Texas Tech vs. West Virginia Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Sunday, Feb. 8

The No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders are looking to snap a two-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, as they’ll hit the road to play the West Virginia Mountaineers.

West Virginia is 6-4 in Big 12 play and is coming off a five-point win over Cincinnati in its last outing. The Mountaineers have struggled against ranked teams, losing by 35 to No. 1 Arizona, 29 to then-No. 7 Houston, 11 to then-No. 22 Kansas and 21 to then-No. 3 Iowa State this season.

So, it’s not a surprise that the Red Raiders are road favorites even though they haven’t played their best basketball as of late.

Texas Tech is No. 21 in the latest rankings from KenPom, posting the No. 15 adjusted offensive efficiency in the country. JT Toppin (21.8 points per game) and Christian Anderson (19.6 points per game) form one of the best duos in the Big 12, and both players could have an argument for Big 12 Player of the Year by the end of the season.

Meanwhile, West Virginia is led by guard Honor Huff (15.8 points per game), although he has not been super efficient from the field (37.3 percent) this season.

Do the Red Raiders snap their two-game skid and cover on the road in this game?

Let’s dive into a breakdown of the odds, a key player to watch and my prediction for this Big 12 showdown.

Texas Tech vs. West Virginia Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Texas Tech -4.5 (-112)
West Virginia +4.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Texas Tech: -185
West Virginia: +154

Total

136.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Texas Tech vs. West Virginia How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Venue: WVU Coliseum
How to Watch (TV): FOX
Texas Tech record: 16-6
West Virginia record: 15-8

Texas Tech vs. West Virginia Key Player to Watch

JT Toppin, Forward, Texas Tech

The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and a Second-Team All-American, Toppin is one of the best scorers in the country.

He comes into this game averaging 21.8 points, 10.6 rebounds. 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. Toppin and Anderson (19.6 points, 7.5 assists per game) have formed a lethal duo for this Red Raiders team.

West Virginia ranks 30th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency (per KenPom), but it may have a tough time containing Toppin given his efficiency on the inside. Last season, Toppin had 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting in his lone matchup against the Mountaineers.

Texas Tech vs. West Virginia Prediction and Pick

Even though the Red Raiders rank No. 15 in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, this game could end up being a low-scoring affair.

West Virginia ranks 362nd in the country in adjusted tempo, and the Red Raiders don’t exactly love to push the pace, ranking 162 in that category. So, a slower game is naturally going to lead to a few less points.

Both of these teams are also in the top 40 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, with Texas Tech coming in at No. 37.

West Virginia’s slow pace has led to the UNDER hitting in 15 of the team’s 23 games (15-7-1), and the Mountaineers don’t exactly make up for their slow pace of play with a strong offense.

West Virginia has just three players averaging double figures this season, and it is 123rd in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency. Against ranked opponents, the Mountaineers have scored 59, 75, 48 and 53 points and they have failed to score 60 points in each of their last four Big 12 games.

Even if Texas Tech wins big in this matchup, I’m not buying the Mountaineers to pull their weight on the offensive end.

Pick: UNDER 136.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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