Akron vs. Texas Tech odds, prediction: 2026 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model

The 12th-seeded Akron Zips battle the fifth-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region on Friday. Akron won the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship with a 79-76 victory over Toledo on Saturday, while Texas Tech dropped a 75-53 decision to Iowa State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference Tournament on March 12. The Zips (29-5), who have won 10 consecutive games, placed second in the MAC during the regular season with a 17-1 conference mark. The Red Raiders (22-10), who have lost three in a row, finished tied for third in the Big 12 with a 12-6 conference record. Texas Tech will be without JT Toppin (ACL).

Tip-off from Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., is set for 12:40 p.m. ET. This is the first-ever meeting between the schools. Texas Tech is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Akron vs. Texas Tech odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 156.5. 

Before making any Akron vs. Texas Tech picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the 2026 NCAA Tournament on a sizzling 11-1 run on top-ranked over/under picks dating back to last year, and is on a 28-22 run on top-rated CBB side picks. Anyone following could have seen HUGE returns!

The model has simulated Akron vs. Texas Tech 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is going Over on the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time!

So who wins Akron vs. Texas Tech, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times!