The first-ever SEC matchup between Texas basketball (11-2, 0-0 SEC) and the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies (11-2, 0-0 SEC) kicks off conference play for UT's inaugural season in the SEC this weekend. Texas and head coach Rodney Terry begin a gauntlet of five-straight games to open up SEC play against all top-15-ranked opponents in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll.
This is the first road trip to College Station for the Longhorns since 2011-12, the final season for Texas and Texas A&M as foes in the Big 12 conference membership.
Texas and Texas A&M last squared off on the hardwood in December 2019 in Fort Worth. The Longhorns topped the Aggies 60-50 in 2019-20.
Terry and the Longhorns are still looking for their first Quad 1 victory of the regular season. Texas's only two chances at Quad 1 victories in the non-conference slate were neutral and home site losses to the Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 25 UConn Huskies in November and early December.
Here's a look at the TV/streaming information, game time, betting odds, and game prediction for the SEC opener between No. 13 Texas A&M and Texas at Reed Arena in College Station, TX, on Jan. 4.
How to watch Texas basketball vs. Texas A&M
TV: SEC Network
Live Stream: SEC Network+, WatchESPN
Radio/Audio Stream: Longhorn Radio Network/Sirius XM 374
Game time: 7 p.m. CT
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tom Hart and Dane Bradshaw will call the action between Texas and Texas A&M in College Station to open SEC play on SEC Network on Saturday night.
Craig Way and Eddie Oran will be on the radio broadcast on Longhorn Radio Network.
Texas basketball vs. Texas A&M betting odds
Texas is a 6.5-point favorite against Texas A&M in College Station on Jan. 4 (per FanDuel). The over/under is 140.5 points.
The Aggies are favored in the moneyline (-275) against the Longhorns (+220).
Texas is 7-6-0 against the spread this season (per TeamRankings). Texas A&M is 8-4-1 against the spread.
Texas vs. Texas A&M prediction
The SEC opener pits Texas, the No. 2 team in the SEC in offensive rating category, against the No. 13 ranked team in the country. Texas is 1-0 on the road this season, with their lone win away from home and neutral sites coming against the NC State Wolfpack last month in the SEC-ACC Challenge.
Texas A&M has one of the most dangerous backcourts in the SEC, led by experienced senior guards Wade Taylor and Zhuric Phelps. Combined, Taylor and Phelps averaged just shy of 30 points per game (28.9), eight rebounds, and eight assists for the Aggies' backcourt starting five.
But the primary value the backcourt duo of Taylor and Phelps bring is their lockdown perimeter defense. Taylor and Phelps averaged four steals per game, the highest number of any starting backcourt in the SEC this season.
This will be a matchup between two solid defensive teams. Texas (62.0 points per game allowed) and Texas A&M (62.6 PPG allowed) rank two and three in the SEC, respectively, in scoring team defense.
Texas will truly be tested in a tough road environment against a stellar defense that is the best the Longhorns will have faced so far this season tomorrow in College Station against the Aggies' stellar backcourt starting duo and their frontcourt experience down low.