Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington: 2025 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks

by BettingPros Staff |
Mar 16, 2025

The 2025 NCAA Tournament is officially here! The March Madness Bracket is set, and first-round NCAA Tournament matchups are in place. It’s time to make your picks and predictions for the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament! We’re here to help as we’ll have picks and predictions for each of the first-round 2025 NCAA Tournament games. Here are our top picks and predictions for Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington.

2025 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks: Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington

Let’s dive into our top picks and predictions for this opening-round NCAA Tournament matchup.

2025 NCAA Tournament Preview: Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington

Texas Tech 2025 NCAA Tournament Preview

Texas Tech enters the NCAA Tournament as a well-rounded force capable of a deep tournament run. Under head coach Grant McCasland, the Red Raiders have built one of the nation's most prolific offenses, ranking sixth in efficiency while excelling in shot selection and perimeter shooting, shooting 38% from deep.

Tech’s problem right now is health. Darrion Williams and Chance McMillian - the team’s second- and third-leading scorers - did not play against Arizona in the Big 12 Conference Tournament when the Red Raiders got knocked out. McMillian is a deadly shooter, while Williams adds some size down low to a relatively small team. J.T. Toppin has been excellent this year after transferring from New Mexico. But the Big 12 Player of the Year will only be able to do so much without his running mates on the floor and at 100%.

If Texas Tech is healthy, the sky's the limit. Tech locks down the perimeter, forcing opponents inside the arc under McCasland's scheme. Elijah Hawkins will need to step up his guard play and facilitating if this team is shorthanded. A neutral-court loss against Saint Joseph's and a struggle to put away Syracuse on a neutral court stick out a bit, but if this team is hitting on all cylinders, it will be a tough out.

UNC Wilmington 2025 NCAA Tournament Preview

UNC-Wilmington comes out of the coastal after avoiding multiple close calls to seal their tournament bid. The Seahawks lead with their offense that’s capable of getting to the charity stripe and ranks 59th in near-proximity shooting percentage. Donovan Newby and Khamari McGriff are both double-digit scorers who give Takayo Siddle’s squad an inside-out look. While UNCW isn’t known for their perimeter shooting, Nolan Hodge led the CAA with a 47% clip from deep in the conference. He can get hot at any time.

The weaknesses here lie in the defense, where they will allow 36% of opponent points to come from beyond the arc, a top-40 number. Keeping the Seahawks off the glass is an ideal way to limit their two big men and sizeable forwards, but they should be a tough out. Per Haslametrics and EvanMiya, both sites give UNC Wilmington kudos for playing up to their competition, and while they don’t have big impressive wins on their resume, their depth and experience should help them in the high-stakes environment.

2025 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington

Texas Tech has been playing like a top-10 team in the country for over a month. Grant McCasland's team may have lost in the Big 12 Tournament semis, but it's still poised to go deep into March. The Red Raiders rank 6th in adjusted offensive efficiency and their potent offense will be the difference-maker in this first-round matchup. UNC Wilmington struggles to defend the perimeter, allowing conference opponents to shoot 36.2% from three-point range.

It also funnels scoring to the outside. Well, Texas Tech is shooting 37.9% from three this season (19th in Division I) and leans on three-point scoring more than most. Meanwhile, UNC Wilmington rode its 36.8% three-point shooting during conference play to the CAA title. However, TTU held Big 12 opponents to a league-best 29.6% from three. The Red Raiders also led the conference in defensive rebounding, which also negates UNCW's strengths as an offensive rebounding team.

If the underdogs aren't hitting threes and grabbing boards, it could be a long night. Plus, Tech brings in added motivation after getting bounced in the first round last year.

2025 NCAA Tournament Picks: Texas Tech vs. UNC Wilmington

Bet: Under 146.5 Points (-110 via FanDuel Sportsbook)

Check out all of our 2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket & Betting Coverage >>

2025 NCAA Tournament Sports Betting Picks

For those looking to place bets on the matchups, let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

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