Texas Tech has arguably been the best team in the NCAA Tournament. They sport not only the nation’s best defense but the best defense since KenPom began tracking defensive efficiency in 2002. But the Red Raiders aren’t thinking about that. Their only interest now is in breaking down a Michigan State offense that thrives on the play of Cassius Winston and minimizing turnovers. It’s going to be a grinding game, and we couldn’t be more excited.
NCAA Tournament Final Four
Texas Tech vs. Michigan St
Date: Saturday, April 6
Time: 8:49 p.m. ET
Location: Minneapolis, MN
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: fuboTV – watch for free
#3 Texas Tech
After sealing their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight in 2018, Texas Tech’s Red Raiders return to the big show in 2019 hoping they can take that performance one step further. Coach Chris Beard is in his third season and has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the last two of those, not to mention winning the Big 12’s regular season championship this year.
They opened their round of 64 against No. 14 Northern Kentucky on Friday and dispatched the Norse fairly easily. Their second-round matchup against a hot Buffalo team was more anticipated but produced the same result: a resounding blowout punctuated by how soundly Texas Tech stifled a potent Bulls offense. In the Sweet Sixteen against last year’s finalist, Michigan, they delivered the same suffocating performance. And to cap off their West regional run, they knocked off #1 Gonzaga with a complete second-half performance. The Big 12 Tournament didn’t go as smoothly for Beard’s side, who followed up an impressive 26-6 season (14-4 in the Big 12) by losing 79-74 to No. 10 West Virginia in the first round of the contest.
They’ve made amends during March Madness though and now arrive in Minneapolis for the program’s first-ever Final Four. They have the defensive wherewithal to put a stranglehold on the most efficient of offenses – with Gonzaga being top in that category. Michigan State is still a top-5 offense, but their floor general can keep them in the game until the very end.
#2 Michigan State
Michigan State is making their 22nd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament as coach Tom Izzo looks to advance his legacy after guiding the school to a fourth Big Ten Tournament title in eight years. The veteran shot-caller has taken the Spartans into March Madness every year since 1998 and tied for first in the Big Ten’s regular campaign to boot.
After grumbling about their #2 seed, the Spartans failed to look the part against #15 Bradley. The Braves took the Spartans to the wire, causing a beet-red Coach Izzo to let out a few well-deserved reprimands. Despite some complaints amongst the media and fans that he took it too far, his players certainly responded in the second round by destroying fellow Big Ten school Minnesota by twenty points and LSU by 17 points. Then, in the most anticipated matchup of the tournament, they beat back Zion Williamson and Duke in the final minutes to clinch a one-point win and a trip to Izzo’s eighth Final Four.
Now they face college basketball’s best defense, and the grizzled coach will rely on star point guard Winston to take care of the ball and hit key shots. He had 20 points and 10 assists against Duke, but Texas Tech’s perimeter defense should be far more feared by this Spartans group.
With a Final Four on the line, both Texas Tech and Michigan State impressed, albeit in different ways. Tonight, they put their contrasting styles to the test as they both search for a National Championship.
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