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in Texas Longhorns Basketball By Chris Flanagan
#20/20 Texas (12-4, 1-2 Big 12) vs. #16/15 West Virginia (15-2, 3-1 Big 12)
Saturday, January 17 – 5:15 pm (CST)
(The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.)
Preview
West Virginia and head coach Bob Huggins are surging to national prominence. Similar to Dana Holgorson and the WVU football team, it took some time for the Huggins and the Mountaineers to adjust to Big 12 play. However, a legendary coach eventually adapts and returns a team to an elite status, and that appears to be the current trajectory in Morgantown.
The star of the Mountaineers is Juwan Staten. Regardless of how the Horns defend him, Staten will get his points. Devin Williams and Jonathan Holten pose matchup problems, and combined with Staten’s scoring, the Mountaineers will be tough to beat.
Texas had a week to prepare. The Longhorns also had a week to hear all the criticism that goes with two poor losses: they are “weakâ€; they “can't handle the pressureâ€; they are “not ready for primetime"; etc.
Given the recent stretch of play by Texas, all of those criticisms seem valid. The good news for Texas fans is that Rick Barnes’ teams have a history of playing well and beating teams they when the spotlight isn't on them.
West Virginia is a very good team and they will be a tough team for Texas to beat, but the task is far from impossible. Texas can and should rise to the challenge – if they do not, they will spiral downhill for the rest of the conference season.
Prediction: Texas wins 74-67
Texas vs West Virginia series history:
- Texas leads, 5-3. Last meeting: Texas 66-49 (March 13, 2014; Kansas City).
- Texas posted a three-game season sweep against the Mountaineers last year (80-69 in Morgantown, 88-71 in Austin, 66-49 in Kansas City at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinals).
- Five of the eight games in the all-time series have been decided by four points or less, including one in overtime.
- Texas ranks SECOND nationally in blocked shots per game (7.7 bpg) through games of Jan. 14. The Horns have blocked at least seven shots in 12 of their first 16 contests. UT has reached double figures in blocks in four games this season.
- Texas has registered a 33-19 (.635) mark against AP Top 25 opponents at the Erwin Center during the Rick Barnes era entering Saturday's game against No. 16/15 West Virginia.
- Freshman forward Myles Turner leads the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and blocks (45) and ranks second in scoring (11.6 ppg) through the first 16 contests. Turner posted 18 points (6-of-12 FG, 4-of-4 threes), six rebounds and five blocked shots in 26 minutes during last Saturday's loss at Oklahoma State.
- West Virginia has nine wins away from home this season, the most road/neutral court wins in the country.
- WVU has out-rebounded their opponents on the offensive glass 306-149 this season. The Mountaineer have had 20 (or more) offensive rebounds in six games this season.
- West Virginia has 221 steals this season and has forced its opponents to turn the ball over 379 times. WVU has had at least nine steals in every game, and WVU opponents have had 20 or more turnovers 13 times. The Mountaineers are averaging 24.8 points per game off turnovers this season.
- The Mountaineers are coming off their best performance of the season. On Tuesday night (against No. 18 Oklahoma) WVU scored 86 points against a Sooner defense that was allowing just 59.4 points per game. In the game against OU, West Virginia got points from 11 different players. WVU also made 16 steals and forced Oklahoma into turning the ball over 22 times. Freshman guard Jevon Carter had a terrific stat line with 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 26 minutes of action coming off the bench.
- Juwan Staten (Big 12 preseason POY) leads the team in scoring with an average of 15.8 points per game.
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