Texas Tech included in 2018 NCAA tournament projections

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesThe 2017 iteration of the NCAA Tournament bracket was completed on Monday night, which means it’s time to start thinking about what the 2018 version will look like.

The Red Raiders’ surprise appearance in the 2016 tournament left many fans expecting a similar outcome in Chris Beard’s first year in charge. Now, with a core of talented and experienced seniors, the 2017-2018 season will, by many people, be judged by whether or not Texas Tech is invited to the Big Dance.

Plenty will change over the next seven months leading up to the season, both in Lubbock and around the country, and most of it is out of the Red Raiders’ control. However, it’s important to…