Texas basketball vs. Oklahoma State: Prediction and odds college basketball
In the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Men’s Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO, the two-seed Texas basketball and interim head coach Rodney Terry will face head coach Mike Boynton and the seven-seed Oklahoma State Cowboys. Texas will be playing in its first game of the Big 12 Tournament.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State will be competing in its second contest in Kansas City. Oklahoma State reached the quarterfinals by topping its rival and the 10-seed Oklahoma Sooners in the first round on March 8 by a convincing final score of 57-49. That low-scoring affair saw Oklahoma State continue the dominance of its in-state rival Oklahoma this season.
Yet, Oklahoma State hasn’t found the same level of success this season against the Longhorns. Texas swept the regular season series against the Pokes, winning each game by an averaging margin of a dozen points.
Texas comes into this matchup against Oklahoma State with a record of 23-8 (12-6 Big 12). The last game the Longhorns played was the regular season finale on March 4 at home at the Moody Center in Austin against the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks. Terry and the Longhorns topped the Jayhawks in that battle at the Moody Center on March 4 by the final score of 75-59.
Oklahoma State comes into this game with a record of 18-14 (8-10 Big 12) following its eight-point win over Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on March 8. Boynton and the Pokes have won each of their last two games heading into the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals.
Here’s a look at the betting odds and game predictions as No. 2 Texas gets set to face No. 7 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on March 9, with the tip-off time set for 6 p.m. CT.
Texas basketball vs. Oklahoma State: Betting odds for Big 12 Tournament
Texas is a 5.5-point favorite against Oklahoma State in the opening odds and the over/under is set at 141.5 (per FanDuel).
The moneyline favors Texas (-235) narrowly over Oklahoma State (+190).
According to Kenpom, Texas has a 68 percent chance of beating Oklahoma State. And Kenpom projects Texas to beat Oklahoma State 73-68.
Texas vs. Oklahoma State prediction
In the third meeting between Texas and Oklahoma State this season, Terry’s squad will need to do more of the same compared to what they did the last two times out in this series. Texas played solid defense in the first two meetings against the Pokes, holding Boynton’s squad to just 61 points per game on 41 percent shooting from the field.
And judging from the 57 points that Oklahoma State just put up against the third-worst defensive team in the Big 12 in terms of adjusted defensive rating, the Pokes haven’t improved much on that end of the floor.
The biggest question mark for the Longhorns in terms of how they match up against the Pokes will always be how they can handle the disruptions. Oklahoma State is one of the most disruptive and athletic teams on the defensive end of the floor and in transition among all Big 12 teams this season.
Texas was able to effectively deal with Oklahoma State’s length and disruptive defense in the first two outings. The Longhorns held the Pokes to just 22 points in the paint per game and a half-dozen fast break points per game in the first two meetings between these two teams this season.
If Texas can replicate those efforts in terms of its effectiveness in transition and in the paint, then it could be a long day for Oklahoma State in Kansas City on March 9.
dark. Next. 3 reasons why Texas will win the Big 12 Tournament
Texas still has a lot on the line in the Big 12 Tournament. Terry and the Longhorns are still technically fighting for a shot at a one-seed on Selection Sunday. According to TeamRankings, Texas has a 12 percent chance of getting a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament. It’s hard to see the Longhorns getting the one-seed, though, if it doesn’t win the Big 12 Tournament this week.