Texas Tech dominated Akron from start to finish in a dominant NCAA Tournament first-round performance. The Red Raiders built early momentum with back-to-back scoring runs—an 8-1 burst to go up 26-17, followed by another 8-2 push to extend the lead to 37-25. Akron's defense completely unraveled, surrendering a devastating 29 consecutive plays without a score in the first half alone as Texas Tech controlled the tempo and flow. The second half was all Red Raiders as they put the game out of reach with a 15-2 run that pushed their lead to 21 points (84-66). Akron had no answer for Texas Tech's offensive firepower, going scoreless for stretches of 26 consecutive plays while the Red Raiders' defense locked in. Texas Tech closed it out with clutch free throws down the stretch, cruising to a 91-71 victory and advancing to the next round of March Madness.