Texas Longhorns host Red Raiders in Big 12 duel
Coming off two losses last week just as they ascended to the college hoops throne should have the Longhorns ready to redeem themselves at home on Wednesday.
There's a big game on tap Wednesday night in Austin between Big 12 rivals when Texas Tech heads into the Live Music Capital of the World to take on the No. 6 Texas Longhorns.
Texas is coming off a truly tough week, coughing up its first No. 1 ranking in men's basketball with consecutive losses at Kansas State and Connecticut. Unless the Longhorns go winless the rest of the way, they're a lock for the big dance in March. The Red Raiders? Nothing's a lock for them yet.
Tech should make the NCAA tournament, but it will take some work on the Raiders' part. Pat Knight's gang is 14-5 overall but 2-3 in the early part of Big 12 play, tied for eighth in the conference with Oklahoma. Despite its nice 36th ranking on the RPI list (0.6042), counting on the selection committee to take at least eight teams from the Big 12 might be a losing gamble for Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders have home-&-home series with the Longhorns, Baylor Bears and Texas Aggies left on their schedule, with a trip into College Station to face A&M on the slate this Saturday. Plus there are home games against K-State and Oklahoma State. Anything less than 4-4 in those eight games might be deadly for Tech.
Based on recent performances in Austin, the Raiders are going to start off 0-1 in those eight key games left on the schedule. Texas has won the last 13 at Erwin Center and is 21-3 versus Texas Tech since Rick Barnes arrived at the school.
The Longhorns, ninth in the RPI (0.6457) and sixth in both the AP and coaches polls this week, isn't going to be in a good mood for this one either. Its sizzling start to the season stopped last week, Texas' downturn actually began a little more than two weeks ago when they gave upset chances to Colorado, Iowa State and Texas A&M before pulling those three contests out.
UT backers will tell you the poor play started on Jan. 5 in Arkansas when Texas came away with a 96-85 win but failed to cover as 14-point chalk. That started a six-game slide against the spread after the 'Horns opened the campaign 8-1 at the window.
One of the big reasons for the recent close wins or outright losses has been the slowed play by Texas big man Dexter Pittman. The big senior had a strong showing in the win at the Razorbacks, dropping in 21 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the field and pulling down 10 rebounds.
Since then however, he's scored a grand total of 25 points in the last five games, hitting just nine field goals over that span and fouling out in only 15 minutes of floor time in last Saturday's defeat at UConn.
The problems can't all be heaped on Pittman's shoulders, though he's big enough to handle the load. Freshman guard J'Covan Brown managed to score just six points in last week's two losses, making just one of 11 FG attempts at the Wildcats and Huskies.
Tech could be just the right medicine for whatever is suddenly ailing the Longhorns. Texas should enjoy being back home with the crowd amped up to beat a Red Raiders team they've topped eight of the last 10 meetings, going 7-3 ATS to boot. The 'under' has cashed at the same 7-3 rate.
The Longhorns won both meetings last year, covering a 6 ½-point spread in Lubbock with a 71-49 laugher but failing to cover the 14-point line they were saddled with in an 87-81 win at home. Texas won that one with a big edge at the free throw line as well as on the boards. The rebounding advantage is nothing new with 'Horns out-boarding Tech each of the last 11 meetings.
Bookmaker put a 17-point chalk line on the Longhorns to open, and that went up a half-point within minutes. Texas is very capable of putting a 90-70 bruising on the Red Raiders who haven't won a true road game since Dec. 8 when they popped TCU up I-35 in Ft. Worth. But I'll pass on laying that many points and just try my luck with the 'under' 160 instead.
Coming off two losses last week just as they ascended to the college hoops throne should have the Longhorns ready to redeem themselves at home on Wednesday.
There's a big game on tap Wednesday night in Austin between Big 12 rivals when Texas Tech heads into the Live Music Capital of the World to take on the No. 6 Texas Longhorns.
Texas is coming off a truly tough week, coughing up its first No. 1 ranking in men's basketball with consecutive losses at Kansas State and Connecticut. Unless the Longhorns go winless the rest of the way, they're a lock for the big dance in March. The Red Raiders? Nothing's a lock for them yet.
Tech should make the NCAA tournament, but it will take some work on the Raiders' part. Pat Knight's gang is 14-5 overall but 2-3 in the early part of Big 12 play, tied for eighth in the conference with Oklahoma. Despite its nice 36th ranking on the RPI list (0.6042), counting on the selection committee to take at least eight teams from the Big 12 might be a losing gamble for Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders have home-&-home series with the Longhorns, Baylor Bears and Texas Aggies left on their schedule, with a trip into College Station to face A&M on the slate this Saturday. Plus there are home games against K-State and Oklahoma State. Anything less than 4-4 in those eight games might be deadly for Tech.
Based on recent performances in Austin, the Raiders are going to start off 0-1 in those eight key games left on the schedule. Texas has won the last 13 at Erwin Center and is 21-3 versus Texas Tech since Rick Barnes arrived at the school.
The Longhorns, ninth in the RPI (0.6457) and sixth in both the AP and coaches polls this week, isn't going to be in a good mood for this one either. Its sizzling start to the season stopped last week, Texas' downturn actually began a little more than two weeks ago when they gave upset chances to Colorado, Iowa State and Texas A&M before pulling those three contests out.
UT backers will tell you the poor play started on Jan. 5 in Arkansas when Texas came away with a 96-85 win but failed to cover as 14-point chalk. That started a six-game slide against the spread after the 'Horns opened the campaign 8-1 at the window.
One of the big reasons for the recent close wins or outright losses has been the slowed play by Texas big man Dexter Pittman. The big senior had a strong showing in the win at the Razorbacks, dropping in 21 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the field and pulling down 10 rebounds.
Since then however, he's scored a grand total of 25 points in the last five games, hitting just nine field goals over that span and fouling out in only 15 minutes of floor time in last Saturday's defeat at UConn.
The problems can't all be heaped on Pittman's shoulders, though he's big enough to handle the load. Freshman guard J'Covan Brown managed to score just six points in last week's two losses, making just one of 11 FG attempts at the Wildcats and Huskies.
Tech could be just the right medicine for whatever is suddenly ailing the Longhorns. Texas should enjoy being back home with the crowd amped up to beat a Red Raiders team they've topped eight of the last 10 meetings, going 7-3 ATS to boot. The 'under' has cashed at the same 7-3 rate.
The Longhorns won both meetings last year, covering a 6 ½-point spread in Lubbock with a 71-49 laugher but failing to cover the 14-point line they were saddled with in an 87-81 win at home. Texas won that one with a big edge at the free throw line as well as on the boards. The rebounding advantage is nothing new with 'Horns out-boarding Tech each of the last 11 meetings.
Bookmaker put a 17-point chalk line on the Longhorns to open, and that went up a half-point within minutes. Texas is very capable of putting a 90-70 bruising on the Red Raiders who haven't won a true road game since Dec. 8 when they popped TCU up I-35 in Ft. Worth. But I'll pass on laying that many points and just try my luck with the 'under' 160 instead.
