A Total Play For Top-25 Game

Longhorns vs. Golden Eagles, 8:00 ET

Wednesday isn't a huge day for College Basketball, but we do have a marquee matchup brewing tonight and I am looking forward to putting a bet on it. Yesterday, I put out two plays and went 1-1 in the evening. The first game was between Wisconsin and Michigan State and the Spartans' offense looked abysmal. The over didn't have much of a chance. I also took the over in the game between Connecticut and North Carolina. That one hit as both teams looked efficient. Now, we have a game between the Texas Longhorns and the Marquette Golden Eagles and we can look to pick up a unit in this one as well.

Texas comes into the game with a 6-1 record and now has to travel to Marquette to take on the #8 ranked team in the country. Texas is sitting not far behind, holding the #12 rank for the year. The only loss that Texas has suffered this year was at the hand of the aforementioned UConn Huskies on a neutral court. This was a loss of 10 points, but their team still looked solid. After starting their season with three easy wins against inferior opponents, they took on Louisville and pulled out a one-point victory. Since that loss to UConn, they took Wyoming and Texas State down. Once again, neither team is very good competition. The only two games they've played against decent enough opponents have seen the Longhorns lose and almost lose. That doesn't bode well for them tonight. The team has five guys that are averaging double-digits in points this season and is led by guard, Max Abmas. On the season he is shooting very well - almost 45% from the floor, 90% from the line, and 41.2% from deep. One of his running mates, Ithiel Horton, is shooting even better from the floor and beyond the arc, but taking less shots. If he can get the ball more often and maintain the level of efficiency this could be one of the toughest to guard back courts in all of college hoops.

AUSTIN, TEXAS - DECEMBER 12: Assistant head coach Rodney Terry watches the action as his team plays the Rice Owls. Terry is coaching in the absent of head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center on December 12, 2022 in Austin, Texas.Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)

The problem for Texas is that Abams and Horton are the exact type of players that Marquette should match up with. The Golden Eagles come into this game with a 6-2 record after stumbling in two of their past three contests. If we are considering which team has been more tested this season, there is no question that it is Marquette. In their first two games they looked great, winning with ease. Then they faced Illinois on the road and escaped with a win as an underdog. UCLA was the next test and they won by two points. The game against Kansas, at the time the number one ranked team in the country, saw them look as good as they have all season with a 14-point win. The Golden Eagles gave it a good run, but ultimately lost to Purdue in the Maui Invitational Championship. They kept it close, losing by just three points. Then a blowout win took place against a bad team. Their most recent game was a road game to Wisconsin and they lost by 11. Their backcourt is leading the way for Marquette with a combined 29.9 points per game. They are both also shooting over 51% from the floor and over 42% from 3-point territory.

So if we assume the backcourt will cancel each other out, will this game be decided by the frontcourt? It is very possible, and I do think the Longhorns have a bit of an edge there. I like the athleticism and talent on Marquette. They are also at home which is a big benefit for them. I think I'd lean toward Texas with the points, but they really haven't been tested much and they lost the game that was a challenge. I'll back the over in this game as I think the guards on these teams are going to want to get out and run. They both are shooting at very effective rates as well. Over 150.5 is the play for this game.

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