NCAA Basketball
2026-03-20 - Akron Zips at Texas Tech Red Raiders
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NCAA Basketball Tournament First Round
Friday 20th March 2026 - Scheduled 12:40pm
4:40pm (British Time)
Preview
A couple of months ago, the Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-10) Basketball team were looking to follow the Football team in having a big opportunity to win a National Championship. The Football team were beaten in the College Football Playoff Quarter Final, but the Basketball team enter the NCAA Tournament as a Number 5 Seed because they are going to be without JT Toppin.
A season ending injury hurts the entire Red Raiders team and they have simply not been performing at the same level without him.
Four of the last seven games have ended in a defeat, although the Red Raiders are rightly favoured in this First Round game coming out of the Big 12 Conference. LeJuan Watts and Christian Anderson are both available having left the Big 12 Tournament with an injury and that does mean the Red Raiders will have the best players on the court.
However, that doesn't mean Texas Tech are going to have things all of their own way against the Akron Zips (29-5) who finished behind the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks in the MAC. They were 17-1 in Conference play and won the MAC Tournament, while the Zips will take a similar approach to this game as the higher Seeded opponent.
Both teams are very keen on setting up three point shooters and Akron will feel they can at least keep this First Round game competitive if they continue hitting those shots at 38% from the field. Of course it is a different level of opponent in front of them, but the Redhawks upset in the First Four Round almost franks the ability of the Zips considering their own performances in the MAC, especially the Tournament.
Texas Tech will be able to match that three point shooting output, but this is a team that is not as strong without JT Toppin and that may make it tough to cover the spread.
You have to believe the Zips are not quite able to contain the Red Raiders for long enough to earn the outright upset, but they are getting plenty of points in this one.
Head Coach John Groce has not led the Akron Zips to a win in the NCAA Tournament and he may have to wait a bit longer, but he can lean on Shammah Scott and his three point shooting successes to stay within the line.
Prediction
Upsets may be tough to find in the opening Round of the NCAA Tournament and this feels like a game that may eventually be won by the higher Seed.
However, the Akron Zips are not likely to roll over easily and even a par performance from the three point arc could see them cover.
The Pick :
Texas Tech Red Raiders 80-75 Akron Zips
