The Texas Longhorns will welcome the Providence Friars to Austin on Friday night as they host the Big East program in what will ultimately be just its second true road game of the season.
Texas is a veteran team that came into the year with some high hopes, but have yet to deliver on them. After stumbling through a three-game string that resulted in three loses, the Longhorns appear back on track and ready to host a Providence team that’s got some talent and has been known to surprise teams in the past.
Can the Friars get a big win on the road to give them a boast headed in to conference play? Or will Texas continue its recovery from a recent rough patch and nab the win at home? Is this team better than its looked so far in the post Mo Bamba era?
NCAA Basketball Betting at Bookmaker.eu
Providence Friars vs. Texas Longhorns
Date and Time: Friday, December 21, 2018, 9 p.m. ET
Location: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
College Basketball Odds: Check Back Later
Friars vs. Longhorns TV Coverage: ESPN2
Texas has a rather veteran crop of players and while it was expected they’d have an adjustment period without Mo Bamba, the Longhorns have been a bit of an early disappointment.
The season started off strong for Texas with wins over Arkansas and UNC during a 4-0 start, but immediately following an impressive 92-89 win over the Tar Heels, Texas lost to Michigan State the next day in a very different 68-78 game. From there, they followed it up with more disappointing losses to Radford and VCU.
The Longhorns have had a difficult non-conference schedule and have come out of it—at least to this point—with a respectable 7-3 record, but the overall numbers have shown inconsistencies game-to-game from some of its key players.
Nevertheless, the team has now won back-to-back games coming into action against Providence and that does have the Longhorns playing better basketball. That’s certainly a good sign.
As for the players themselves, Kerwin Roach II leads the team in both minutes and points with 31.6 MPG and 14.3 PPG. He carried the team in the win over North Carolina with 32 points, but then produced a combined 26 over the team’s following three losses.
He’s back in double-digits over the last two games, however, as Roach also provides rebounds and assists as a senior leader on the team.
On the downside, Roach is shooting below 40-percent from the floor. The team is sinking just 43-percent of its shots on the year, a far cry from the 52.5-percent mark in the UNC game.
Texas’s ability to shoot accurately is a crucial point to watch in this game. On the outside, Matt Coleman III is the only one really doing well outside. Inside the paint, the team has some quality forwards contributing though.
Dylan Osetkowski and Jaxson Hayes are both averaging double-digits while Jericho Sims is playing quality minutes, too.
On the other side of this matchup, the Friars have struggled through some of its more challenging games. Michigan, for instance, held Providence to just 47-points. Texas, of course, doesn’t have the same defense as the Wolverines thankfully for the Friars.
Still, Texas should be a tough matchup for a team that lost to UMass for the second straight season. Production has been up-and-down for Providence who have scored as many as 100 in a game and as few as 47.
Statistically, Providence has outshot Texas this year going 45.2-percent from the floor and just shy of 40-percent from three-point range. The outside shooting is where the Friars will have to thrive to win this one.
Nate Watson is the only forward with more than five PPG. He provides a bit of a presence inside, but the team is all about the backcourt.
Alpha Diallo leads the team in scoring with 16.9 PPG while providing 8.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.7 SPG, all team leading numbers. As Diallo goes so goes the Friars. Texas will target Diallo on defense. That could open up some shots for A.J. Reeves and Isaiah Jackson, two more guards with double digit PPG and solid numbers outside.
Live Betting
Statistically, Providence has been the better shooting team. They’re scoring roughly the same, but the Friars have a much better shooting percentage both from the floor and from three-point range. While Texas has a lot of athleticism in the backcourt, the shooting has been rough from the perimeter aside from Coleman.
Based on the numbers, it looks like Providence has a shot at this one if they can managed to stay competitive on the boards. They’re the better shooting team everywhere other than the free throw line. If the Friars can avoid any foul trouble and move it around on the outside, they could find some success.
On the other side of this Texas needs its upperclassmen to step up and provide some consistency. Texas has had different focal points throughout the young season and really needs someone to step up and provide consistent, reliable shooting. Watch to see if anyone shows a hot hand to start on Friday and be sure to take advantage of all the live betting opportunities at BookMaker.eu.
Key Player
With Osetkowski, Hayes and Sims, the Longhorns go with a taller rotation of players than the Friars who are a guard-heavy team often with just a single forward on the floor, making center Nate Watson a big piece in this one.
Watson isn’t a great shooter under the basket for a big man, but he does get some opportunities which helps open up the court for the likes of Diallo and Reeves. That in and of itself is a crucial role, particularly against a team like Texas that can compete inside.
Watson also provides some need size inside to help with the rebounding and blocking underneath. The Friars are a better shooting team so getting second and third chances with offensive rebounds is crucial as is limiting the chances for a team like Texas that thrives on quantity of chances.
Diallo may be the team’s leading rebounder, but Providence needs some big boards from Watson who has 20 in the team’s last three games. He’s also seen his blocking stats increase of late with six in the last four games.
Friars vs. Longhorns Live Betting
The Longhorns have enough of a backcourt—even if the shooting isn’t there—and a solid frontcourt, offering a difficult matchup on the road for the Friars. This could be one of the team’s toughest opportunities to date.
While Providence has proven itself pesky—and unpredictable—over the years with some big wins despite other crushing losses, this one should go to Texas.
Count on Shaka Smart to have this team playing tough. Texas seems to have its yips behind them following its three straight losses. They’ve played much better basketball the last two games out. The Purdue win was big to help them get over the hump. In the end, the Longhorns have more athleticism and length. They should be able to control the inside. Considering that also comes in a game on their own floor should put this in the win column for Texas.
Be sure to check out all of the live betting at BookMaker.eu for this weekend’s college basketball action.
NCAA Basketball Score Prediction: Texas 76, Providence 68
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
