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How the sting of Texas Tech's loss in Elite 8 last season has prepared them for this year's regional final matchup with Gonzaga

ANAHEIM, Calif. - All during summer workouts and team bonding sessions and practices and the grind of the Big 12 round-robin schedule, the motivation kept driving Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders’ run to the Elite Eight in 2018 had been ended by Villanova in the East Region finals, 71-59. To be fair, Tech was within five points with less than four minutes to play and pushed the eventual national champions probably as much as anybody did in the NCAA Tournament even with star point guard Keenan Evans hobbled by a broken toe. That was scant consolation.

Now, one year and five days later, Texas Tech (29-6) gets another chance at school history.