Baylor vs. Texas Picks & Prediction for January 30: First Place in Big 12 on the Line (Archive)
NCAAB Pick: Texas -3.5 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
Following a solid showing in the challenge with the SEC, Big 12 teams get back to beating up on each other.
We have a great free NCAAB pick for Monday’s matchup in Austin where Texas hosts Baylor in a battle of conference heavyweights.
Remember, fans from the Lone Star State who are looking to make a wager on this game should be sure to check out our top-rated Texas betting sites.
Baylor Bears vs. Texas Longhorns
Monday, January 30, 2023 – 09:00 PM EST at Moody Center
With six teams separated by only a game at the top of the conference standings, it is tough to find a Big 12 contest where first place isn’t on the line.
But even if last place were on the line when Baylor and Texas got together, it would still be a big deal.
Monday’s meeting in Austin should generate plenty of action at the best online betting sites, especially after the way Big 12 teams dominated SEC squads on Saturday.
Texas is part of a three-way tie at the top of the league and Baylor is one of three teams sitting just a game out of the lead.
Total Drops 3 Points Since the Opener
The line movement has been up and down since first sending a number out. Following overnight action, the spread settled on Texas -3½ at a majority of the outlets.
Scoreboard bettors have been watching the total sliding since it was first introduced.
The morning target is 148.5, a full three points lower than the opener.
Bears Winning Despite Shooting Woes
Scott Drew’s squad was one of seven Big 12 teams to register a dubya during Saturday’s conference challenge with the SEC.
It certainly wasn’t easy, but the Bears got the job done to extend their win streak to six, the longest current stretch in the league.
Baylor closed as a 6½-point favorite and had to rally from an 8-point deficit early in the second half before turning back an Arkansas comeback bid in the 67-64 final.
Keyonte George led the Bears with 24 while LJ Cryer also contributed 20 to the victory.
As poorly as Baylor has been shooting, the Bears could have lost the last three games during their 6-game win streak.
The Bears converted just over a third of their field goal tries in the win over Arkansas and shot a combined 36.6% (44-120) in the previous two wins against Oklahoma and Kansas.
‘Horns Looking for Quick Return to Win Column
Rodney Terry’s team was one of three from the Big 12 to fall in the challenge against the SEC, though it could be argued the Longhorns faced the toughest task in their conference with a difficult road trip to Knoxville to face then-No. 4 Tennessee.
Texas closed as an underdog of 5-6 in the prime-time contest, and the matchup lived up to the hype for about nine minutes or so. Deadlocked at 17 midway through the first half, the Volunteers took charge with a quick 9-0 run and went on to an 82-71 decision.
Tennessee would eventually build that margin to 22 in the second half before the Longhorns got back into the swing of things to at least keep the game respectable on the scoreboard.
The Volunteers shot better than 55% and controlled the glass with a 38-23 rebounding advantage.
Rivalry Notes & Betting Trends
It was the final men’s basketball game played at the old Erwin Center when these two met last February, and Monday marks the first time for these old rivals to square off at the Moody Center.
Texas holds a commanding 164-96 advantage in the series, but Baylor has won the last six and 12 of the last 13.
When they met in Austin on the final day of February a year ago, the Bears covered a very short spread on the NCAAB odds boards with a 68-61 decision.
The Longhorns shot a pathetic 4-of-23 (17%) from beyond the arc and Baylor outscored Texas from the free throw line, 15-9.
- Baylor has been favored in the previous six meetings and covered the last five.
- Last year’s clash in Austin failed to reach a 135-point mark, leaving the totals 5-3 O/U in the last eight contests.
- This is the fourth consecutive meeting that both schools are ranked.
- The return match in Waco is scheduled for February 25th.
The Eyes of Texas are Tuned to ESPN
So, what do we make of Texas not playing its usual tight defense in the loss at Tennessee and Baylor’s shooting woes continuing in the win over Arkansas?
Maybe both return to normal Monday night in Austin, but it’s safer to assume the Longhorns get back to their game at home more than believing the Bears will rediscover their shooting touch.
The Longhorns cover in a game that just falls short of the total.
Final Score: Texas 75 – Baylor 70
NCAAB Pick: Under 148.5 (-110) at Heritage Sports
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.