For the first time in over a decade (since January 2012), the rivalry between Texas basketball (13-6, 2-4 SEC) and the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies (15-4, 4-2 SEC) returns to Austin.
Texas has won 10 straight at home against Texas A&M, going all the way back to the 2002-03 season.
This is a big opportunity for the Longhorns to avenge its 20-point defeat against Texas A&M in the SEC opener in College Station from earlier this month on Jan. 4. Texas A&M is the first top-15 ranked opponent the Longhorns have hosted at the Moody Center this regular season.
Head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns are coming off their first-ever home SEC victory at the Moody Center against the No. 22 Mizzou Tigers, 61-53, this past Tuesday (Jan. 21). After starting out SEC play with a record of 0-3, the Longhorns have won two of its last three in conference play, going back to the Jan. 15 win in the Red River Rivalry game over the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.
Texas A&M is also fresh off an impressive victory over a ranked opponent, after surviving for a one-point road win over the No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels, 63-62, on Jan. 22.
Vegas sees this game as a pretty even matchup a couple of hours before tip off. After opening up as a slight underdog against Texas A&M earlier this week, the Longhorns are now favored by 1.5 points (per FanDuel) over the Aggies this afternoon.
Game predictions for Texas basketball vs. No. 13 Texas A&M
Tip-off between Texas and Texas A&M is 1:30 p.m. CT at the Moody Center in Austin, TX, on Jan. 25. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
Andrew Miller: Texas-75, Texas A&M-72
Shane Black: Texas A&M-67, Texas-62
Brian Sweet: Texas-65, Texas A&M-55
A win over Texas A&M would not only be a needle-mover for Terry and the Longhorns for their NCAA Tournament resume for this postseason, but also a huge momentum booster for a second home win in a row in SEC play against a ranked foe. Terry's squad is 9-3 at home this season, and 1-3 against ranked foes at the Moody Center.