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Oklahoma vs. Texas prediction and odds for Saturday, February 18

By Josh Yourish

Texas' guard Marcus Carr (5) shoots the ball against Texas Tech in a Big 12 basketball game, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas' guard Marcus Carr (5) shoots the ball against Texas Tech in a Big 12 basketball game, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, at the United Supermarkets Arena. /
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The Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball and what has happened to these two teams in the past week is a perfect example of that. On Monday, No. 6 Texas Longhorns fell to Texas Tech, 74-67, and then the very next day the Oklahoma Sooners took down No. 12 Kansas State 79-65.

That was just the third conference win for Oklahoma who is in the basement of the Big 12. The same goes for Texas Tech who is also 3-10 in conference play. In this conference no team is safe.

Texas is in a logjam at the top of the Big 12 with a 9-4 record in conference play and a 20-6 mark overall. They need to handle their business against Oklahoma after losing to a Big 12 bottom feeder earlier in the week. Let’s check in on the odds because Vegas thinks the Longhorns will cruise in Austin.

Oklahoma vs. Texas odds, spread and total

Oklahoma vs. Texas prediction and pick

Shooting variance plays a big role in the outcome of games and that’s a big reason that Oklahoma beat Kansas State this week. They hit 11/23 from behind the arc, 47.8%, which is much better than the 35.5% that they’re shooting this season. Grant Sherfield also played fantastic in that game with 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. In Texas’s loss to Texas Tech, Marcus Carr had 23 points and six assists, but was outdueled by De’Vion Harmon on the other side. For OU to pull off the upset Sherfield might need to be even better than he was on Tuesday.

I expect both of those lead-guards to play well tonight and for offense to come easy, especially for Texas. The Longhorns are 25th in points per game and 23rd in efficiency, they also average the 54th most possessions per game. Oklahoma is 133rd in defensive efficiency, 0.990, but in their most recent three games that is up to 1.045. Their struggle on the defensive end of the floor has manifested in the over hitting in five of their last six games. The over is also 8-1-1 in Texas’s last 10 home games.

Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change