The Baylor Bears (22-8, 11-6) will travel to face their in-state rival Texas Tech (21-9, 10-7) in a pivotal Big 12 battle this evening. With this being the regular season finale, it’s the last chance for each squad to fight for better positioning in the upcoming conference tournament. The Bears currently sit one game above the Red Raiders in third place in the standings. With a win and a Kansas loss, Texas Tech would clinch the coveted double-bye.
Baylor has been on a tear lately, rattling off consecutive wins against TCU, Kansas, and Texas. The Bears were unconscious from long range against the Longhorns on Monday, shooting 9-of-13 (69 percent). It was the biggest comeback win of the year for Baylor, clawing its way back from a 14-point halftime deficit to seal a 93-85 victory on Senior Night.
Meanwhile, the Red Raiders haven’t been quite as clinical. While the club took care of the subpar Oklahoma State and West Virginia teams, it also lost handily to both UCF and Texas. The Longhorns loss was especially brutal, falling 81-69 at home to a team that currently sports an 8-9 conference record. Will Texas Tech be able to defend its home floor this time, albeit against one of the best teams in the country?
Baylor Bears vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Baylor | +2 -112 |
O 147.5
-108 |
+102 |
| Texas Tech |
-2
-108
|
U 147.5
-112 |
-122 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings* | |||
Baylor Bears vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders Game Details
- Fixture: Baylor @ Texas Tech
- Date and Time: March 9, 2024 @ 6:00 pm EST
- Location: United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, TX
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Baylor | vs. | Texas Tech |
| 22-8 | Record | 21-9 |
| 82 | Points Per Game | 75.9 |
| 49 | FG% | 45.4 |
| 40.3 | 3PT% | 36.4 |
| 35.1 | Rebounds Per Game | 34.7 |
| 71.3 | Points Allowed Per Game | 69 |
| 45.4 | Defensive FG% | 42.7 |
| 33.6 | Defensive 3PT% | 32.7 |
| 72.6 | Defensive FT% | 70.6 |
| 23.7 | Defensive Rebounds Per Game | 24.8 |
| 3-2 | Last 5 W-L | 3-2 |
Key Stats
Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears metrics are consistent, ranking them 13th in both the NET and KenPom. The Bears have primarily risen to that level due to a high-powered offense. The team’s 40.3 percent clip from beyond the arc ranks third in the nation, and their overall field goal percentage ranks 18th. However, the club is weak defensively, ranking 158th in points allowed.
Freshman guard Ja’Kobe Walter has put together a banner year to start his collegiate career, leading the team with 14.7 points a game on 38.2 percent shooting. Meanwhile, RayJ Dennis leads the squad with 6.8 assists per contest.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech’s metrics are significantly worse than Baylor’s despite being just one game back in the standings. The Red Raiders currently rank 35th in the NET and 28th in KenPom, with just a 4-8 record against Quad 1 opponents. Another Q1 loss would put significant pressure on them to make noise in the conference tournament.
Sophomore guard Pop Isaacs leads the squad with 15.9 points on 35.3 percent shooting. While his efficiency has been subpar, the Las Vegas native is coming off a breakout game against Oklahoma State, scoring 19 points on 63.6 percent shooting. They are looking for a big win against the Baylor Bears today!
Game Prediction
While Texas Tech sports a 14-2 home record, the Baylor Bears have been much better against top-tier competition. The Bears are 8-6 against Q1 teams, with their last non-ranked defeat coming against TCU on Jan. 27. Even that was hardly a bad loss, ending 105-102 in triple overtime. Expect the Bears to win outright and maintain an outside shot of earning an NCAA Tournament one-seed.
With both teams having good offenses and bad defenses, expect a high-scoring battle. The game should be competitive throughout, with neither squad likely to take their foot off the gas. This is an easy spot to take the over with this Baylor Bears team.
Final Pick
Baylor Bears MoneyLine (+102) and Over 147.5
About the Author
Josh is a Rutgers alum and a fan of the New York Jets and Knicks! When he’s not actively following those teams you can catch him digesting all things New York Yankees!
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