Get to know NC State's first-round opponent in the 2024 NCAA Tournament: Texas Tech
Posted March 18, 2024 9:30 a.m. EDT
NC State earned a No. 11 seed and will play the No. 6 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The game is scheduled to tip off at 9:40 p.m. ET Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The game airs on CBS.
The two teams are in the South Region.
NC State (22-14, 9-11, ACC) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning five games in five days at the ACC Tournament. It marked the Wolfpack’s first ACC Tournament championship since 1987.
Texas Tech (23-10, 11-7 Big 12) advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals, losing to No. 1 seed Houston 82-59.
On Thursday, Texas Tech beat BYU in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, 81-67.
Texas Tech entered the Big 12 Tournament on a three-game winning streak.
The Red Raiders have strong guard play.
Sophomore guard Pop Isaacs is the Red Raiders’ leading scorer at 15.9 points per game.
Senior guard Joe Toussaint is the team’s second-leading scorer (12.1 points per game). Toussaint is the team’s assists (4.3 assists per game) and steals leader (1.4 steals per game).
Sophomore guard Darrion Williams averages 11.4 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Three Red Raiders received All-Big 12 Awards: Williams was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, Isaacs earned All-Big 12 Third Team and Toussaint was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
During the regular season, Texas Tech beat the following ranked opponents:
- 78-67 win on Jan. 6 at No. 20 Texas
- 85-78 win on Jan. 28 against No. 20 BYU
- 85-84 win on Jan. 27 at No. 11 Oklahoma
- 79-50 win on Feb. 12 against No. 6 Kansas
- 67-68 win on March 9 against No. 11 Baylor
The Red Raiders were 6-9 against Quad 1 teams in the 2023-24 regular season.
Texas Tech is led by first-year head coach Grant McCasland. Prior to coming to Texas Tech, McCasland was the head coach from 2017-2023 at North Texas and the head coach from 2016-2017 at Arkansas State.
McCasland spent from 2011-2016 as an assistant coach at Baylor. He also was the Midwestern State coach from 2009-2011 and the Midland College coach from 2004-2009.
