Drake (11) vs. Texas Tech (3) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
We’re into the second round in the NCAA Tournament, with Drake and Texas Tech meeting in South Region action. The Drake Bulldogs’ defence suffocated No. 6 Missouri for a 67-57 upset victory in Round 1. The Texas Tech Raiders blew past UNC Wilmington, throwing up a tournament-record 46 threes in an 82-72 win.
Texas Tech opened as 7.5-point favourites on the NCAAB odds, with the total pegged at 127.5.
Drake vs. Texas Tech NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The winner of this game will set up a date with either No. 10 Arkansas or No. 2 St. John’s in the Sweet 16. This is the first tournament Drake has recorded a win at since they reached the Elite Eight in back-to-back years in 1970 and 1971. It’s a different story for the Red Raiders, who last reached the Sweet 16 in 2022 and made it as far as tournament runner-up in 2019.
The Bulldogs have improved from +50,000 to +35,000 to win the tournament on the NCAAB futures board, but they obviously still remain significant long shots. Texas Tech remains at +3,500 to win the tournament. That tops state rivals Texas A&M (+8,000) and the Texas Longhorns, who were eliminated in the First Four.
Drake Bulldogs (11)
Drake blew most of a 15-point lead on Thursday, but hung on for a surprise win. Bennett Stirtz led the way with a game-high 21 points, while the team also relied heavily on multiple Division II transfers. Tavion Banks added 15 points and nine rebounds, but as expected, it was the Bulldogs’ defence that led the way. Drake boasts the nations top scoring defence, which was crucial in shutting down Missouri’s top-10 scoring offence. One concern was the Bulldogs’ poor free throw performance, which saw them shoot 12-of-24 from the line. That will definitely need to be cleaned up to survive Texas Tech.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (3)
Texas Tech’s offence was absolutely lethal against UNC Wilmington, putting up an NCAA Tournament-record 46 3-point attempts. The shootout could have been worse if the Red Raiders didn’t go cold in the final 6.5 minutes. Kerwin Walton finished with a career-high 27 points, with the team going 13-of-46 from beyond the arc. Elijah Hawkins finished one rebound shy of a triple-double, chipping in 14 points, nine boards and 10 assists, while Darrion Williams had 13 points and nine rebounds. Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season.