Arizona vs Texas Tech Big 12 Tournament Semifinal Odds & Prediction
Texas Tech enters as 2.5-point favorites hosting Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, with the teams having split their regular-season series. The game tips off at 6:30pm MT from T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, broadcast on ESPN2.
Basketball players battling for possession
Both teams survived tight quarterfinal matchups, with Arizona beating Kansas 88-77 and Texas Tech edging Baylor 76-74. The over/under is set at 152.5 points, with Texas Tech at -140 on the moneyline and Arizona at +115.
The regular season meetings saw each team win at home - Texas Tech dominated 70-54 in Lubbock while Arizona prevailed 82-73 in Tucson. The key differences were shooting efficiency and pace of play. Arizona shot just 31% in the loss but improved to 52% in their victory.
KenPom Analysis:
- Texas Tech: 7th overall (6th offense, 30th defense)
- Arizona: 12th overall (13th offense, 32nd defense)
- TTU excels at defending three-pointers (29.5%, 7th nationally)
- Arizona has struggled recently from three (under 31% in 3 of last 4)
Key Factors:
- Pace control (Arizona 56th in tempo, TTU 280th)
- Rebounding battle (each team dominated boards in home win)
- Star performance (TTU's JT Toppin vs Arizona's Caleb Love)
The Pick: Texas Tech -2.5 (-110) Reasoning: Superior tempo control and three-point defense give TTU the edge in what should be a low-scoring, defensive battle. While the neutral court helps Arizona's offense, it likely won't be enough to stop Texas Tech's four-game win streak.
Teams' success will largely depend on their stars - Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin (41 points, 29 rebounds in previous matchups) for TTU and Caleb Love (7-for-28 in series) for Arizona.