Who: Texas Tech (28-8, 15-5), Florida (33-4, 14-4)
Where: Chase Center (18,100), San Francisco, California
When: Saturday, March 29, 5:10 p.m. (CT)
Television: TBS
2023 Records: Texas Tech (23-11, 11-7), Florida (24-12, 11-7)
Series: Florida leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Texas Tech 69, Florida 66, March 17, 2018
Coaches: Texas Tech, Grant McCasland (206-96) ; Florida, Todd Golden (130-69)
Does Texas Tech still have any magical potion remaining in the bottle? They'll take any help they can get as the take on the No. 1 seed Florida Gators for the right to advance to the Final Four in San Antonio.
As of this moment, either Florida or Duke is probably considered the favorite to win the whole ball of wax, and it's easy to see why the Gators are such sweethearts of the hoops cognoscenti. Like Arkansas, Texas Tech's most recent victim, Florida has huge and very good players in their rotation. They are 6-foot-11 Alex Condon, 6-foot-10 Rueben Chinyelu, and 7-foot-1 Micah Handlogten. Condon scores 11 points and grabs eight boards per game, and is Florida's leading shot blocker. Chinyelu is very foul-prone, but is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. Handlogten is also a noteworthy glass cleaner.
There was concern that Arkansas' big men would neutralize Texas Tech's Big XII Player of the Year JT Toppin, but while the Hogs made him work very hard, Toppin still finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. Some nullification! Florida's bigs are very good, but they're not much better than Arkansas'. Toppin's constant effort and his ability to attack off the bounce in the mid post should guarantee him another productive game, regardless of the aircraft carriers surrounding him.
But in addition to the great size up front, Florida has three guards who, as a unit, may be the best in the country. Walter Clayton is an All-American who averages 18 points and 4.2 assists per game. He is also a deadeye shooter, connecting on 39 percent of his efforts from distance. Clayton will get his. You just hope he doesn't get 30.
Alijah Martin is a physical stopper who also averages 15 points per game. Attempting to drive the ball on Martin is usually a losing proposition.
The third member of this illustrious group is Will Richard who averages 14 points per outing, leads Florida in steals, and shoots 49 percent from the floor.
These guards are extremely difficult to contain, and perimeter defense hasn't been Texas Tech's strength. Elijah Hawkins and Christian Anderson, however, can get their licks in and will need to play their best defense to give the Red Raiders a chance. Help defense, too, will be very important.
As a team, the Gators are plus-nine on the glass and score 86 points per game. What's more, they last lost on February 25. Ultimately, however, what makes Florida so tough is that they are a well-schooled, tightly-knit team, and they are dangerous in transition. They don't beat themselves, and they almost always make the right play. So, in addition to contending with Florida's size and skill, the Red Raiders will have to play a clean, fundamentally sound game. It's a lot to ask, but this team has made a habit of meeting every challenge, no matter how formidable it may appear.