Score Predictions for West Virginia at No. 9 Texas Tech

Picking today's game between the Mountaineers and Red Raiders.

Feb 19, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Darian DeVries yells from the bench during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers (16-10, 7-8) are looking for another signature win for its NCAA Tournament resume this afternoon as they take on the ninth-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (20-6, 11-4) in Lubbock.

Here are our picks for today's game.

Schuyler Callihan: Texas Tech 78, West Virginia 66

Feb 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) reacts against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Red Raiders do everything well, especially on the offensive end of the floor. This game will be determined by who dictates the pace of the game. If West Virginia can muddy things up a bit and somehow, someway keep this game in the 60s, they'll certainly have a chance to pull the upset.

The problem is that's unlikely to happen, meaning WVU is going to have to do its best to match scores for much of the afternoon. As inconsistent and stagnant as this offense has been this season, that's a tall ask.

Although I do expect Texas Tech to win this game by double digits, I believe West Virginia will hang around and be within reach until the final 10 minutes of the game, very similar to its road loss at Houston. The moment the offense begins to go into one of its five or six- minute funks is when things will start to unravel.

Prediction record: 17-9.

Christopher Hall: Texas Tech 75. West Virginia 62

West Virginia University guard Sencire Harris / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Texas Tech is 2-2 in its last four games and has Houston visiting Lubbock Monday night before heading to Lawrence to take on Kansas on Saturday. This could have been a trap game for the Red Raiders had they not last at TCU on Tuesday.

West Virginia avoided its second losing streak of the season with a much-needed win over Cincinnati against Wednesday, coincidently, WVU ended a three-game losing streak against the Bearcats in it makes up two of the three wins in the last nine games.

The Red Raiders has arguably the best offense in the league and have one of the hottest players in the league six-foot-nine forward JT Toppin. The sophomore has recorded four-straight double-doubles, averaging 27 points and 12.8 rebounds in the last four games.

West Virginia has slowly improved with more Mountaineers steeping up since emergence of Joseph Yesufu and its starting to free up senior guard Javon Small a little more. Most recently, sophomore Amani Hansberry put up a double double, 17 points and 13 rebounds, against Cincinnati.

The Mountaineers are one of the stingier defenses in the conference and it will have its best against Texas Tech. The team improved its record to 15-3 when holding opponents to under 44% from the field, following the win over the Bearcats, and will have to undoubtedly hit the mark against the Red Raiders.

West Virginia will also have to make the most of its possessions on the offensive end and connect on the good looks they receive to pull off the upset because even if the Red Raiders had beaten TCU, the Red Raiders were never going to overlook WVU despite a Big Monday matchup with Houston.

I suspect Texas Tech will come out firing from the jump, and although the Mountaineers will remain competitive, the Red Raiders will take over in the final seven or eight minutes and walk away with a 75-62 victory.

Prediction record: 17-9.

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