CSU Bakersfield @ Texas Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 27, 2011 ) Cal. State - Bakersfield 58, Texas Tech 74

No. 22 Texas Tech has not looked sharp since its biggest win of the season, but nevertheless the Red Raiders are seeking their fourth straight win Sunday against visiting Cal State Bakersfield. This is the final non-league tuneup before Texas Tech opens Big 12 play next weekend against Oklahoma State.

The Red Raiders knocked off No. 1 Louisville 70-57 and since have been fairly sluggish in wins against Southern Mississippi (71-65) and Texas-Rio Grande Valley (68-58). Texas Tech trailed at halftime in both games - a trend that coach Chris Beard hopes ends Sunday against the Roadrunners. "We wanted to just settle down," Beard said after the win over Rio Grande Valley. "It's like you're at the rainbow and you're looking for the pot of gold. Sometimes you just got to hang out at the rainbow and the pot of gold might not be there for a minute." Bakersfield has won two in a row following a three-game skid and looks to set a season high with a third straight victory.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, FSN

ABOUT CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD (6-8): Taze Moore (12.1 points) is the only double-digit scorer for Bakersfield, which essentially has only four 3-point shooters on its roster and only one true shot blocker. Moore, at just 6-5, falls into both categories as he has made 40 percent of his 3s and has blocked more than a shot per game. Shawn Stith is the team's leading rebounder at 4.8 per game and adds 8.6 points on 64.3 percent shooting, including 15-of-16 field goals over the last five outings.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (8-3): The Red Raiders played several games without freshman Jahmi'us Ramsey (17.0 points per game), who returned from a hamstring injury the last time out and scored 15 points in 31 minutes. "I saw him being aggressive," Beard said after the win. "He didn't look like a guy that came out today and was trying to fit in again. That was the whole idea. Think a lot of times people come back from time off, injury, suspension, whatever, it takes you a while. It was an objective for our whole team, not just Ramsey, for him to get in there." Davide Moretti (13.8 points) is mired in a huge shooting slump as he is just shooting 10-of-46 (21.7 percent) this month.

TIP-INS

1. Texas Tech has won 53 straight non-conference home games.

2. The Red Raiders are 6-0 at home and have won those games by an average of 20.2 points.

3. Only three players on Texas Tech's roster shoot above 28 percent from 3-point range.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 72, Cal State Bakersfield 55