The Texas Longhorns take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Texas Texas Tech prediction and pick. Find how to watch Texas Texas Tech.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders briefly rose to the top of the Big 12 in January but then lost several games in a row. This is life in the Big 12, a cutthroat conference with a few weaker teams but no true cupcakes or gimmies at any point on the schedule. Texas Tech has endured a very bumpy ride over the past month and has fallen to fifth place in the conference. Texas Tech is coming off a brutal showing this past Saturday at UCF. The Red Raiders' defense was smoked in an 85-71 defeat which probably cost the Red Raiders a seed line in the NCAA Tournament.

Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland developed elite defenses at North Texas before he came to Lubbock to coach the Red Raiders in the Big 12. Texas Tech's defense has not performed up to the standards McCasland has historically set. However, once McCasland can recruit his preferred players as he gets settled in on the job in Lubbock, Texas Tech should be in position to grow and improve as a program.

Here are the Texas-Texas Tech College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: Texas-Texas Tech Odds

Texas Longhorns: +3.5 (-110)

Texas Tech Red Raiders: -3.5 (-110)

Over: 145.5 (-110)

Under: 145.5 (-110)

How To Watch Texas vs Texas Tech

Time: 9:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm PT

TV: ESPN

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Texas Could Cover the Spread

The Texas Longhorns have had a difficult season after reaching the Elite Eight in 2023, but even though they have a below-.500 record in Big 12 competition, they still have some really good and talented players. Dylan Disu and Max Abmas make a lot of big shots for the Longhorns. If the game is close in the final two or three minutes, those guys score. What has been a problem for Texas has been its defense, which has not been able to get as many late-game stops as the Horns have needed this season, but in terms of clutch bucket-getters, UT has the goods. Given that Texas Tech's defense has been very inconsistent this year and does not have elite personnel, Texas could turn this game into a scoring festival and keep the game close enough to cover. No one would be that surprised if this was a last-basket-wins game. That would put the spread under four points. Texas would cover.

Why Texas Tech Could Cover the Spread

Grant McCasland is a better coach than Texas's Rodney Perry. McCasland will have his team ready to play this home-court rivalry game after the stinker at UCF. Texas Tech very likely was looking past UCF and toward this Texas game. You should see Texas Tech play really well, in which case it will cover. Texas-Texas Tech is one of the more contentious rivalries in Big 12 basketball, not just football. The memory of Chris Beard leaving Texas Tech for Texas a few years ago sent the temperature in the room soaring when the Horns and Red Raiders play. Texas Tech is going to play with maximum energy here, and Texas might not be ready for that.

Final Texas-Texas Tech Prediction & Pick

Texas Tech will be amped up for this game and should bounce back in a big way from the UCF loss. Take Tech.

Final Texas-Texas Tech Prediction & Pick: Texas Tech -3.5