Texas A Slight Favored Over Connecticut in Saturday's Showdown

Sports News - January 23rd, 2010 - Written By Bryan

January hasn't been a kind week to either the Texas Longhorns or Connecticut Huskies, and both could certainly use a pick-me-up to end the month.

Texas will only be on top for a few more days after losing to Kansas State last Monday, and will play it's final game as the no. 1-ranked team against the Huskies at 4 p.m. on Saturday

Despite being on the road, Texas is favored by 2 1/2 points according to the College Basketball Betting Lines at BetUs. The Longhorns are 4-1 ATS following a Straight-Up loss, while the Huskies are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a Straight-Up win. the over/under for the contest has been installed at 148 points.

No. 21 Connecticut certainly can't be thrilled with seeing one of the most athletic teams in the country come into it's building after losing head coach Jim Calhoun to health reasons. Calhoun, who has had a history of illness, took an indefinite leave of absence from the team earlier in the week after a consultation with his personal doctor.

School officials insist that Calhoun's illness is not related to prior diagnosis', including three fights with cancer, and that he will be back on the sidelines eventually.

But he may not like the state of things when he returns. The Huskies reached six losses quicker than any team before them had this decade, and are dangerously close to dropping out of the top-25. They have lost three of their last four and four of seven, including a 67-57 blowout loss at home by Pitt. Aside from that UConn is 12-0 at home, but the Longhorns are 3-1 on the road, also winning a big game against North Carolina on a neutral court.

But Texas is coming off two miserable shooting nights in which they were held below 37-percent, and star Damion James, who is averaging a double-double the season, was held to only nine points and seven boards in the loss to Kansas State.

Center Dexter Pittman only added six points and went 0-for-2 at the free throw line, part of Texas' 9-for-22 effort from the stripe as a team.

But the Longhorns still have one of the most dangerous back courts in the nation with three players averaging double digits. James leads the group with 17.3 points per game and also adds 11 rebounds.

UConn has four players in double-digits, led by point guard Jerome Dyson, who averages nearly 19 points per game, and forward Stanley Robinson who averages nearly 17.

Texas doesn't face another ranked opponent until Feb. 8, when they will take on no. 3 Kansas (which will likely be no. 2 by next week) in a blockbuster conference game on ESPN.