It's Big Monday in CBB and we will see the Missouri Tigers travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Texas Longhorns. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 pm tipoff and will be televised live ESPN. Currently Currentley Missouri is favored by 1 point with the total being set at 145.5 for this game. The Missouri Tigers and Texas Longhorns square off for the second time this season, when the two meet in a Big 12 Conference clash tonight in Austin.
Free Analysis: Missouri is an impressive 19-2 on the season, and both losses have come in conference (Kansas State, Oklahoma State). Still, at 6-2 in the Big 12, the Tigers are currently tied with Baylor for second place, both teams just a game back of front-running Kansas (7-1). Texas Tech is alone in last place in the Big 12 at 0-8, but the Red Raiders gave Missouri everything it could handle in Columbia on Saturday. Missouri was held below 40 percent from the field for just the second time all season in that win. The only other time the Tigers were held below 70 points was a 75-59 loss at then-No. 23 Kansas State on Jan. 7. Missouri is the highest scoring team in the Big 12 this year, averaging 81.9 ppg while also leading the league in field goal percentage (.499) and free- throw percentage (.778). The team ranks second in three-point FG percentage (.380). Fortunately, those efforts have been able to sustain the Tigers, as they are one of the worst defensive teams in the conference, yielding typical shooting efforts of .430 overall and .351 from beyond the arc -- both of which rank last in the league. However, coach Frank Haith's club is first in steals (9.43 per game), turnover margin (+5.48) and assist-to-turnover margin (1.54), so as you can see there isn't much the Tigers can't achieve, or overcome.Mizzou boasts three of the Big 12's top 11 scorers in Denmon (17.8 ppg), Ratliffe (14.8 ppg) and Kim English (14.4 ppg), and four of the top-20 when you add super-sub Michael Dixon (11.7 ppg) to the mix. Ratliffe, who is hitting his field goal attempts at an eye-popping 75.1 percent, produces on the glass as well, grabbing 6.9 rpg to tie for fifth in the conference.While Missouri has the best scoring offense in the Big 12, Texas lays claim to its top individual scorer in Brown, a senior guard who despite shooting just 41.5 percent from the floor, averages 19.7 ppg. Brown also leads the team in steals (27) while ranking second in assists (84), and he has twice as many three-pointers (52) at his closest teammate. Sheldon McClellan is UT's only other double-digit scorer on the season, but his average of 11.0 ppg isn't going to scare any opponent, or make them shift their focus away from Brown. Myck Kabongo (9.9 ppg) is close to joining the ranks, but his primary goal on the floor is to get his teammates involved in the offense as he hands out 5.5 apg to rank fourth in the conference. Overall the Longhorns are averaging 74.4 ppg, thanks in part to theoir 6.3 3-pointers per game they make, while their foes are shooting just 39.5 percent from the field in netting 65.4 ppg. Missouri knotted the all-time series at 12-12 by beating Texas in Columbia, 84-73, on January 14. In that game, the Tigers' Ricardo Ratliffe scored 21 points, Marcus Denmon logged a double-double consisting of 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Phil Pressey had one as well with 18 points and 10 assists. For Texas, J'Covan Brown poured in 34 points thanks in large part to a sizzling 6- of-7 effort from three-point range. Texas is just 3-5 ATS at home on the year, while Missouri is just 2-3 ATS in their true road games.
Free Pick: Gonna go with the home team here. Missouri is a very good team on offense, but their defensive play isn't that great, especially when they have taken on the better offense in the league. Missouri has allowed 77.8 ppg in their conference road games and the last time they played Texas they allowed the Longhorns to put up 73 points on them. Texas does have a good offense as they rank 55th in the nation in scoring at 74.4 ppg, while hitting 44.4% of their shots. Texas though gets a big edge on defense as they come in allowing just 65.4 ppg on39.5% shooting (35th), while at home they have allowed just 56.5 ppg on a mere 35.1% shooting. Texas is just 1-4 in their last 5 games, but they have not played that bad as they took Baylor and KSU down to the wire on the road, while also taking Kansas down the wire at home and they beat a very good ISU team on this floor as well. This is a team that is ready for a big win and with Missouri possibly peeking ahead to Kansas they should get it here behind another stellar defensive effort at home.
Betting Strategies - College Basketball Home Court Value
Host Vegas Runner and Pregame Pro Bryan Leonard discuss that not all home courts created equal and every conference has different values.