The Texas Tech Red Raiders and Alabama Crimson Tide will meet in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This game will take place at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, FL. The game is scheduled for Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET.
Texas Tech enters the tournament as the 5 seed with an overall record of 22-10. They finished their conference play with a 12-7 record in the Big 12. Last postseason, Texas Tech reached the Elite Eight before losing to Florida.
Alabama holds the 4 seed with a 23-9 overall record and a 13-6 record in the Southeastern Conference. In the previous postseason, Alabama advanced to the Elite Eight but fell to Duke. Both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25, with Alabama at #18 and Texas Tech at #20.
Alabama Preview
The Alabama Crimson Tide is ranked #18 in the AP poll. They play in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2026 regular season, they had an overall record of 23-9 and a conference record of 13-6.
In the 2025 postseason, Alabama had a strong run. They won against Robert Morris, Saint Mary’s, and BYU. However, they lost to Duke in the Elite Eight with a score of 85-65.
Alabama’s offense is strong, scoring 91.7 points per game, which ranks 3rd. They make 12.7 three-pointers per game, ranking 5th. Their free throw percentage is 76.6, ranking 69th.
On defense, Alabama averages 6.4 steals per game. They also have 4.9 blocks per game. The team commits 18.5 fouls per game.
Texas Tech Preview
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are ranked #20 in the AP poll. They play in the Big 12 Conference. During the 2026 regular season, they had an overall record of 22-10 and a conference record of 12-7.
In the 2025 postseason, Texas Tech made it to the Elite Eight. They won against UNCW, Drake, and Arkansas before losing to Florida. The scores were 82-72, 77-64, 85-83, and 79-84, respectively.
Offensively, Texas Tech averaged 80.4 points per game in the regular season. They made 11.5 three-pointers per game, ranking 14th. Their three-point shooting percentage was 39.3, placing them 20th.
On the defensive side, they averaged 5.8 steals and 3.7 blocks per game. They committed 16.3 fouls per game. During the postseason, they improved their points per game to 91.0, ranking 8th.
Statistical Breakdown for Alabama vs Texas Tech
Alabama and Texas Tech both have strong offenses, which could lead to a high-scoring game. Alabama scores 91.7 points per game, while Texas Tech scores 80.4 points per game in the regular season and 91.0 in the postseason. Alabama’s three-point shooting is also a strength, with 12.7 made per game. Texas Tech is not far behind with 11.5. Defense will be key, as Alabama averages 6.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game. Texas Tech has improved in the postseason with 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game.
- Alabama Points Per Game: 91.7 (3rd)
- Texas Tech Points Per Game (Regular Season): 80.4 (89th)
- Texas Tech Points Per Game (Postseason): 91.0 (8th)
- Alabama 3PT Made Per Game: 12.7 (5th)
- Texas Tech 3PT Made Per Game: 11.5 (14th)
- Alabama Steals Per Game: 6.4
- Texas Tech Steals Per Game (Postseason): 9.0
- Alabama Blocks Per Game: 4.9
- Texas Tech Blocks Per Game (Postseason): 5.0
Betting Insights
As Texas Tech Red Raiders and Alabama Crimson Tide prepare for their upcoming game, bettors are keen to explore the trends from last season. Both teams showed strong performances in different areas, making this game an interesting one for betting enthusiasts. Below are the top five betting trends to consider.
- Texas Tech has a strong SU record as a favorite, winning 78.6% of those games.
- Alabama has a solid ATS record as an underdog, covering the spread 75.0% of the time.
- Texas Tech’s O/U record over the last 5 games was 4-1, hitting the over 80.0% of the time.
- Alabama’s ATS record over the last 10 games was 6-4, covering 60.0% of the time.
- Texas Tech’s overall O/U record was 19-13, with the over hitting 59.4% of the time.
Free Betting Prediction for Alabama vs Texas Tech
Alabama and Texas Tech both have strong offenses, which could lead to a high-scoring game. Alabama scores 91.7 points per game, while Texas Tech scores 80.4 points per game in the regular season and 91.0 in the postseason. Alabama’s three-point shooting is also a strength, with 12.7 made per game. Texas Tech is not far behind with 11.5. Defense will be key, as Alabama averages 6.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game. Texas Tech has improved in the postseason with 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game.
On defense, Alabama averages 6.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game. Texas Tech has improved in the postseason with 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game. Both teams have shown they can score, so defense might decide the game. Alabama’s ability to make three-pointers could give them an edge.
Betting trends show Texas Tech is strong as a favorite, winning 78.6% of those games. Alabama has a solid record against the spread as an underdog, covering 75.0% of the time. The over/under trends suggest a high-scoring game, with Texas Tech hitting the over 80.0% of the time in their last five games. Given these factors, Texas Tech might have a slight edge, but Alabama’s strong shooting could keep it close.
- Our Free Prediction: Over 166.5
