The Winthrop Eagles take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on TNT.
Texas Tech is favored by -17.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -3200. The total is set at 166.5 points.
Here’s my Winthrop vs. Texas Tech prediction and college basketball picks for December 28, 2025.
Winthrop vs Texas Tech Prediction
My Pick: Winthrop +17.5 (Play to +18.5)
My Winthrop vs Texas Tech best bet is on the Eagles to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Winthrop vs. Texas Tech Odds
| Winthrop Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -108 | 166.5 -108o / -112u | +1400 |
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -112 | 166.5 -108o / -112u | -3200 |
- Winthrop vs Texas Tech spread: Texas Tech -17.5
- Winthrop vs Texas Tech over/under: 166.5 points
- Winthrop vs Texas Tech moneyline: Winthrop +1400, Texas Tech -3200
Winthrop vs Texas Tech College Basketball Betting Preview
Winthrop Basketball
The Eagles have been outstanding so far in non-conference play. Against Division I teams, they are 7-4 against the spread with an average cover margin of +2.9 points per game.
That overperformance has helped Mark Prosser’s team rise 29 spots in KenPom, to 122nd, which would be the high-water mark in Prosser’s five-year tenure.
Prosser has long been an offense-focused coach, and all eight of his teams – across tenures at both Winthrop and Western Carolina – have ranked better offensively than defensively, per KenPom. This season's squad has one of his most extreme splits, though.
The Eagles have a deep backcourt with multiple creators, shooters and playmakers. They rank 13th nationally in turnover rate, refusing to cough the ball up, and Kareem Rozier is the linchpin there.
The veteran lead guard (three years at Duquesne) has posted 56 assists compared to just 12 turnovers, almost a staggering 5:1 ratio.
Wings Kody Clouet, Josh Meo and Daylen Berry similarly take care of the rock, and Isaiah Wilson allows for plenty of dual-point guard lineups. Stretch 4s Tommy Kamarad and Pharrell Boyogueno amp up the Eagles’ spacing.
That deep stable of perimeter pieces orbit around Logan Duncomb, a high-usage big man who pummels opponents around the rim and dominates the offensive glass.
Duncomb brings legitimate power-conference size – he played two years at Indiana and was a top 100 recruit – allowing Winthrop to compete in the paint against any foe. Prosser also has depth via two other 6-foot-10 big men, Ed Nnamoko and Tai Hamilton.
Texas Tech Basketball
Grant McCasland’s squad is off to a roller coaster start. The Red Raiders had high hopes with JT Toppin returning as one of the best players in the sport, plus an inevitable leap from rising sophomore guard Christian Anderson.
Both of those things have held true: Toppin is tallying 21.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 56.6% from the field, while Anderson has blossomed into a superstar.
Per CBB Analytics, Anderson leads the entire country in points created (scored + assisted), and he has been nothing short of brilliant despite never leaving the court (third nationally in percentage of minutes played).
Unfortunately, Texas Tech is just 4-8 against the spread this season with an average cover margin of -4.6 points per game.
Texas Tech’s issues have been on defense, where the Red Raiders have leaked points against good and bad teams alike, and with a shorthanded roster that sorely lacks high-level contributors, while injuries loom.
Center Luke Bamgboye, one of the country’s best shot blockers, has been in and out of the lineup with multiple injuries, while Villanova transfer Josiah Moseley has yet to debut this season due to a lower-body injury.
Freshman guard Jaylen Petty has been a revelation, but Texas Tech is extremely low on size and playmaking.
One rotational item to watch: Tyeree Bryan has been sent to Siberia recently. The Red Raiders were starved for contributors against Duke, but Bryan did not see the court after the first three minutes of the game, which was implied due to defensive shortcomings.
He stayed dialed in on the bench, but the Red Raiders badly need his wing size and shooting (career 40% from 3 on nearly 400 attempts) to be their peak version. Perhaps McCasland will have gotten through to him, and his role is worth watching with Big 12 play looming.
Winthrop vs. Texas Tech Betting Analysis
Yes, Winthrop has performed well against the number in non-league play. But what about against the top competition?
The Eagles look even better through that lens. They have played three top 100 teams: George Mason, Arkansas and Nebraska. They kept all three of those games within single digits, and they nearly beat Arkansas outright (84-83 loss). That’s an easy 3-0 ATS, proving Winthrop can compete with top foes.
Texas Tech, on the other hand, has struggled as a big home favorite. In six games as a home favorite of 15 points or more, Texas Tech is only 2-4 ATS.
The Red Raiders have struggled badly on the defensive end against inferior foes, with Northern Colorado putting up 90 points (1.32 points per possession) on their defense just 12 days ago.
The blend of those dynamics pushes me hard towards the underdog here. Coupled with Texas Tech’s lack of depth, it is difficult to trust it to cover a big number against a competitive team.
Duncomb can compete inside against Toppin, especially by making him work defensively. Note that I said compete — Toppin will still get his numbers on offense.
I will back the underdog here down to +15, and if you’re feeling truly crazy, a tiny sprinkle on the +1400 moneyline could be an exhilarating ride.
My Pick: Winthrop +17.5 (Play to +18.5)
