Both the Texas Tech Red Raiders (+2200 to win the tournament) and the Michigan Wolverines (+1200) have poisonous defenses that can cripple opposing teams. Which of these two teams will dictate the tempo of their Sweet 16 meeting? The Red Raiders weren’t among the favorites in the Big 12 prior to the season and yet they are set to play in the Sweet 16. Michigan, meanwhile, only has three losses since the middle of February and all of those were against the Michigan State Spartans.
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Betting Preview for the Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Michigan Wolverines Sweet 16 College Basketball Game on March 28, 2019
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim
When: Thursday, March 28, 2019, 9:39 PM ET
Line: Texas Tech Red Raiders (+2) vs. Michigan Wolverines (-2) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (28-6 Overall / 14-4 Conference)
The Red Raiders helped the Big 12’s flag flying, as they etched a 78-58 win in the second round over the Buffalo Bulls. So far in the national tournament, Texas Tech’s defense has lived up to its hype. No team has yet to score more than 58 points through the first two rounds against Texas Tech, which ranked third in the regular season with just 59.2 points allowed per game. The Bulls were averaging over 80 points per game heading into the second round, but their offense sputtered, making just 36.5 percent of their shots from the field. Texas Tech also forced the Bulls to commit 16 turnovers. The Red Raiders play a pesky brand of defense that rattles opponents into coughing up the ball numerous times. In their first-round win over the Northern Kentucky Norse, the Red Raiders coaxed 17 turnovers while limiting their opponents to a pathetic 37.1 field goal shooting percentage. On offense, Texas Tech can be a handful, too. In the Buffalo game, all five Red Raiders starters had at least 11 points.
Texas Tech is 5-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games.
Betting on the Michigan Wolverines (30-6 Overall / 15-5 Conference)
Like Texas Tech, the Wolverines have been barely touched in the national tournament thus far. Their latest victims were the Florida Gators in a 64-49 second-round win. Florida wasn’t a high-scoring team, to begin with and the Gators going up against Michigan’s stonewall defense looked like a mismatch from the start. Florida shot just 34.5 percent from the field and turned the ball over nine times. In the Sweet 16, the Wolverines’ defense will be put on a tougher test, as the Red Raiders are a high-octane team on the attack. If the game goes on to be decided by which team will have a better offense, then Michigan should hope that freshman Ignas Brazdeikis will recapture his form after scoring just five points on 2-for-8 shooting from the floor against the Gators. In the regular season, Brazdeikis led the Wolverines with 14.8 points per game. As a team, Michigan held opponents to only 58.2 points per game back in the regular season.
Michigan is 4-1 ATS in its last five games, and is 21-15 ATS overall on the season.
Writer’s Prediction
Texas Tech wins, 63-61.
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