 percent yet, but he is surely showing signs of improvement after a strong performance in the Big 12 Tournament.
Evans put up 25 points in a win over Texas last week and also finished with 23 points against TCU. It was a really good sign for the team’s stop scorer, who struggled with turf toe this season and ended the season on a cold streak.
Despite his battle with injury, Evans remains the team’s top scorer with 17.5 points per game. He is a huge part of the Texas Tech squad which is at its best when Evans is too.
Free NCAA ATS Picks
Texas Tech should win this game in NCAA basketball betting lines but the spread is too high. Stephen F. Austin is no pushover and should be able to stay in range throughout this contest. Take the Lumberjacks to cover the spread in March Madness odds.
The Red Raiders are a good team but might be over-seeded and could see their run end after this opening round victory. The choice on the scoring total is the “under” as this one could be a defensive battle.
NCAA Odds: Texas Tech 71, Stephen F. Austin 64
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