No. 25 Texas Tech vs No. 11 Iowa State Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Texas Tech Red Raiders have won their last two games against unranked Alabama State and Eastern Washington.
• Texas Tech will likely be without guard Terrence Shannon Jr. for the fourth game in a row. However, if Shannon Jr. does play, the Red Raiders will receive a significant boost.
• The Iowa State Cyclones just lost their first game to No. 1 Baylor 77-72. They attempted to make a comeback in the second half but fell short.

No. 25 Texas Tech Red Raider vs No. 11 Iowa State Odds

No. 25 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones Predictions and Picks

This is Texas Tech’s first conference game. Texas Tech has played well and has been sitting at No. 25 for a few weeks now. Their only losses have been against then No. 5 Gonzaga and then unranked Providence.

Iowa State has been very impressive this season. They were undefeated until their loss to No. 1 Baylor in their previous game. Their victories have been sizable, and they have three players scoring ten or more points per game. Iowa State’s defense is also quite impressive. Their defense is only allowing 57.7 points per game against some tough opponents.

Even though these two teams are 14 spots apart, they are pretty evenly matched. However, Texas Tech will probably be without Terrence Shannon Jr. for the fourth game in a row. Shannon Jr. is an efficient scorer and an offensive fireplug. Since Texas Tech will probably be without him, Iowa State has the edge.

Pick:

Iowa State beats Texas Tech 73-68.

Why Might the Texas Tech Red Raiders Win?

If guard Terrance Shannon Jr. plays, Texas Tech will pull out a victory. Unfortunately, Shannon Jr. has missed half of the Red Raiders’ games this season.

Texas Tech scores well and has shown that they can pass well too. Texas Tech can win this game, but they need to focus on two things: passing and creating turnovers. They will face their most formidable opponent of the season this game and need to step up their passing even more. The offense has to pass the ball a lot to find the open man and attack the rim. Texas Tech is playing an Iowa State team with many guards, so they will have many opportunities to score at the hoop.

The Red Raiders average 8.4 steals per game. That is efficient but not enough. They need to look to steal the ball as much as possible so they can limit Iowa State’s scoring chances and create more scoring chances for themselves.

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Why Might the Iowa State Cyclones Win?

The Cyclones have the upper hand in this game. Since the Cyclones have so many guards, they must focus on rebounding and finding open shots.

Iowa State is at a conspicuous height disadvantage, but that does not mean they cannot crash the boards. The Cyclones need to grab every defensive rebound and eliminate Texas Tech’s second chances. This is a difficult task, but it is possible. Their rebounding effort starts with guard Kevin McCullar, who leads this team with 8.4 rebounds per game.

The upside of having so many guards is an increased speed. Iowa State is smaller and faster than Texas Tech. Since they are the faster team, they will tire out the defense and create more open shots and layups. The Cyclones shoot the ball well, so they should have no problem hitting their open looks.

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Red Raiders Key Player: (G) Kevin McCullar

Guard Kevin McCullar does a little bit of everything for Texas Tech. He scores 13.5 points per game, grabs 6.1 rebounds, and throws 3.5 assists. McCullar is a jack of all trades and brings a lot of offensive value. His role is even more critical this game since guard Terrence Sharpe Jr. will probably be out.

McCullar will need to create more opportunities for his teammates in this game. Iowa State knows he can score but probable does not view him as an elite passer. If he catches the Iowa State defense off guard with his improved passing, the Cyclone may not be able to recover.

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Cyclones Key Player: (G) Tristan Enaruna

Guard Tristan Enaruna is a surprising x-factor for Iowa State. He is only averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in a little over 17 minutes per game, but his last two games have been different. Enaruna averaged 21 points and nine rebounds over 25.5 minutes the previous two games.

Enaruna is starting to come into his own offensively, making him a dangerous weapon for Iowa State. The Dutch guard must use the momentum from the last two games against Texas Tech. Texas Tech might not view him as a super impactful player because the Cyclones have other good guards. Enaruna needs to take full advantage and torch the Texas Tech defense if that is the case.

How to Watch No. 25 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones