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Texas vs. BYU Prediction and Odds and Key Players for Saturday, Jan. 27

By Reed Wallach

Jan 23, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) reacts to making a
Jan 23, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Trevin Knell (21) reacts to making a / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
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BYU has been hyper competitive in Big 12 play despite a bit of a learning curve to the conference's heavy ball pressure defense.

After a few tight losses in conference play to the likes of Houston and Texas Tech, the team faces a talented, yet flawed Texas team. However, the Longhorns are catching a bunch of points in this one, can they stay within the number?

Here's our full betting preview for this Big 12 matchup on Saturday afternoon:

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Texas vs. BYU Odds, Spread and Total

BYU vs. Texas Betting Trends

  • Texas is 6-13 against the spread (ATS) this season
  • BYU is 12-7 ATS this season
  • BYU is 10-3 ATS at home this season
  • BYU is 12-4 ATS as a favorite this season

Texas vs. BYU How to Watch

  • Date: Saturday, January 27th
  • Game Time: 2:00 PM EST
  • Venue: Marriott Center
  • How to Watch (TV): ESPN2
  • Texas Record: 14-5
  • BYU Record: 14-5

Texas vs. BYU Key Players to Watch

Texas

Max Abmas: Abmas is off a monster outing against Oklahoma on the road, scoring 22 points on 57% shooting, but will need to bring his best against a disciplined BYU defense that runs the opposition off the three-point line and into an elite interior defense.

BYU

Noah Waterman: The 6'11" big is a tough matchup for any defense as BYU is able to go five-out and stretch defenses in rare ways. Waterman is hitting nearly 39% of his three's on a healthy rate and the Cougars take more than 51% of its shots from beyond the arc. Will Texas be able to match this type of firepower?

Texas vs. BYU Prediction and Pick

The Longhorns have steadied the ship to get back to .500 in Big 12 play, but there are still cracks beneath the surface of this Texas team.

Both teams do a good job of running foes off the three-point line, but each have been getting crushed by opponents from beyond the arc, each allowing 38% three-point shooting in league play, bottom three in the conference. However, the Longhorns have been able to buoy that with hot shooting, canning nearly 40% of perimeter tries in six Big 12 games.

Meanwhile, the sweet shooting Cougars have struggled from deep despite the best spacing grade in the conference, per ShotQuality. BYU is shooting 36% from three over the balance of the season, but it's being anchored by the team's underwhelming 32% three-point shooting in Big 12 play.

Texas has been prone to lapses in defense this season, 318th in catch and shoot three-point rate this season, and has been gashed by strong perimeter offenses this season, including Baylor, Texas Tech and UConn.

While road teams have fared well in Big 12 play against BYU thus far, this is a tricky set up for Texas, who may not have the defensive firepower to slow down the Cougars offense. I'll lay it with BYU after the Longhorns scored back-to-back victories.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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