WICHITA, KS – Kerwin Walton knocked down a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points to lead No. 3 seed Texas Tech past No. 14 UNC Wilmington, 82-72, in the NCAA Tournament First Round on Thursday night at INTRUST Bank Arena.
The win advances the Red Raiders (26-8) to the Round of 32, where Texas Tech will face No. 11 seed Drake (31-3) at 5:10 p.m. Saturday. Drake advanced earlier in the evening with a 67-57 upset of No. 6 Missouri.
Walton’s eight 3-pointers set a new Texas Tech NCAA Tournament single-game record. The Red Raiders finished 13-for-46 from deep, also breaking program NCAA Tournament records for 3-pointers made and attempted. Walton, who entered the game averaging 5.8 points, shot 8-of-19 from beyond the arc and has now scored in double figures in five straight games.
Elijah Hawkins was a force on the floor. He came within one rebound of a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 10 assists, and nine boards, while JT Toppin added 12 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks for his 15th double-double of the season. Darrion Williams chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds, and Christian Anderson added seven points and three assists.
The Red Raiders led by as many as 16 in the first half before entering halftime with a 38-34 advantage. However, UNCW followed that up with a 15-3 run to finish the first half and further closed the gap to three midway through the second half. Ultimately, Walton’s eighth 3-pointer and Hawkins’ third triple helped spark a Tech run that sealed the game.
Texas Tech's Kerwin Walton
(Credit: texastech.com)
Texas Tech finished with 21 assists on 27 made field goals and committed just seven turnovers. The Red Raiders were 15-for-23 from the free-throw line and outscored the Seahawks 16-10 on points off turnovers.
Nolan Hodge led UNC Wilmington with 18 points and seven rebounds. Bo Montgomery added 10 points and five boards. The Seahawks shot 41.3 percent from the field, 7-for-26 from 3-point range and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Texas Tech, now 20-21 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, is making its eighth appearance in the Round of 32 since the tournament expanded in 1985. Saturday’s matchup against Drake will be the first-ever meeting between the programs, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
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