The set-up: Texas Tech is watching its season unravel at the worst possible time. The Red Raiders opened Big 12 play 10-3 before losing back-to-back road games against Baylor and Oklahoma State, followed by Saturday's home setback against Kansas, which clinched its 14th straight Big 12 regular-season title. Texas is 22-7 (10-6 in Big 12) and its current ranking of No. 6 in the AP poll will not hold up when the new poll is released Monday afternoon. The Red Raiders will look to end their three-game slide Monday night but will have to do so in a very tough venue, as they will travel to Morgantown to face current No. 21 West Virginia, which is 21-8 (10-6 in Big 12) .
 
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders edged West Virginia 72-71 back in January at Lubbock, with Keenan Evans scoring 20 points and Brandone Francis adding a career-high 17. Evans is the team's top scorer at 17.2 PPG but his last three contests have been awful, as he has shot a collective 3-of-19 for 12 total points while battling a toe injury. 6-5 freshman Zhaire Smith (11.4 & 4.7) was the high man against Kansas with 20 points and has shot at least 50 percent from the floor in six of his last seven outings. The only other Texas Tech player scoring in double digits is Culver (11.2 & 4.2), who is also a 6-5 freshman. Tech's defense has been its strength on the season, allowing 63.5 PPG (9th).
 
West Virginia: The Mountaineers can sympathize with the Red Raiders, as they lost five of six to close out January, after opening the season 15-1. However, West Virginia has  rebounded by winning five of seven in Feb, including double-digit wins over Baylor and Iowa State last week. Five players average in double digits (a sixth averages 9.5 PPG), led by Jevon Carter (17.0 & 5.0 & 6.5). He led four starters in double figures with 24 points against Iowa State, while Esa Ahmad (10.3 & 4.7) chipped in 18 points and 11 rebounds and Sagaba Konate (10.5 & 8.0) had 14 points, nine boards and six blocks. Konate has six straight games with multiple blocked shots and has recorded 15 blocks in the last two games alone, while also going 16-of-16 from the foul line over the last seven game. Carter is the first major-college player in NCAA history to record more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 steals, .
 
The pick: I noted Tech's excellent defense above but note that West Vs. allows just 63.8 PPG here at WVU Coliseum. With Evans nowhere near 100 percent, this will be a hard-fought low scoring contest. Make the Under a 10* play.