West Virginia Mountaineers vs Texas Tech Basketball Preview & How To Watch: Mountaineers Host Bubble Red Raiders

Game Day Vitals

• #10 West Virginia Mountaineers (22-7, Big 12 11-5, NCAA RPI 13) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (18-10, 8-8 Big 12, ESPN RPI 23)
• Location: WVU Coliseum (Capacity: 14,000) Morgantown, West Virginia
• Series Record: WVU leads series 8-1
• Last meeting: WVU 80 TTU 76, United Supermarkets Arena, Jan. 5, 2016
  
• Vegas Lines: WVU (-10.5), O/U 145.5
  
• Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2016, 7:00 pm ET
• Television: ESPNU
• Online Streaming: WatchESPN
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• Texas Tech Red Raiders (18-10, 8-8 Big 12, ESPN RPI 23)
  
• Head Coach: Tubby Smith, Third year as TTU head coach, career 550–268 (.672)
  
• Last Result - Loss at KU 67-58
• Official Texas Tech Athletics website
• Texas Tech SB Nation site - Viva The Matadors

Interwebs

Game Preview

Finally, March. I used to consider March as the best month of the year back in the Big East tournament days. It is still pretty high up on my Month Power Rankings, but Kansas City is considerably less fun compared to the Garden. Call me when they move it to Jerryworld and I'll reconsider.

When it comes to Bracketology, West Virginia has largely been locked into a 3-seed for quite some time now. Honestly, regardless how the Mountaineers play in the next two weeks, they are more than likely going to stay a 3-seed. Personally, I have the attitude that WVU will probably going to end up playing (read:losing to) Texas in the conference tournament anyway, so it's all a wash. It's senior night, so they will play hard, but the Big 12 regular season title is gone. Second place would be cool as hell, but it is a bit moot at this point.

The Red Raiders, however, have everything to play for. They currently sit at an 8-seed in the latest updates from both Lunardi's ESPN Bracketology and Chris Dobbertean's BloggingTheBracket.com. Tubby Smith has done a helluva job in Lubbock and has them as a true threat right now. TTU rattled off five wins in a row before losing in Lawrence. Another RPI Top 15 would solidify their berth into the tournament and the Raiders look ripe for making that happen. WVU stole the game in Lubbock and must take this game seriously if they want the sweep. Personally, I don't see the Mountaineers wanting it as bad as Tech does.

Prediction

WVU 60
Texas Tech 65