WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Darrion Williams scored a season-high 28 points, and JT Toppin contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, leading No. 3 seed Texas Tech to a 77-64 victory over No. 11 seed Drake in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22, 2025. With this win, Texas Tech denied Drake a chance to reach its first Sweet 16 in over 50 years and moved on to face No. 10 seed Arkansas in the West Region semifinals on March 27 in San Francisco.
“Our guys were so composed and so tough,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland remarked after the game.
Elijah Hawkins also added 16 points, aiding the Red Raiders (27-8), who dominated the Bulldogs (31-4) in the paint, outscoring them 50-20 despite a sluggish start in shooting from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of their 14 attempts. The Red Raiders' effective strategy was crucial in overcoming Drake’s renowned defense, which had been yielding the second fewest points per game in the nation.
Bennett Stirtz led Drake with 21 points and Daniel Abreu chipped in 15; however, the Bulldogs struggled as a whole against Tech’s physical game. “They played a fantastic game,” said Drake coach Ben McCollum, highlighting the challenge of facing a larger Texas Tech squad. He noted, “You kind of have to pick your poison with them, just because of the way we’re built.” Indeed, aside from Stirtz's performance, key players were effectively neutralized. Mitch Mascari, who typically averages around 9.7 points per game with a solid three-point shooting percentage of 40.7%, was held scoreless throughout the match.
The game’s tempo was set with early dominance in the paint from Williams and Toppin. McCasland’s decision to play inside-out and rely on their strength became apparent during the first half where Toppin scored 19 of his total points, hitting 9 of 10 shots. Williams backed him up with 14 points at the break. “We watched film and we knew we were going to have to beat them inside-out,” Toppin stated.
Drake stayed competitive, drawing within 43-38 early in the second half. This sparked a technical foul on McCollum, which opened the door for Hawkins to increase the lead with four consecutive free throws. Each time the Bulldogs mounted pressure, Williams or Toppin had an answer. Their ability to score back-to-back during critical moments allowed Texas Tech to maintain its distance, ultimately producing an assist-to-turnover ratio of 13 to 5, which McCasland credited as a significant factor to their success.
The Red Raiders' win also comes as they navigate injuries within their squad, with Chance McMillian, the team’s third-leading scorer, missing this game due to an upper-body injury. McCasland remains hopeful that McMillian will be fit for the next round.
Conversely, Drake, looking to secure its coach Ben McCollum's future with a potential job opening at the University of Iowa looming, fell short despite an 8-game winning streak coming into this game. With the loss to Texas Tech, they now must re-focus as they process the defeat and consider what lies ahead.
Texas Tech’s game plan was a departure from their first-round win against UNC Wilmington, where they set a tournament record with 46 attempts from beyond the arc. Coach McCasland acknowledged that an inside game was necessary against a formidable defense like Drake. “We felt like we needed to play inside-out (against Drake),” he explained.
Next up, the Texas Tech Red Raiders will face the Arkansas Razorbacks, a match that holds the promise of a thrilling battle on the road to the Elite Eight. Fans eagerly anticipate how Texas Tech’s versatile game plan will unfold as they continue their journey through March Madness.
