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The Texas Tech Red Raiders will face their in-state rivals, the Texas Longhorns, in the quarter-finals of the Big 12 Tournament.
The Red Raiders had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Baylor Bears in the last game of the regular season but have been playing solid basketball overall. The Longhorns, on the other hand, closed out their season strong, with their most recent loss coming to none other than the Red Raiders.
Match Details
Fixture: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Texas Longhorns - Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament
Date & Time: Thursday, March 11th, 2021, 9:30 PM ET
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Venue: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview
After enduring a conference schedule full of highs and lows, the Texas Tech Red Raiders come into the Big 12 Tournament as the 6th seed. The Red Raiders have a high-powered offense, led by junior-transfer Mac McClung and skilled sophomore Terrence Shannon Jr.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders should bring a lot of confidence into this matchup, having swept the season series against the Texas Longhorns. If the Texas Tech offense comes out of the gates hot, they may be able to overwhelm and outlast the Longhorns' defense.
Key Player - Mac McClung
Texas Tech Red Raiders star point guard Mac McClung will need to be on top of his game on Thursday to keep his team alive in the Big 12 Tournament.
The high-flying junior is in his first year with the Red Raiders, transferring from Georgetown after the 2019 season.
McClung averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game on 42% shooting, but those numbers are meaningless in the postseason.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders will hope to get a clutch performance from Mac McClung and pull off an upset in their first game of the tournament.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Predicted Lineup
G Mac McClung, G Terrence Shannon Jr., G Kyler Edwards, F Marcus Santos-Silva, F Micah Peavy
Texas Longhorns Preview
The Texas Longhorns put together quite the season, finishing in third place in an incredibly competitive Big 12 conference. The Longhorns averaged 75 points of offense per game, shooting 45% from the field as a team. They closed out the regular season with six victories in their last eight games, giving them high hopes for the conference tournament.
The Texas Longhorns have struggled on the defensive end at times, but their offense has managed to pick up the slack and win games. The Longhorns' aspirations for a deep postseason run will be tested immediately, but a victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders would be an impressive first step.
Key Player - Andrew Jones
Star junior Andrew Jones could be the Texas Longhorns' key to victory on Thursday. The 6'4" guard led the Longhorns offense all season, finishing with an average of 15 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
In his first year back in Texas after winning a fight with leukemia, Andrew Jones was selected to the All-Big 12 second team.
Jones' fighting spirit could be exactly what the Texas Longhorns need to lift them to a Big 12 title.
Texas Longhorns Predicted Lineup
F Jericho Sims, F Greg Brown, G Andrew Jones, G Matt Coleman III, G Courtney Ramey
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns Prediction
With the Texas Tech Red Raiders having swept the season series against the Texas Longhorns, this matchup is truly a toss-up. The Longhorns have a very talented backcourt to match that of the Red Raiders, but this game should come down to defense.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders allowed just 63.1 points per game during the regular season, a whopping five points fewer than the Texas Longhorns. In a game that could be close until the final buzzer, the Red Raiders defense should give them the advantage and help them secure an upset.
Where to watch Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Texas Longhorns
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2, varying due to ESPN's college basketball coverage.
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