Texas Tech has extended its first-ever trip to the Final Four with a 61-51 victory over Michigan State in a national semifinal game.
The Red Raiders now advance to the final game of the NCAA Tournament, Monday's men's national championship game against Virginia, to be held at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
It is slated to be a game that focuses heavily on defense, with the two defensive-minded teams battling for what would be a first-time championship for both programs.
Texas Tech entered the national semifinals by allowing just 84 points per 100 possessions, a defensive efficiency score on KenPom that ranks as the best the advanced-stats site has tracked dating to 2002.
Texas Tech guard Matt Mooney reacts to fans after winning a semifinal round game against Michigan State in the Final Four
Virginia players celebrate victory at the end of a semifinal round game against Auburn in the Final Four
A general view during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal between the Auburn Tigers and the Virginia Cavaliers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Virginia coach Tony Bennett (left) and Texas Tech's Chris Beard (right) are the past two winners of the Associated Press award for men's national coach of the year
Virginia arrived ranked fifth nationally by surrendering 88.7 points per 100 possessions, a metric that factors out Virginia's slower offensive pace and offers a better measure of performance than scoring averages depressed by low-possession games.
Both defenses were strong in the second half of their semifinals. Texas Tech allowed Michigan State to make 8 of 24 shots, while Auburn made just 9 of 26 shots against Virginia.
The championship game will also be a matchup of the past two Associated Press men's national coaches of the year, with Texas Tech's Chris Beard winning this year's award and Virginia's Tony Bennett claiming it last season.
In Saturday's semifinal, Texas Tech came out firing in the second half and held off a Spartans' rally on the back of fifth-year senior graduate transfer guard Matt Mooney's 22 points.
Cassius Winston led Michigan State with 16 points but shot just 4 of 16 from the floor while being tracked most of the game by Mooney, who made 8 of 16 shots and 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
Matt Mooney #13 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shoots the ball against Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans in the second half during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium
Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver (23) takes a shot during the second half in the semifinals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against Michigan State, Saturday in Minneapolis
Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver (23) takes a shot against Michigan State's Xavier Tillman (23) and
