The Big 12 leading Texas Longhorns put their undefeated conference record on the line when they face the West Virginia Mountaineers in a top-15 tilt on Saturday. There’s never an easy game in the Big 12. The Longhorns climbed to No. 4 in the national rankings after walloping Kansas then had to hold off last place Iowa State to improve to 3-0 in league play. The Mountaineers are just 2-2 in conference action, but they’re always a tough out, especially on their home court.
The Big 12 tilt will air live on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 9, 2021 from WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, VA. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
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Texas Longhorns (Check Back Later)
West Virginia Mountaineers (Check Back Later)
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Odds Analysis
The Longhorns survived what could have been a trap game for them to continue their hot start. In between their 25-point win over Kansas and the matchup with WVU, they had a date with Iowa State. Positioned as a 12.5-point favorite, the Horns escaped with a 78-72 win improving to 9-1 SU. They are just 1-3 against the line in their last four games and 5-5 ATS overall. WVU avoided its first losing streak of the season by coming back to beat Oklahoma State, 87-84, on Monday. The Mountaineers were a slight 1.5-point favorite in that game giving them their first payout in four Big 12 games and a 6-6 ATS record overall. Texas has won four of the last five meetings between the teams going 3-2 ATS in that span.
Texas Longhorns
You need contributions from everyone to succeed in the Big 12, and so far the Longhorns have gotten that. It’s not easy to go into Allen Fieldhouse and beat Kansas by 25 points, pandemic season or not. That victory punctuated a season that hadn’t had a marquee victim. The Horns opened some eyes with their 84-59 trouncing that vaulted them to the top of the Big 12 standings.
Staying on top is going to be more of a chore, but the Horns feel their upperclassmen are up to the task. Sprinkle in the efforts of freshman Greg Brown and Shaka Smart has a good mix of talent to compete in the ultra competitive Big 12. Courtney Ramey led five players in double figures with 18 points in the Kansas game. Andrew Jones was the BMOC against Iowa State with a career-high 23 points.
Ramey and Jones are two of four players averaging 12 points or more. Matt Coleman leads the club with 13.7 points per game and Brown is at 12 points per outing. That balance makes the Horns tough to defend even for West Virginia, which is known for its aggressive defense. But defense has been a plus for the Horns, who surrender 63.1 points and hold opponents to 25.7 percent from three-point range.
West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia is just more proof of how tough the Big 12 is. The Mountaineers are 7-1 in non-conference games with a 16-point win over then No. 19 Richmond. Their only loss was a close 87-82 decision to No. 1 Gonzaga. That should have prepared them for the brutal road ahead. Instead WVU opened league play with a narrow win over Iowa State where they closed as a 17.5-point favorite.
The Mountaineers had dropped two straight league games to Kansas and Oklahoma and had to overcome a 19-point second half deficit to beat Oklahoma State 87-84 last time out, avoiding a third straight setback. Many of the issues can be traced to inconsistent play. UVA hasn’t shown the aggressive defense we’ve become accustomed to seeing giving up at least 75 points in each of their last three Big 12 tilts allowing them to cash the OVER each time.
It also helps when your best players are you’re best players. Derek Culver bounced back in a big way to help overcome OSU. He had 22 points and 19 rebounds to lead the comeback. That effort came one game after he tallied only two points and six rebounds in a loss to Oklahoma. Culver averages 13.8 points while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. The Mountaineers need him to be dialed in if they are going to beat Texas.
Texas at West Virginia Prediction
At this point you have to believe the Longhorns are for real. They’ve shown depth and balance, and their pasting of Kansas is a sign that they are a force in the Big 12. But you have to come ready to play every night and this is a chance for WVU to make a statement of their own. The comeback road win over OSU could be a sign that the Mountaineers are ready to make a move. And the Horns will settle into reality eventually, which is why I’m siding with the home team.
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