3 Reasons Texas Tech will Cover vs. Texas in Chris Beard's Return to Lubbock

If you thought Texas Tech basketball fans are grateful for the 15 years (10 as an assistant, five as a head coach) Chris Beard gave in Lubbock, as well as a national championship appearance), think again.

The reception towards Beard has gone beyond hostile, as fans have been shouting profanities and booing the former head man in town the moment he and his team arrived.

Longtime college basketball insider Jeff Goodman reports that there will be at least 30 police officers inside United Supermarkets Arena in what is expected to be one of the most hostile college basketball environments this season.

Beard may use all of this for motivation, but I don't see it mattering much. The Red Raiders are 4.5-point favorites tonight at home at WynnBET Sportsbook and have had this game circled on the calendars the moment Beard headed for Austin.

Here are three reasons why I expect Tech to cover the 4.5 and knock off the Longhorns.

Home Court Advantage is Paramount

The Raiders have yet to lose in their home building this season. They're 13-0 with a margin of victory of 23.9. Against the spread, they are 10-3 at home with a +/- of +6.5 via TeamRankings.

They also have the third-best home court advantage in all of college basketball via KenPom, trailing only Colorado and fellow Big 12 foe West Virginia.

Nobody Can Score on Texas Tech

The Red Raiders over their last 10 games have held opponents to 62.1 points per game. The Longhorns, who play in the bottom 10 of college basketball in tempo (349th) are efficient (44th in adjusted offensive efficiency via KenPom), but still have only averaged just over 65 points in their last 10.

Red Raiders head coach Mark Adams is known to be the architect of the outstanding defenses that Beard had while coaching in Lubbock, and now the former assistant has gotten his current squad to buy in. The Red Raiders have the fourth-best adjusted defensive efficiency in the entire league according to the metrics over at KenPom.

Tech Won't Lose With Ric Flair in the Building

Multiple reports have the Nature Boy himself, Ric Flair, in the building tonight to get an already rambunctious Texas Tech fanbase fired up.

I have yet to find ATS numbers for when Flair is in the building for a sporting event, but personally, I have to believe it's worth a point or two.

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