The Texas Tech women’s basketball team is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years, but the Lady Raiders would like to end a longer drought.
Tech last won a March Madness game in 2005, during a run to the Sweet 16.
How do the 7-seed Lady Raiders stack up against 10-seed Villanova in their opening matchup? Here’s a look.
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Texas Tech women’s basketball vs Villanova in March Madness: Players to watch
Bailey Maupin, Texas Tech
Maupin is no stranger to Lady Raiders fans. The only player who has spent her entire career at Texas Tech, the senior guard leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points, while adding 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. She made the all-Big 12 first team this season and is the unquestioned leader of the Lady Raiders. Maupin is fourth in program history for career points.
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova
The 5-foot-7 sophomore guard is a two-time all-Big East first-team performer. Bascoe led the conference with 18.8 points per game while shooting 39.9%. She also averages 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals. Bascoe, a native of Milton, Ontario, was the Wildcats’ only all-Big East first-teamer. Junior forward Brynn McCurry was a second-team selection and the league’s most-improved player.
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Texas Tech women’s basketball vs Villanova in March Madness: Stats to know
Tech and Villanova are quite similar on paper. Each averages about 72 points per game, but Friday could be a low-scoring affair. Tech is 34th in the nation in scoring defense (58.1), while Villanova is 112th (61.8). Each team shoots around 44% and records around 35 rebounds and 10 steals per game. It could come down to turnovers. The Lady Raiders commit 15.9 turnovers per game, and the Wildcats convert turnovers into 20.9 points on average.
Score prediction for Texas Tech women’s basketball vs Villanova in NCAA Tournament
Texas Tech 58, Villanova 54: These teams are about as evenly matched as they come, evident by the betting line hovering around 1.5 points in Tech’s favor. Bascoe is a major scoring threat, but the Lady Raiders’ perimeter defense is solid. If they can take care of the ball and force others to beat them, a rock-fight victory should be theirs.
When does Texas Tech play Villanova in women’s March Madness?
Texas Tech will take on Villanova in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament game from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Where to watch Texas Tech vs Villanova in women’s March Madness first round
Texas Tech’s first-round game vs Villanova will be broadcast on ESPNU. The game can also be streamed on Fubo, which requires a subscription.
Watch Texas Tech women’s basketball vs. Villanova on Fubo
Watch Texas Tech women’s basketball vs. Villanova on ESPN Unlimited
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech vs Villanova March Madness prediction for 2026 NCAA Tournament opener
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
