Texas At Iowa State Preview And Live Stream Link: Texas Should Be Ranked Higher; They'll Prove It Tonight
ByIf I were #19 Texas (20-5, 9-3), the chip on my shoulder would be deep enough to hold a can of Minute Made Lemonade. They may be the most underappreciated team in college basketball, especially so in the rankings. Nineteen? That's egregious for a team with a 9-3 record in the arguably the nation's best conference, including wins over Kansas State, Iowa State (one less win overall, two less conference wins, and one less win head-to-head but ranked two spots ahead), Kansas, Baylor, and North Carolina. Even their non-conference schedule was respectable. Besides UNC, they played #13 Michigan State (21-5, 10-3) and BYU (18-10, 10-5).
To boot, Iowa State is favored by six points in tonight's game (7:00 pm EST, ESPN2), a spread they would have pushed in their most recent game at home against Texas Tech (13-12, 5-7) and nullifed by 16 real and hypothetical combined points last time they played Texas (a 10-point loss for those not following that math). Prior to their scant win against Tech, they were demolished at West Virginia, 102-77, or the same team Texas most recently dispatched at their own palace, 88-71.
Maybe Iowa State is still reaping the benefits of the 48 point game by Melvin Ejim, and benefits (in the polls) from their other higher profile players like DeAndre Kane (15.9 ppg) and Georges Niang (16.3 ppg). Texas has none of that name recognition. Their leading scorer, junior forward Jonathan Holmes, is averaging just 13 ppg. Beyond him, however, they have three other guys averaging over 11 points an outing.
I think you know where I'm going with this one. Texas with the cover.
For live stream, try watchespn.
Record: 17-22
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)
Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)
Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)
Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)
Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)
Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)
Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)
Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)
West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)
Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)
VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)
Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)