Georgetown vs. Texas Tech Odds
| Georgetown Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -110 | 136.5 -115o / -105u | +1200 |
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -110 | 136.5 -115o / -105u | +3000 |
The Georgetown Hoyas were 6-25 last season and year six of the Patrick Ewing era is not off to a much better start.
The Hoyas have played just one high-major opponent this season — a 75-63 loss to Northwestern — but are still just 4-3 to begin the year. That includes a 74-70 home loss to American last Wednesday. Georgetown did rebound with a 79-70 victory over UMBC last Saturday.
Next, it will hit the road to battle the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Texas Tech come into this matchup at 4-2 after going 1-2 at the Maui Invitational. The Red Raiders beat Louisville 70-38 and suffered a 76-65 loss to Creighton and a 80-73 loss to Ohio State. The losses dropped the Red Raiders out of the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll this week. Texas Tech will look to bounce back on its home floor.
Georgetown has beaten Texas Tech twice in the NCAA Tournament (1986 and 1996), but this will be the first meeting in the regular season. This year's matchup is a part of the fourth annual Big 12- Big East Battle.
Can the Red Raiders cover as double-digit favorites at home?
Georgetown Hoyas
Scoring has not been a problem for Georgetown as it averages nearly 77 points per game and has four players averaging double digits. Guards Primo Spears, Brandon Murray and Jay Heath lead the way. Spears, a Duquense transfer, leads the team with 16.9 points and 4.4 assists per game.
Heath is the best shooter of the bunch at 56.8% and averages 14.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Murray is tied with Spears for the team lead in assists and is averaging 15.4 points on 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc. However, he missed the last two games with a lower body injury and is questionable for Wednesday's game.
Center Qudus Wahab began his career at Georgetown and has returned after spending last season at Maryland. The senior is averaging 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 54.9% shooting from the field. Forward Akok Akok transferred in from UConn and has done well in his first significant minutes since his freshman year. The junior is averaging 8.4 points and leads the team with eight rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
It makes sense that a team coached by a Hall of Fame center wants to focus on scoring in the paint, but Georgetown may want to reconsider that strategy. The Hoyas rank 78th in Division-I in 3-point percentage at 36.6%, but it takes just 17.5 threes per game. For example, Heath and Murray take less than eight combined.
Instead, the Hoyas take the 18th-most 2-point attempts per game and make 47.6% of them, ranking 286th nationally. As a result, it has led to an inefficient offense. Georgetown ranks 141st in offensive rating and 114th in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Meanwhile, its defense is a whole other issue.
Georgetown can protect the rim, ranking fourth in block percentage and 10th in blocks per game. That is largely due to Akok's presence, but it is 147th in 2-point percentage defense.
Georgetown has given 70 or more points in five of its first seven games this season. It allows 73.1 points per game to rank 284th in scoring defense. Georgetown ranks 210th in adjusted defensive efficiency and 246th in defensive rating. That is while benefitting from luck as well.
Georgetown is allowing 29 3-pointers per game, the third-most in the country. Opponents are making 10 per game, which is the 15th most in the country. However, that is still only 33.5% of them. If Georgetown continues allowing threes at the same rate, you would expect the better opponents on its schedule to knock them down- like Texas Tech.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech can play multiple styles but at its core, it wants to slow the game down and lock you up on defense. Texas Tech's defensive possessions average 18.3 seconds, which is the 317th slowest average possession length. Georgetown has the 79th fastest average possession length, so early on it will be interesting to see who can control the pace.
Texas Tech is 18th in adjusted defensive efficiency and 26th in scoring defense. However, it combines that with a top 40ish (43rd) offense. Texas Tech has dealt with the deflections of Terrance Shannon and Kevin McCullar Jr. from last year's team, but others have stepped up.
Forward Kevin Obanor is averaging 13.4 points per game (up from 10) and 5.3 rebounds. He is making 63.3% of his 2-point attempts and is shooting 87% from the stripe. Few players in the entire country have improved more than forward Daniel Blatcho. The sophomore Frenchman is at 12.5 points, seven rebounds and 2.3 blocks this season. If his name sounds familiar, you probably saw him flying around making highlight plays during Feast Week.
Guard De'Vion Harmon is averaging 10 points and leads the team with 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals. Guards Jaylon Tyson and Pop Isaacs are the Red Raiders floor spacers. Tyson is shooting 46.7% from three while Isaacs is shooting 41.7%. They combine for 17.2 points per game as well. The Red Raiders shoot just 33% from beyond the arc, but they only attempt 17.7 per game.
North Carolina transfer guard Kerwin Walton has not made a significant impact just yet. He is averaging 3.2 points per game and shooting 16% from deep. However, as a freshman at UNC, he shot 42.4% from three. He could get going against Georgetown.
Texas Tech is 55% of its points off 2-point field goals and it is making 54.4% of them. The Red Raiders can stand to get better at protecting the ball. It averages 14.5 turnovers and 12% of its offensive possessions end in steals. However, Texas Tech forces 14.8 turnovers itself.
Georgetown vs. Texas Tech Betting Pick
Texas Tech may have suffered losses to Creighton and Ohio State in Maui, but it has dominated overmatched competition this season. Three of the Red Raiders' four wins — over Northwestern State, Texas Southern and Louisville — have been by 24 points or more. It is safe to put Georgetown in that category based on what we have seen from it so far.
Georgetown's offensive tendencies play right into Texas Tech's hands. Blatcho has the ability to frustrate to Wahab and make it difficult for Georgetown to score around the rim. Should Georgetown actually attempt more threes, Texas Tech has the length to contest and make it difficult on the perimeter. On the other end, Georgetown is not get many stops. That will allow the Red Raiders to pull away.
I like the Red Raiders to win big at home and would feel comfortable playing it up to -19.5.
Pick: Texas Tech -17.5 (Play to -19.5) |
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