The second game of the night in the West Region features a potential defensive slugfest between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Michigan Wolverines.
The classic saying goes that defense wins championships, and if that were to hold true this year whoever emerges from the showdown between Texas Tech and Michigan could be a favorite to cut down the nets in March Madness. Both sides are elite defensive units, setting the stage for a contest where every bucket matters even more than before.
Texas Tech has absolutely throttled teams all season long, and that trend continued in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. After getting past Northern Kentucky easily, the Red Raiders held Buffalo to just 58 points in a 21-point victory to get to the Sweet 16.
The Bulls entered that game averaging over 85 a game, so the fact that Texas Tech was able to lock them down was extremely impressive. It could also spell tremendous problems for Michigan, which isn’t exactly an offensive powerhouse.
The Wolverines also rode their defense to the Sweet 16, allowing only 55 points against 15-seed Montana and just 49 to 10-seed Florida. The issue is that Michigan scored only 64 points against the Gators, and that kind of low-wattage attack could be a major problem against a Texas Tech team that features a potential lottery pick in Jarrett Culver.
These two teams enter the game as the second (Michigan) and third (Texas Tech) stingiest defenses in the country, so points will be at a premium in the West Region’s nightcap. If you’re a fan of excellent defensive basketball, this game should be appointment viewing.
How to watch Texas Tech vs. Michigan
- Date: Thursday, March 28
- Time: 9:39 p.m. ET
- Location: Anaheim, CA
- Venue: Honda Center
- TV: CBS
- Live Stream: CBS All Access