Texas vs. Baylor: NCAA Basketball Picks

Texas (13-7 SU, 5-10 ATS) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 62-55 win over Iowa State on Tuesday. The Longhorns limited the Cyclones to a season-low in points on 33.3 percent shooting (20 of 60). Myck Kabongo led Texas with 13 points while J'Covan Brown and Julien Lewis each had 12 points. The Horns are now 3-4 in conference play but 0-3 both SU and ATS on the road.

The Baylor Bears (18-2 SU, 7-6 ATS) beat Oklahoma on Tuesday night 77-65. Perry Jones III scored a game high 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to pace the Bears. Pierre Jackson added 16 points while Quincy Arcy contributed 11 points. The victory snapped a modest two-game losing streak (Kansas, Missouri) for Baylor, which appears to be back on track after seeing their bid for a perfect season come to an end. The Bears are now 18-3 all-time when ranked in the Top 10 with 15 of those wins coming this year. They are 10-1 SU at home including 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS in the Big 12. Overall the Bears are 5-2 in league play.

Baylor’s Five-Headed Attack 

Five different Bears, led by PJ3 (14.2 ppg), Pierre Jackson (12.8), Quincy Acy (12.7), Quincy Miller(12.5) and Brady Heslip (10.0), are averaging more than 10 points per game, combining for 59 double-digit scoring outings. 

Baylor’s ‘Big 5’ are shooting a combined 52 percent from the floor, 46 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free throw line. The group has accounted for more than 74 percent of Baylor’s overall scoring production this season (1,116 of its 1,563 points).

Stat sheet

Baylor is big in both the conference and national rankings in several categories. They’re No.1 in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting (41.4 percent), 1st in blocked shots (6.15), 1st in assists (16.25), second in scoring offense (78.2), field goal percentage (49.6) and steals (8.75). The Bears are third in the following categories--scoring defense (63.0), scoring margin (+15.2), free throw percentage (73.7), rebounding defense (32.0), rebounding margin (+5.0) and in 3-pointers made (7.50).

The Texas Longhorns are averaging 74.6 points per game and is allowing 64.9 ppg. The Longhorns have been stingy on defense, holding opponents to just 39.2 ppg.

Brown leads the team in scoring (19.2 ppg) and steals. Sheldon McClellan is the only Texas player in double-digit scoring (11.4) and leads the team in field goal percentage (45.7).

Series History 

Saturday will be the 237th series meeting between the two schools. Texas leads the all-time series 157-79 and 64-46 for games played in Waco.

Baylor is 7-27 against Texas in the Big 12 era series, while head coach Scott Drew is 4-15 all-time against the Longhorns. Texas has posted a 26-4 record against Baylor during the Rick Barnes era entering Saturday’s contest. The Horns are also 12-1 under Barnes in games played in Waco.

Case for the defense

The Bears have won 51 straight games when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points, including 10 this season. Baylor has held 15 opponents to fewer than 70 points this year and since the start of the 2007-08 campaign, Baylor is 69-9 when holding opponents below the 70-point mark.

Solid defense has been a trademark of the Texas program under Rick Barnes. This year, UT has allowed an average of 64.9 ppg on 39.2% FG shooting. Texas also has limited its first 20 opponents to 211 assists against 277 turnovers.

In its three Big 12 victories this year, Texas has held its opponents to an average of 51.7 points per game on a combined 37.4% FG shooting (58-of-155).

Harvey’s Take: Baylor is back on track both in the win column and mentally after losing its bid for a perfect season. The Bears have just one blemish on their home record (loss to Missouri) while the Longhorns have just one road win this year. Baylor has the edge in this one and will be added to my NCAA basketball picks this weekend.  

Good luck!