Notre Dame vs Texas Tech Prediction, Game Preview: NCAA Tournament Second Round
Notre Dame vs Texas Tech prediction: NCAA Tournament Second Round pick and college basketball game preview.
Notre Dame vs Texas Tech Game Preview, How To Watch
Date: Sunday, March 20
Game Time: 7:10 pm
Venue: Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
How To Watch: TBS
Records: Notre Dame (11 seed, 24-10)
Texas Tech (3 seed, 26-9)
Region: West
– NCAA Tournament Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews
Why Notre Dame Will Win
So Alabama was flaky coming down the stretch, and it suffered a key injury early on in the 78-64 Irish win, but that was a dominant performance.
Notre Dame has kicked it all in at just the right time.
So what is it doing so right lately? Start with this … confidence. This is playing like a team that’s loose, having fun, and enjoying the moment considering it’s a First Four team that’s not supposed to be long done with its season.
It also helps that it made everything against Bama, hitting 10-of-16 from three and nailing 91% from the line.
No, the defense isn’t anything special, but it’s not hacking. It’s one of the best teams in the nation at limiting fouls, and it shows with Alabama and Rutgers combining to take just 13 free throws in the two NCAA Tournament games.
Yeah, Texas Tech went off on poor Montana State, but this isn’t a team about the offense. It wants to bring games down, take efficient shots, and rely on the defense to take care of the rest.
But Notre Dame doesn’t turn the ball over. As long as it keeps hitting the three when it gets its chances, it should stay around.
However …
– 2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams
Why Texas Tech Will Win
The Red Raider defense is stepping things up now that it matters.
Montana State couldn’t breathe in the 97-62 loss. That’s a dangerous offensive team that got down by 27 in the first half on Red Raider stop after stop leading to a ridiculously hot day from the Tech three point shooters.
Notre Dame might be hitting everything from the field lately – it’s well over 50% from the floor over its last six games – but Texas Tech appears to be well rested, it’s attacking the three, and it’s doing the job on the boards.
Texas Tech forces teams to play its style, and the Irish aren’t going to hit the threes like they’ll need to in a grind.
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Notre Dame vs Texas Tech: What’s Going To Happen
10-3 over its last 13 games since the end of January, Notre Dame is playing as well and as efficiently as just about anyone left in the tournament.
Yeah, Texas Tech makes teams play its style, but the Irish should be okay with that. its defense can hold up on the interior and the Red Raiders have been victims of their own pace at times.
But to pull this off, the Irish have to be great on the boards.
Here’s the problem. Notre Dame is bad on the offensive glass, but it’s good on the defensive boards. It might have won both games, but it allowed ten offensive rebounds to Alabama and 13 to Rutgers.
Texas Tech is 13-1 when it gets double-digit offensive rebounds.
– 25 Worst College Football/Basketball Schools of 2021-2022
Notre Dame vs Texas Tech Prediction: NCAA Tournament Second Round, Lines
Prediction: Texas Tech 75, Notre Dame 68
Line: Texas Tech -7.5, o/u: 133
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Notre Dame vs Texas Tech Must See Rating: 4
5: Derek Carr to Devante Adams
1: The Friday early session NCAA Tournament games
– NCAA Tournament Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews
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– 2022 College Football Schedules: All 131 Teams
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