Texas Basketball: 3 bold predictions in bounce back game vs. Texas St
As long as the game holds up on Dec. 9, Texas basketball is set to have their last non-conference matchup against Texas State before Big 12 play begins.
The first loss of the season arrived for head coach Shaka Smart and the Texas basketball program on the afternoon of Dec. 6. But it was not all bad for Texas as they hung tough with the previously No. 12 ranked Villanova Wildcats in a difficult matchup at home at the Frank Erwin Center, that ended by the final score of 68-64.
Texas still carries a record of 4-1 (0-0 Big 12) and the No. 13 ranking in the AP Poll into their final game of the regular season schedule before Big 12 play begins. This week’s AP Poll ranking, tied at No. 13 with the Wisconsin Badgers, is the highest for the Longhorns in the Smart tenure. It is also the highest AP Poll ranking for Texas since the 2014-15 season, under the direction of former head coach Rick Barnes (now with the Tennessee Volunteers).
Moreover, Texas is up to No. 12 in the Coaches Poll this week, also their highest slotting in that poll since the 2014-15 campaign.
Smart and the Longhorns are set to open up Big 12 play on Dec. 13 against the No. 2 ranked Baylor Bears, on the road in Waco. That will by no means be an easy start to the Big 12 for Texas. This is why finishing out this bit of the non-conference slate on a high note is so important.
Texas takes on the Texas State Bobcats at home at the Erwin Center on Dec. 9 (as long as the game holds up in the wake of a few novel coronavirus related issues on the Texas State side), with tip off set for 7 p.m. CT. Texas State comes into this game with a record of 3-1.
According to the ESPN matchup predictor (based off the Basketball Power Index), Texas has a whopping 94.2 percent chance to win this game. And they are favored by 18 points on the morning ahead of the Dec. 9 tip off.
Here’s a look into three bold predictions as Texas tries to both bounce back from the Villanova loss and build momentum ahead of the Big 12 slate in a Dec. 9 matchup with Texas State at home.