N.C.A.A. Final Four: Texas Tech Upsets Michigan State

MINNEAPOLIS — Here it was, the first Final Four appearance for Texas Tech, and a recipe for disaster was unfolding. The Red Raiders’ best player, Jarrett Culver, was missing in action, unable to locate his shot or his confidence. Their most dynamic player, Tariq Owens, rolled his ankle and had to be helped off the court. Their double-digit lead had been cut to a single point.

No matter, though, for Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders leaned on their defense, a deep reservoir of resolve and the cocksure shooting of guard Matt Mooney to hold off Michigan State, 61-51, and advance to the N.C.A.A. championship game on Monday night.

Texas Tech (31-6) will meet Virginia (34-3), which stunned Auburn and, like the Red Raiders, will be making its first trip to the title game.

[Read about Virginia’s victory over Auburn here.]

Helping Texas Tech through was Mooney, who scored 22 points — including three second half 3-pointers — and a defense that has carried the team this far.

And then, when Texas Tech needed him most, Culver delivered too, scoring two baskets late, including a 3-pointer from the top of the arc that pushed the Red Raiders lead to 58-51 with 1 minute 1 second left and repelled the final Michigan State charge.

It was a familiar disappointing end for the Spartans.

Michigan State was the only team to arrive at this year’s Final Four that might be expected not to have jitters. Texas Tech and Auburn had never before reached a Final Four, and Virginia had not been since 1984. But the Spartans are almost placeholders, having been eight times in the last 21 seasons under their hall of fame coach, Tom Izzo.

They have only won once in that span, however, their title in 2000 now a long-ago bookend the championship that Magic Johnson delivered in 1979.

Cassius Winston, who had played so splendidly throughout the tournament for Michigan State, was held largely in check by Texas Tech’s stifling defense. Though he led the Spartans with 16 points, he made only 4 of 16 shots and had twice as many turnovers (4) as assists (2).

If Saturday’s first game was always going to be a study in contrasts — Virginia’s methodical precision against Auburn’s organized chaos — the second game was not.

Michigan State, which has long built its identity around mental and physical toughness — Izzo used to have his players put on football helmets and shoulder pads for rebounding drills — met its rare equal in Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders have hung their hard hats on a grinding defense that is rated as the most efficient in the nation, according to KenPom metrics. In a typical 90-minute practice, 60 are spent on defense.

On Saturday night, Texas Tech, with its persistent switching, relentless movement and extended arms made every pass a chore for Michigan State. And when the Spartans did manage to work the ball inside, Owens — a spindly 6-foot-10 senior with a 41-inch vertical leap — regularly contested shots at the rim.

But when Owens swatted away a Michigan State drive to the basket early in the second half, his third block, he rolled his ankle as he landed and crumpled in a heap. Owens was helped off the court, favoring his right leg, and taken to the locker room.

Owens came back out of the tunnel and returned to the bench with about eight minutes to play, bringing the Texas Tech crowd to its feet. They roared again when Owens checked in with 6:52 left, but the lift he gave the Red Raiders was mostly spiritual.

With Owens immobile and Culver ineffective, Mooney took over.

A graduate transfer who began his career at Air Force and South Dakota before arriving in Lubbock, he hit three 3-pointers during a three-minute stretch, the final one giving the Red Raiders their biggest lead, 48-35. But the Spartans — as Auburn had against Virginia in the first game, crept back.

When Mooney missed a driving layup, Aaron Henry knifed through the lane at the other end to bring Michigan State within a point, at 52-51, with 2:52 to play.

But Culver, who did not score his first basket until 9:01 remained and missed nine of his first 10 shots, scored on a jumper just outside the lane to push the advantage back to 54-51.

The Spartans never scored again, and now the Red Raiders are headed to to the title game.