Texas Tech Fans Holiday Wish No. 12
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Halfway through the holiday wishes for Texas Tech fans, we look to how far the Lady Raiders can advance in the NCAA Tournament this season.
The Texas Tech women's basketball team is 12-0 with one more non-conference game before they play at Baylor to begin Big 12 conference play.
The Lady Raiders have been playing very well this season, and some may argue that they have not played a top-25-ranked team that has challenged them yet, but they have defeated the Power Four conference teams this season. They defeated SMU, Arkansas, and Mississippi State in non-conference play and have defeated top-tier mid-major programs like Washington State, New Mexico, and UTSA.
Holiday Wish No. 12: The Texas Tech Lady Raiders to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Raiders are now 12-0 at the start of the season, which is why they could make it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. Their start, which includes not losing any non-conference games, shows that they have the basic skills needed to go far in the tournament.
Their defense has been so good that they have only allowed their opponents to make 7th and 4th of their field goals and three-pointers, respectively, as of Sunday. They also force around 20 turnovers per game. Defense is the most important thing for teams in the NCAA Tournament because it travels.
Their best players, like Jalynn Bristow, Snudda Collins, and Bailey Maupin, are scoring consistently, but the team's success doesn't depend on just one player. They're winning because they shoot well and score evenly. Head Coach Krista Gerlich is in her sixth season and is building the program. She has given the team a strong defensive identity, which is important for March Madness success.
As we sit here in mid-December, the road to the Elite Eight starts well before the tournament starts. They need to do well in the rest of the regular season to get a good seed.
This season, the Big 12 is quite competitive because there are a lot of quality and ranked teams. But the Lady Raiders can and hopefully will contend and finish strong in the conference standings by March. Texas Tech needs to not only have a winning record in the Big 12 but also finish in the top four of the standings. They need to focus on beating ranked or predicted tournament teams like Baylor, Iowa State, TCU, and Oklahoma State.
They also need to avoid disastrous losses in conference games against clubs like Houston and Cincinnati. So, they must lose as little as possible to teams expected to be in the conference's bottom half. To secure a Top 5 Seed in the NCAA Tournament, you need to finish strong in the conference and do well in the Big 12 Tournament.
The Lady Raiders must win four straight games against tougher and tougher teams to get to the Elite Eight (Regional Final). If they get a favorable seed, like a 3-seed or 4-seed, based on how well they're playing right now, it will be easier for them to go to the Elite Eight. This program hasn't made it to the Elite Eight in a long time; the last time they did was in 2003.
Their prospects of making it to the Elite Eight rest on their defense, stopping opponents, and forcing turnovers that lead to easy fast-break baskets. Such performance is important to balance out the scoring ability of teams with higher seeds. They need to show that their high shooting percentages from outside the conference hold up under the stress and intensity of March Madness games, especially from three-point range.
If they make it to the Sweet Sixteen, they will probably have to play against a team that is always strong. They must maintain composure and adhere strictly to their defensive game plan for 40 minutes, ensuring the higher-seeded team plays a slow, ugly game that aligns with Texas Tech's defensive style.
If the Lady Raiders can complete the regular season as one of the top four teams in the Big 12 and get a 3 or 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, they might make it to the Elite Eight. This is a tough but possible goal.
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Ryan Kay is a journalist who graduated from Michigan State in 2003 and is passionate about covering college sports and enjoys writing features and articles covering various collegiate teams. He has worked as an editor at Go Joe Bruin and has been a contributor for Longhorns Wire and Busting Brackets. He is a contributor for Texas Tech On SI.