Akron and Texas Tech meet in one of the more interesting 5-12 matchups on the board, with the Red Raiders trying to avoid becoming the latest higher seed to get sent home early this March Madness.
Texas Tech still has the stronger resume and the higher ceiling on paper, but this is not a team entering the tournament at full strength.
The Red Raiders are still dealing with the massive loss of JT Toppin, who is out for the year with a torn ACL.
He averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, while also leading the team in steals and blocks.
On top of the Toppin loss, Christian Anderson left the Big 12 Tournament with a muscle strain, while LeJuan Watts has also been dealing with a lower leg issue, although recent reports expect the pair to play Friday in this matinee clash.
That’s still not the situation you want to find yourself in against a feisty Akron team.
The Zips bring a legit offense into this game.
Akron ranks 54th in adjusted offensive efficiency at KenPom with strong shooting numbers across the board, including 50.3 percent overall and 38.5 percent from 3-point land.
They have the depth to match up with the short-handed Red Raiders on the offensive side of the court – seven different zips have averaged at least seven points per game this season.
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After three first-round losses during the John Groce era, this may be his best Akron team yet.
Take the points in what will be one of the more popular upset picks of the first few days of the NCAA Tournament.
The play: Akron +8.5 (-115, BetMGM Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
