West Virginia vs. Texas Basketball Preview & How To Watch: Shaka Khan

Game Day Vitals

• #6 West Virginia Mountaineers (15-2, Big 12 4-1, NCAA RPI 15) vs. Texas Longhorns (11-6, Big 12 3-2, NCAA RPI 27)
• Series Record: Texas leads series 4-6
• Last meeting: WVU 71 UT 64, WVU Coliseum, Feb. 24, 2015
• Location: WVU Coliseum (Capacity: 14,000) Morgantown, West Virginia
• Vegas Lines: -12 for the good guys, O/U 146.0
  
• Date: Wednesday, Jan 20, 2016, 7:00 PM EST
• Television: ESPNU
• Online Streaming: WatchESPN
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• Texas Longhorns (11-6, Big 12 3-2, NCAA RPI 27)
• Head Coach: Shaka Smart, First year at UT, career 174–62 (.737)
  
• Last Result - Defeated Oklahoma State 74-69 in Austin
• Official Texas athletics website
• SBN Texas sites - Burnt Orange Nation and Barking Carnival

Interwebs

Game Preview

While Saturday's result from Norman may still sting, West Virginia is still exactly where they want to be: First in the Big 12 Conference. Technically, they are tied for first with Baylor at 4-1, but that is still a huge accomplishment even for the month of January. I could go on and on about the achievements of these Mountaineers, but it certainly sounds like they remain both hungry and humble.

The Texas Longhorns, however, have had some bumps in the road. They had a strong non-conference slate and made decent hay out of it, but some academic scandal issues were circling the program for a while there (now closed), mid-season transfers are never a good thing, and Cameron Ridley going down during the UConn game back in December certainly doesn't help matters. The Longhorns have had some big home wins against North Carolina and Iowa State, but the 1-2 road record does not speak well for Shaka's squad especially when those two losses are Texas Tech and TCU.

The biggest weapons on the Texas Longhorn roster are their size and one Isaiah Taylor. Even with Ridley out until around March, UT stands as is one of the biggest rosters that West Virginia will see this year. That, combined with Taylor who is probably a All-Big 12 Second Team selection this year, makes Texas dangerous. Their play, however, is much more potent in Austin than anywhere that is not named Austin, so I'm taking the Mountaineers.

Prediction

WVU 80  -  Texas 67