The second round of the NCAA Tournament concludes with a Sunday night matchup between Texas Tech and Alabama, with both teams coming off convincing first-round wins and looking to build on that form. Alabama enters as one of the highest-scoring teams in the country, while Texas Tech has shown it can overcome adversity, including the absence of a key star. With both teams missing key players, you will find my Texas Tech vs Alabama prediction below.
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Alabama Crimson Tide
- Date & Time: Sunday, March 22, 9:45 PM ET
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Florida
- Broadcast: TBS
Key Storylines
Alabama enters this game as a slight underdog, with the spread hovering around 1.5 points. They showed their firepower in a 90-70 win over Hofstra, pulling away in the second half with efficient shooting and strong rebounding. But they are without key player Aden Holloway, who is under investigation for alleged drug trafficking, which could impact them more in this game.
Texas Tech also impressed in its opener, defeating Akron 91-71 while shooting over 64% from the field. The Red Raiders did this without star forward JT Toppin, and his absence continues to shape their rotation. Despite that, multiple players stepped up, giving the team a balanced scoring attack.
The contrast is clear. Alabama prefers a high-tempo, high-scoring approach, while Texas Tech leans on efficiency and depth. The outcome may hinge on whether Texas Tech can slow Alabama’s pace or if the Tide dictates the rhythm.
Key Players
Alabama Crimson Tide
- Labaron Philon: Coming off a dominant 29-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance in the first round, Philon drives the offense and creates scoring opportunities across the floor.
- Aiden Sherrell: A force inside, he posted 15 points and 15 rebounds in the opener, giving Alabama a major advantage on the glass.
- Latrell Wrightsell: Adds perimeter scoring and floor spacing, contributing 11 points in the last game.
- Amari Allen: Another double-digit scorer who helps maintain offensive balance.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Jaylen Petty: Led the team with 24 points in the first round while shooting efficiently, including 5 made three-pointers.
- Christian Anderson: Added 18 points and provided steady scoring in the backcourt.
- Donovan Atwell: Contributed 15 points and continues to be a reliable offensive option.
- LeJuan Watts: Scored 14 points and helped fill the production gap left by Toppin.
Stat Comparison
| Stat | Texas Tech | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 80.7 | 91.7 |
| Points allowed per game | 72.6 | 83.1 |
| Team Field Goal % | 47% | 46% |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.8 | 40.8 |
| Assists Per Game | 15.9 | 16.1 |
Betting Trends
ATS records for this season
- Texas Tech: 15-18 ATS
- Alabama: 14-18 ATS
Over/under records for this season
- Texas Tech: 18-15 to the under
- Alabama: 17-14-1 to the over
Texas Tech vs Alabama Pick & Model Projection
- Score Projection: Texas Tech 82 – Alabama 88 ATS PRO
- Pick: Alabama ML ATS PRO
- Confidence: 3 out of 5 ATS PRO
- Win Probability: Texas Tech 44%, Alabama 56% ATS PRO
Alabama’s ability to score at an elite level gives it a slight edge in this contest, especially against a Texas Tech team still adjusting without its top forward. The Tide’s rebounding advantage and depth were evident in the first round, and those factors should carry over. I’ll take Alabama to win this game outright as a slight underdog in what could be the game of the day in college basketball.
More College Basketball Picks
