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The Houston Christian Huskies take on the Texas Longhorns. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Houston Christian Texas prediction and pick.
The Texas Longhorns have been one of the more exasperating, frustrating college basketball teams of recent years. Texas gets high-end recruits and transfers into the program, but the Longhorns just can't seem to put all the pieces together and create seasons which leave their fans happy and excited. The Longhorns have been one of the big teases in recent college basketball memory. Seasons under Shaka Smart began with a lot of hype, and last season began with a similar if not increased level of buzz under former Texas Tech coach (and national championship game participant) Chris Beard, who came within a whisker of winning the 2019 national title with the Red Raiders before losing to Tony Bennett and Virginia.
Beard coaching a lot of upperclassmen — some players home-grown within the program, a number of players transferring in from other schools — seemed to point to a big year for Texas, but the dreams and hopes did not materialize. Texas did make the NCAA Tournament, and it did win an NCAA Tournament game, something Shaka Smart struggled to do before he jumped ship and went to Marquette, but the Longhorns did not reach the Sweet 16. They were stopped by Purdue in the Round of 32. Texas went a modest 10-8 in Big 12 Conference games. The Longhorns lost a double-digit number of games and did not evolve into a juggernaut, or anything remotely resembling one. Texas's offense was a problem under Shaka, and it was no different under Beard. Texas Tech, Beard's former school, had an empirically better season than Texas did. The season wasn't a total disaster, but it did fall well short of expectations. Everyone in Austin is focused on football right now, but when the discussion goes to college basketball, Longhorn Nation is wondering when Beard can put all the pieces together and get this program back to where Rick Barnes had it in 2003 under T.J. Ford: in the Final Four, playing on the biggest stage in the sport.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Houston Christian-Texas College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Houston Christian-Texas Odds
Houston Christian Huskies: +36.5 (-112)
Texas Longhorns: -36.5 (-108)
Over: 140.5 (-106)
Under: 140.5 (-114)
Why Houston Christian Could Cover the Spread
This is an enormous point spread. Even though the gulf between these teams is vast — something no one would contest or debate — the reality of early-season college basketball is that even the good teams need some time to mesh on the court and learn how to play together with a five-as-one fluidity which yields maximum results. Texas will probably have just enough clunky and inefficient minutes at the offensive end of the floor that Houston Christian can lose this game by 30 instead of 40, which would make the difference between covering the spread and falling short.
Why Texas Could Cover the Spread
Houston Christian, formerly known as Houston Baptist, went 11-18 last season. It finished below .500 in Southland Conference games, going 6-8. This is a cupcake opponent Texas can devour with the totality needed to cover the spread.
Final Houston Christian-Texas Prediction & Pick
If Texas was a much better offensive team, it would be easier to take the Longhorns here. As is, Texas will probably win by fewer than 36 points. Take Houston Christian.
Final Houston Christian-Texas Prediction & Pick: Houston Christian +36.5
