Montana State Vs. Texas Tech Odds, Picks, and Predictions (3/18/22)

As the first round of March Madness continues, many teams have been looked to as a complete force to be reckoned with. One of the top teams in that discussion is the Texas Tech Red Raiders. They entered the tournament in the third seed in the west region, having their first opponent be the Montana State Bobcats. The Bobcats have one of the most challenging first rounds in the tournament and would have probably been more successful in a fifteen seed instead of their fourteen seed standing to avoid this Raiders team. However, this team is happy to be a part of this tournament, no matter the opponent, and will show their best basketball in an attempt to continue on. This game is taking place on Thursday, March 18th, at 10:45 AM PT and will be aired on TNT.

Montana State vs. Texas Tech Betting Odds

Looking at the odds for this game, I am genuinely surprised at the closeness of the spread. The Texas Tech Red Raiders are favored but only have a -14.5 (-110), leaving the Montana State Bobcats with +14.5 (-110) points to cover. The Bobcats could have been pretty successful in this tournament if they were not starting off play against the Raiders, but they have the offensive abilities to put up big points against Tech. However, the Red Raiders arguably have the best defense in the nation, which will be a big shock to the Bobcats. If the Bobcats come into this matchup hesitant in any way, the Raiders will take advantage of every weakness and run away with this game. The moneyline is a significant bet for the Raiders, with odds placed at -1600. If the Bobcats can pull off an upset, the payout is set for +900. However, I believe that upset is one of the least likely to take place this week. Overall, this game is going to be an easy advancement for Texas Tech to go onto the next round.

My Prediction: Texas Tech Wins 76-58, Texas Tech Covers

Montana State Odds

The Montana State Bulldogs solidified their March Madness bid after their winning season in the Big Sky Conference. This is the first time since 1996 that this team is entering this tournament. They have an offense that has plowed through their regular season competitors, allowing them to go 27-7 and average 77 points per game. However, they have struggled throughout their season on defense. They allow 68.5 points per game without playing any top 25 teams. This Texas Tech offense will take full advantage of these weaknesses in the defense to run offensive power plays. The best way this team can defend against the Red Raiders is to play zone defense. Not many teams in the regular season have had the confidence to go into zone defense against the Raiders, but the Oklahoma Sooners proved how a switch in the rhythm can rattle the Raiders. Offensively, this team is stacked with players like Xavier Bishop and Jubrile Belo, who average 13 points per game each. The Bobcats will need to be unpredictable and run a slow offense to gather themselves to have a chance against this aggressive Texas Tech team.

Texas Tech Odds

The Red Raiders are one of the best teams we have seen in college basketball this season. They ended their season in third place in the Big 12 and made it to the finals in the Big 12 tournament but lost to the Kansas Jayhawks. This team is notorious for their nearly impenetrable defense. Throughout their regular season, they were able to hold their opponents to an 11 point deficit in their games. The hard press and aggressive man-to-man defense have left even the best competitors in the country stunned, unable to find holes to score. Offensively, Texas Tech scores an average of 71 points per game. Bryce Williams leads them under the basket, and the long-range ability of Terrence Shannon Jr. Williams averages 13.7 points per game, and Shannon Jr puts up 10.4 points per game. They both have incredible skill that helps spread the defense, leaving weaknesses in coverage. This team is one of my favorites to go far in this tournament, so they’re a big name to look out for as March Madness unfolds.

Montana State Vs. Texas Tech Picks & Prediction

As great as this Montana State is at basketball, they won’t be able to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Raiders have too much dominance on defense to allow the Bobcats to make a move in to keep the game close. I think the odds of Texas Tech winning at the half of -8 (115) are very good odds. This Tech team is excellent at asserting dominance early in the game, and I believe it’ll be easy for them to go up by eight at the half against the Montana State Bobcats.

March Madness Bracket