Texas Tech basketball knows succeeding in March means winning close games

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The majority of the Texas Tech basketball team’s season came be summed up in one word: drama.

Even in a campaign where the ninth-ranked Red Raiders set a new program record for 30-point wins in a season during Big 12 Conference play, they’ve also had their fair share of close calls. They were one stop or one free throw away from beating Iowa State twice. A couple of healthy bodies away from beating Houston a second time. A made 3-pointer here or there from winning the game at TCU.

Thursday night’s quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament marked Texas Tech’s 32nd game of the season. It also wound up being the 13th game decided by less than 10 points.

All seven of Tech’s losses this year have been single-digit affairs. More often than not, the Red Raiders have been able to pull away from the opposition in late-game situations. Putting away a Baylor team playing with its March Madness chances on life support entering the week proved a much tougher challenge.

It became even more challenging as the game progressed. Chance McMillian left the first half with an upper body strain and did not return. Darrion Williams checked out several times to continue nursing his ailing right leg, which has bothered him the last few weeks.

Williams did his best to gut it out, but he didn’t have enough lift to knock down his jumpers in the second half. Baylor cut what was a 15-point deficit to just two with 12 seconds left, but couldn’t pull closer as Texas Tech survived the late scare in a 76-74 triumph.

The second half was hardly the prettiest basketball Texas Tech (25-7) has played this season. The Red Raiders scored just 24 points over the final 20 minutes. After hitting 12 of their 19 3-point attempts in the first half, they went just 3-of-15 in the second.

What ultimately won the game was keeping Baylor off the scoreboard as much as it could.

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Source link : https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2025/03/14/texas-tech-basketball-march-madness-baylor-big-12-tournament/81856266007/

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Publish date : 2025-03-14 09:06:00

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