PREMIUM
Rogers' *10* NCAAB PLAY OF THE DAY (On CBS!) >> Afternoon Game!
(NCAAB) Texas vs. West Virginia,
Point Spread: 9.00 | -110.00 Texas (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 9.00 | -110.00 Texas (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The West Virginia Mountaineers lost their season-opener 88-65 to Texas&M but then ripped off 15 straight wins, rising to No. 2 in the AP poll (highest since the Jerry West era). However, the Mountaineers have lost their edge by giving away two late-game leads in losses at Texas Tech (732-71) and home to Kansas (71-66). "We probably weren't comfortable being No. 2 in the country," head coach Bob Huggins said. "Our preparation wasn't what it needed to be." Now 15-3 (4-2 in Big 12) and ranked No. 6, West Virginia will welcome 12-6 Texas (3-3 Big 12) to Morgantown on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns are coming off a 67-58 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech this past Wednesday but represent the only unranked opponent in a five-game stretch for West Virginia.
Texas: The Longhorns feature a one-and-done prospect in the 6-11 Mohamed Bamba. He protects the rim with a 7-foot-9 wingspan that would rank as the longest in the NBA right now. He is second in the nation at 4.53 blocks per game and is also the only Big 12 player averaging a double-double at 11.9 points and 10.5 rebounds. He has four double-doubles in six conference games, after going for 15 and 11 Wednesday night during the upset of Texas Tech. That game saw the return of guard Kerwin Roach from a broken hand, who was cleared right before tip-off. Roach (10.8) had missed two games but scored 20 points after not having practiced for a week. The 6-9 Dylan Osetkowski leads the Longhorns with 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and junior Eric Davis Jr. (8.8) has been key for the Longhorns off the bench, averaging 13.8 points in 30.0 minutes in league play.
Despite losing guard Andrew Jones (13.5) to leukemia treatment for the season, the Longhorns are in the mid-40s in the RPI, one of the tools the NCAA selection committee uses to pick at-large teams into the NCAA Tournament. Shaka Smart's team is also one of the nation's better defensive teams, allowing 65.4 PPG (38th) on 39.6% shooting (23rd).
West Virginia: The Mountaineers will look to snap a two-game skid, one which is even more frustrating because it's coincided with 6-8 junior Esa Ahmad returning from an academic suspension. He's averaged 16.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in his two games back, BOTH West Va. losses. He's joins a talented group led by PG Carter (16.7-5.2-6.3), who also averages 3.4 steals per game. Fellow guard Miles (13.0-3.2-3.7) is another double digit score plus the 6-8 West (11.9 & 5.5) and the 6-8 Konate (9.3 & 7.8) will welcome the help up front that Ahmad will provide. Carter is the only player in the country averaging more than 16 points, six assists and three steals, helping the Mountaineers to lead the the Big 12 in turnover margin (plus-7.3).
The pick: West Virginia won all three meetings last year, including in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament (63-53) but as noted often, the pointspread is the "great equalizer." Texas head coach Shaka Smart has covered five straight in this series, including all three meetings a year ago. Take the points and make Texas a 10* play.
Texas: The Longhorns feature a one-and-done prospect in the 6-11 Mohamed Bamba. He protects the rim with a 7-foot-9 wingspan that would rank as the longest in the NBA right now. He is second in the nation at 4.53 blocks per game and is also the only Big 12 player averaging a double-double at 11.9 points and 10.5 rebounds. He has four double-doubles in six conference games, after going for 15 and 11 Wednesday night during the upset of Texas Tech. That game saw the return of guard Kerwin Roach from a broken hand, who was cleared right before tip-off. Roach (10.8) had missed two games but scored 20 points after not having practiced for a week. The 6-9 Dylan Osetkowski leads the Longhorns with 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and junior Eric Davis Jr. (8.8) has been key for the Longhorns off the bench, averaging 13.8 points in 30.0 minutes in league play.
Despite losing guard Andrew Jones (13.5) to leukemia treatment for the season, the Longhorns are in the mid-40s in the RPI, one of the tools the NCAA selection committee uses to pick at-large teams into the NCAA Tournament. Shaka Smart's team is also one of the nation's better defensive teams, allowing 65.4 PPG (38th) on 39.6% shooting (23rd).
West Virginia: The Mountaineers will look to snap a two-game skid, one which is even more frustrating because it's coincided with 6-8 junior Esa Ahmad returning from an academic suspension. He's averaged 16.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in his two games back, BOTH West Va. losses. He's joins a talented group led by PG Carter (16.7-5.2-6.3), who also averages 3.4 steals per game. Fellow guard Miles (13.0-3.2-3.7) is another double digit score plus the 6-8 West (11.9 & 5.5) and the 6-8 Konate (9.3 & 7.8) will welcome the help up front that Ahmad will provide. Carter is the only player in the country averaging more than 16 points, six assists and three steals, helping the Mountaineers to lead the the Big 12 in turnover margin (plus-7.3).
The pick: West Virginia won all three meetings last year, including in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament (63-53) but as noted often, the pointspread is the "great equalizer." Texas head coach Shaka Smart has covered five straight in this series, including all three meetings a year ago. Take the points and make Texas a 10* play.
