Missouri Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Preview
This Missouri Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns betting preview is courtesy of Sportsbook.com.
No. 7 Texas looks to match its longest winning streak of the season when it hosts No. 11 Missouri on Saturday night.
The Longhorns won six straight games from Dec. 11 through Jan. 4 and are coming off a 61-46 rout of Oklahoma State on Wednesday for their fifth consecutive victory. Tristan Thompson (13.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG) led Texas with 14 points, all of which came in the second half, and Jordan Hamilton (19.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG) added 12 points and matched a career-high with 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and sixth of his career. Thompson is averaging 15.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.0 BPG, while hitting 58.0% (29-of-50) from the floor in five Big 12 contests. The Longhorns continue to be led by their defense, which held the Cowboys to 32% shooting and their lowest scoring output of the season. Texas has limited its 20 opponents to an average of 60.7 PPG on 36.7% shooting. And in five Big 12 victories, it's surrendered just 53.4 PPG on 37.5% shooting, including a 14-of-70 (20%) mark from three-point range. It will need to be at its defensive best against a Missouri team that's fifth in the nation in scoring (85.0 PPG) and sixth in assists (18.0 APG). The Horns are aiming for their fifth win versus a ranked opponent this season. Texas is 4-2 versus teams which were ranked in the Top 25 when they played them.
Missouri is coming off consecutive double-digit victories over Kansas State (75-59) and Iowa State (87-54). Ricardo Ratliffe (11.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG) scored 12 points, had six boards and matched a career-high with six blocks versus the Cyclones, while Michael Dixon (10.9 PPG, 4.6 APG, 37.9% three-pointers) finished with 15 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from long range. Leading scorer Marcus Denmon (17.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 49.1% three-pointers, 2.0 SPG) added 13 points, five boards and four steals. Denmon is averaging 18.3 points over his past four contests and is shooting 50% from the floor and 50% (9-of-18) from three-point range during that stretch. The Tigers are 2-2 versus teams that were ranked in the Top 25 when they played them. They beat Kansas State and Illinois and lost in overtime to both Georgetown and Texas A&M. Mizzou also owns an 85-82 OT victory over Vanderbilt, which is ranked now but wasn't ranked when they matched up in December.
Texas holds a slight 11-10 edge in the all-time series with Missouri and is 9-4 against the Tigers in the Rick Barnes era. The Longhorns have a 5-3 advantage in games played in Austin, but Missouri has won the past three games overall versus Texas. The Tigers were victorious in last season's meeting in Columbia, 82-77, as Dixon scored 13 points off the bench. However, the Longhorns have one of the best ATS records in the nation at 12-3, including a perfect 5-0 ATS mark in Big 12 play.
Sportsbook.com has recently put up a huge amount of Super Bowl Props. What color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the head of the winning coach? Yellow is the 5/6 favorite. Red is a 12/1 longshot.
