NCAA First Round: Akron vs Texas Tech Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 20)
- The Zips secured the MAC Championship to qualify for March Madness.
- The Red Raiders look to avoid an early exit from the NCAA Tournament.
- This marks the first all-time matchup between the two squads.
There is a matchup on upset watch as the MAC’s Akron Zips duel with the Big 12’s Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday afternoon. The latter stands tall as the solid favorite, but their lapses in overall play could impact them against a team that has been red-hot since the start of the new year.
How to Watch
- When: Friday, March 20, 12:40 pm ET
- Where: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Florida
- How to Watch: truTV
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | -107 | +7.5 | O156 |
| Texas Tech | -113 | -7.5 | U156 |
Game Preview
The Zips (29-5) stand tall as the champions of the MAC, securing their place in the Big Dance. Akron became the first team in league tournament history to capture back-to-back-to-back championships. The triumph propelled the Zips to their eighth overall NCAA Tournament berth in program history and allowed Akron to record its 29th win of the season, most in program history. Akron ranks 18th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.69), seventh in assists per game (18.4), 32nd in bench points per game (29.21), eighth in effective fg pct (.588), 29th in fastbreak points (14.53), 10th in fg pct (.503), and 64th in fg pct defense. Tavari Johnson leads the Zips in points (20.1) and assists (5.0). Amani Lyles leads the Blue and Gold in rebounds (8.1), while Evan Mahaffey leads the way in steals (1.7) and total blocks (26).
The Red Raiders (22-10) are vulnerable to an upset as losing JT Toppin for the season has left a major hole that the team has since partially filled. They exited in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament after losing to Iowa State. The team ranks 62nd in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.47), 69th in assists per game (15.8), 27th in effective fg pct (.562), 85th in fg pct (.467), 97th in fewest fouls per game (16.3), and 92nd in rebounds per game (36.94). Christian Anderson ranks fifth in the NCAA in total assists (236), third in assists per game (7.6), 71st in double-doubles (8), second in minutes played (38:23), 75th in total points (586), 59th in points per game (18.9), 19th in 3pt pct (.425), 13th in 3s made per game (3.39) and 20th in total made 3s (105).
Akron vs Texas Tech Head-to-Head
The two programs are facing each other for the first time in their respective histories.
Akron vs Texas Tech Predictions
The winner of this matchup will take on the victors between Alabama and Hofstra. Texas Tech had a chance at a national championship with JT Toppin in the picture, but that becomes immensely difficult without his services. This paves the way for Akron, who looks to join other mid-major squads to advance to the second round of March Madness. Our betting pick here is the Zips to cover a 7.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick:Â Akron Zips -7.5
