nERD: 17.29
Historical Comp: 2011 San Diego State Aztecs, 34-3, 2 seed, lost in Sweet 16
The Texas Tech Red Raiders rank in the top three in defense and top 30 in dffense behind a great mix of seniors and youth, which is very similar to San Diego State in 2011. That was Kawhi Leonard's sophomore season, his last before he left for the NBA.
While Keenan Evans has been putting on a great offensive display during his senior year -- 17.3 points per game -- the strength of the Red Raiders has been their defense. Texas Tech ranks fifth in the nation scoring D, allowing only 60.2 points per contest. A major factor in this performance is their shooting percentage defense as they sit sixth in opponents' field goal percentage and 13th in opponents' three point field goal percentage.
The main concern for Tech fans is their comparable lack of offense. The Red Raiders have only two players other than Evans who are averaging more than eight points per game. This was evident during the second half of their recent game at Oklahoma, a half in which Texas Tech could not keep up with the Sooners' high-powered offense.