Homefield — March Madness

AkronNo. 12

Texas TechNo. 5

FinaltruT

43.1%

26.3%

3PT

REB

AST

64.2%

55.0%

3PT

REB

AST

The 5-12 upset is the most reliable Cinderella bet in sports. 12-seeds have won 57 of 160 meetings (35.6%) since 1985 -- at least one goes down almost every year.

Texas Tech Buries Akron With Historic Shooting Night

Texas Tech dismantled Akron 91-71, turning a five-point halftime lead into a 20-point blowout on the back of 64.2% shooting from the field.

Jaylen Petty was unguardable. The Red Raiders guard went 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-7 from three, finishing with 24 points in 38 minutes against a defense that simply had no answer for his movement off the ball. When Akron's defenders went under screens, he buried them; when they went over, he put it on the floor.

Christian Anderson did the dirty work around him. His 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting were efficient, but his four steals in 39 minutes defined how Texas Tech turned defensive pressure into offense in the second half. Josiah Moseley, working just 25 minutes off the bench, added 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting with four blocks, providing interior force that the Red Raiders were not supposed to have without the injured JT Toppin and LaTrell Hoover, who combined for 21.8 points per game in the regular season.

The gap in the box score that mattered most was shooting efficiency: Texas Tech shot 64.2% to Akron's 43.1%, and the three-point disparity was starker still at 55.0% versus 26.3%. Amani Lyles gave Akron 26 points and Shammah Scott added 20, but their backcourt scoring was undermined by a team that went 5-of-19 from deep, a number that makes a 20-point margin not just understandable but logical.

Game Story

The Texas Tech Red Raiders rolled to a dominant 91-71 victory over the Akron Zips.•Amani Lyles topped all scorers with 26 points in a losing effort.•Jaylen Petty responded with 24 points for the Red Raiders.•Texas Tech blew the game open with a 51-36 2nd half.•Texas Tech had a huge shooting edge, shooting 64.2% compared to just 43.1% for Akron.•Texas Tech had the edge from beyond the arc, making 11 threes to Akron's 5.•Texas Tech held a 32-25 rebounding advantage.•Shammah Scott also contributed 20 points.•The Texas Tech Red Raiders rolled to a dominant 91-71 victory over the Akron Zips.•Amani Lyles topped all scorers with 26 points in a losing effort.•Jaylen Petty responded with 24 points for the Red Raiders.•Texas Tech blew the game open with a 51-36 2nd half.•Texas Tech had a huge shooting edge, shooting 64.2% compared to just 43.1% for Akron.•Texas Tech had the edge from beyond the arc, making 11 threes to Akron's 5.•Texas Tech held a 32-25 rebounding advantage.•Shammah Scott also contributed 20 points.•