A berth in the Sweet 16 is on the line as the No. 3 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders (26-8) go head-to-head with the No. 11 seed Drake Bulldogs (31-3) in the West Region on Saturday at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Drake has put together a stellar campaign, suffering just three defeats all season and never losing back-to-back contests. The Bulldogs started the year on a 12-game tear before stumbling against UIC and Murray State in early January. They quickly rebounded, launching a dominant winning streak that stretched from their Jan. 8 victory over Bradley through Feb. 12 against Illinois State.
A setback versus Bradley momentarily disrupted their momentum, but they responded with wins over UIC, Northern Iowa, Evansville, and Missouri State before rolling through the conference tournament with triumphs over Southern Illinois, Belmont, and Bradley. Their impressive run continued Thursday with a first-round NCAA Tournament victory over Missouri, elevating their record to 31-3.
Texas Tech, on the other hand, opened the season with an 11-4 stretch, with setbacks coming against Saint Joseph's, Texas A&M, UCF, and Iowa State. The Red Raiders then found their rhythm, taking down Kansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, TCU, Houston, and Baylor. However, they hit a midseason rough patch, going 3-3 during a stretch that included losses to Arizona, TCU, and Houston.
The team closed out the regular season on a high note with victories over Kansas, Colorado, and Arizona State before falling to Arizona in the conference tournament. A first-round NCAA Tournament win over UNC Wilmington has them sitting at 26-8 heading into Saturday’s matchup.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Drake Bulldogs vs. the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball NCAA Men's game, plus plenty more.
Drake Bulldogs vs Texas Tech Red Raiders: Date and tip-off time
The Drake Bulldogs and the Texas Tech Red Raiders will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 6:10 pm ET/3:10 pm PT at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, United States.
Date | Saturday, March 22, 2025 |
Tip-off Time | 6:10 pm ET/3:10 pm PT |
Venue | INTRUST Bank Arena |
Location | Wichita, Kansas, United States |
How to watch Drake Bulldogs vs Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Bulldogs and the Raiders on:
- TV Channel: TNT
- Streaming service: Sling TV
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Drake Bulldogs team news & key performers
Drake, meanwhile, is led by junior guard Bennett Stirtz, a playmaker who can take over a game. He paces the Bulldogs in scoring (19.2 PPG), assists (5.6 APG), and steals (2.1 SPG). Stirtz was instrumental in Drake's first-round victory over Missouri, dropping a game-high 21 points while dishing out four assists and knocking down three triples.
Fellow junior guard Tavion Banks provides additional scoring punch, averaging 10 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting an efficient 52% from the field. The Missouri native has been in a groove lately, posting double-digit scoring performances in seven of his last eight outings.
Texas Tech Red Raiders news & key performers
For Texas Tech, sophomore forward JT Toppin has been a force on both ends of the floor, leading the team in scoring (17.9 PPG), rebounding (9.2 RPG), and blocked shots (1.3 BPG). Junior forward Darrion Williams brings relentless energy and does the dirty work for the Red Raiders, contributing 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per contest. In his latest outing, the California native stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, nine boards, and a pair of assists.