College basketball on ESPN continues with the second game of its Monday double-header, this one taking place in the Big 12 Conference between two in-state rivals. The No. 5 Texas Longhorns (20-5) will visit the Texas Tech Raiders (13-12) in a hotly contested matchup you won't want to miss. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Texas-Texas Tech prediction and pick.
The Texas Longhorns find themselves in the top-5 once again and hope to hold their position atop the toughest conference in college basketball. They've dropped some games recently, going 3-2 in their last five, but have continued to be the dominating force in the Big 12. They won their last time out against a bad West Virginia team by 34 points. They'll look to continue their dominance as they face their rivals Texas Tech.
Texas Tech has not had the best season and is having an even tougher time against Big 12 opponents. When conference play opened up, the Raiders went eight straight games without a win and seriously harmed any chances of making the tournament. The highest point of their season, perhaps, came in their last game as they notched a win against No. 12 Kansas State. They'll have an even bigger test in the Texas Longhorns tonight.
Here are the Texas-Texas Tech college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Texas-Texas Tech Odds
Texas: -3.5 (-115)
Texas Tech: +3.5 (-105)
Over: 145.5 (-118)
Under: 145.5 (-104)
How To Watch Texas vs. Texas Tech
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app, fuboTV
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Texas Could Cover The Spread
Texas continues to be a powerhouse behind the play of their NBA-caliber roster. They've shown that they are virtually unbeatable on their home court and resilient on the road when heading into hostile Big 12 environments. With the conference being what it is this year, holding the top spot says a lot about a team and their ability to lead the likes of Kansas, Baylor, etc.. Jabari Rice and Marcus Carr continue to be stars in scoring buckets and take the defensive pressure away from their teammates. They can get Timmy Allen and Dylan Disu involved down low and when the Longhorns are playing lockdown defense, they're incredibly difficult to beat.
On the road, the Longhorns are 4-3. They have gone 11-14 ATS and have done so at 3-4 as the visitors. Keep in mind, all of those losses came against No. 12 Iowa State, No. 4 Tennessee, and No. 9 Kansas, respectively. The reality of tonight is that they'll be playing a Texas Tech team that's just 2-10 in conference play. While it'll be a rowdy crowd in Lubbock, I think the Longhorns show their poise here and get a solid road win.
Why Texas Tech Could Cover The Spread
Texas Tech couldn't buy a Big 12 win in the mid-season, but as we near the home-stretch of February, the Raiders have won three of their last five and beaten ranked Iowa State and Kansas State on their home court in Lubbock. They did a great job of getting out to an early lead against Kansas State and not giving it up. The Raiders' fans were able to will their team to a victory as key players for Tech shined in the final moments. De'Vion Harmon has been great of late and has been the guy they look towards in late-game situations. Look for Harmon to continue his hot shooting at home.
Texas Tech has been able to win games at home, but they haven't been doing a good job of covering for bettors. They'll be the slight underdog in this matchup, a spot they've gone 0-8 SU on the season. They're also only 5-9 ATS when playing at home. This spread seems to be close, which indicates that Texas Tech will certainly have their moments to take over this game. It will be interesting to see if they can pull off yet another upset.
Final Texas-Texas Tech Prediction & Pick
This game seems like a perfect trap game for Texas Tech to take down another top team at home. However, I think the Longhorns have too good of a rhythm right now to be knocked off their course by a team that has really underperformed this season. I think this spread is a gift as the Longhorns cover easily on the road.
Final Texas-Texas Tech Prediction & Pick: Texas Longhorns -3.5 (-115)
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