The Oklahoma Sooners take on the Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon in an SEC college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 2:00 p.m. EST in Norman, Oklahoma.
The Longhorns are listed as 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total set at O/U 157.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Oklahoma vs. Texas prediction, preview
It has been a strange season for Texas basketball. The Longhorns are 3-5 in SEC play, but those three wins came against No. 13 Alabama, No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 21 Georgia. Texas has proved that when it’s playing up to its standards, it can compete with the best teams in the conference. However, the Longhorns have also suffered some bad losses to the likes of Mississippi State. If Texas wants to salvage this season, this is the time to start piecing some wins together. The Longhorns are led by a sensational guard, Dailyn Swain, who leads the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. They also have a 7-footer at center who can score the basketball. If this team can find some consistency, it could be a threat in the SEC.
Oklahoma has struggled to get going in SEC play this season. The Sooners rank dead last in the SEC with a 1-7 conference record. That one win came in their first conference game against Ole Miss. Since that win, they have rattled off seven straight losses. The Sooners have two guards who can score, Xzayvier Brown and Nijel Pack. Their real issue has been on the defensive end of the floor, where they rank 124th in the nation in defensive rating. It will be a tough test for Oklahoma against the offensive firepower that Texas has.
Oklahoma vs. Texas pick
My best bet is on Texas to win the game, with the current Moneyline price at -120 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. It will be a massive struggle for Oklahoma to get stops against Texas. The Longhorns rank seventh in the nation in offensive rating, while the Sooners rank 124th in defensive rating. Neither of these teams like to play particularly fast, both ranking 200th or higher in adjusted tempo. So, it won’t be a back-and-forth track meet.
Instead, it will be a test of who can lock in and get stops in the halfcourt. Oklahoma should be able to score some, but Texas is more dangerous on offense and more solid on defense. The Longhorns have been inconsistent, but they are the much better basketball team on paper. Against their rivals, they should rise to the occasion and find a way to win the game.
