Texas has struggled mightily this season, and while it is the home team, the Mountaineers should be able to come in and take care of business as the favorite. West Virginia has been one of the best teams in the nation this season, further evidenced by its impressive win over Baylor last time out.
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West Virginia is 14-2 straight up and 9-4 against the spread. The Mountaineers have played three true road games this season and have covered in a pair of them. West Virginia is 7-4 against the spread as the favorite.
Texas is 7-8 straight up and 8-6 against the spread. The Longhorns have played eight home games this year and have covered in five of them. Texas is an impressive 4-2 against the spread as the underdog, doing well when they have been given points.
Player to Watch
Tevin Mack – The Texas guard is the leading scorer for the Longhorns, averaging 15.2 points a game and adding 4.5 rebounds. Mack put up 27 points in the team’s 82-79 win over Oklahoma State on January 4th, a season high for the sophomore.
Mack had 15 points and six rebounds in the loss to Iowa State on January 7th. He has made noticeable improvements this season, after averaging just 5.1 points per game as a freshman, and will look to continue on his upward trajectory this weekend against the Mountaineers.
Mack and the rest of the offense, which averages 70.4 points a game, will have their hands full with West Virginia. They face a defense that is allowing just 61.4 points per game this season and has been stingy against some elite players.
If Mack can’t get to his season average, Texas will be hard-pressed to pull out the upset.
Letdown Situation
West Virginia is riding high after a blowout win over Baylor, and has clearly played like an elite team all year. The danger is not with the talent in this one but the mental state.
The Mountaineers know how good they are as evidenced by rolling past Baylor, and could be chalking this one up as a win before hitting the court. If that is the case, it could be dangerous.
The Longhorns get to play at home and would love to pull the upset. While West Virginia has the better talent, this one could be uncomfortably close if the Mountaineers aren’t properly focused after such an exhilarating victory.
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West Virginia is impressive because of its offense. The Mountaineers are averaging 18.9 assists per game, which is third best in the country.
Junior guard Jevon Carter is the main distributor, averaging 4.7 assists games along with 10.5 points per game. He teams up with Esa Ahmad and Daxter Miles Jr., who combine for another 24 points per game, to lead the offense.
The ability to share the ball will be key for the Mountaineers in this matchup because it makes this high-powered offense much more difficult to defend. Any one of the aforementioned players is capable of getting hot, so Texas can’t afford to key on only one player.
The Longhorns have played well at times but have not been nearly as consistent as West Virginia. The Mountaineers might have to slog through this one but in the end should come away with the victory.
College Basketball Odds: West Virginia 74, Texas 67
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