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TEXAS LONGHORNS BIG 12 CHAMPS (+200)
The Texas Longhorns were one of the hottest teams last season and an overall thrill to watch. This season should be just as fun.
Besides landing Chris Beard from Texas Tech, which was a chess move in the Big 12, the Longhorns landed an insane transfer class.
Listen to these acquisitions: Marcus Carr (Minnesota), Timmy Allen (Utah), Devin Askew (Kentucky), Christian Bishop (Crieghton), Dyland Disu (Vanderbilt), Avery Benson (Texas Tech) and Tre Mitchell (UMass).
All avid College Basketball fans knows the first four names, but Mitchell, oh boy, oh boy. He is about to become a household name.
Mitchell averaged 17-plus points and seven-plus rebounds per game in two seasons with the Minutemen. He is a stud 6-foot-9 athletic center that shot 48%/52% from the field, 33%/37% from three and 73%/76% from the charity stripe.
Carr, Allen, Askew, Bishop and Mitchell will be key members of this Longhorns’ rotation.
The Longhorns return Andrew Jones, who should pair well with Mitchell and Carr. Jones played four years and has been at Texas for five. However, Jones battled with Leukemia and redshirted in 2018-19.
With a COVID year, Jones, among plenty of others were granted a fifth-year, giving the Longhorns a fifth-year ball-handler, which is a great asset in college basketball. Texas also returns senior guards Courtney Ramey and Jase Febres. So I am doubling down with veteran ball-handlers compliment.
All the players mentioned previously give Texas a 10-man ready rotation with legitimate starter or bench experience at Texas or a previous school. All of that with Chris Beard -- Buy into the hype.
NBC’s futures model shows Texas right behind Kansas (+125) for the Big 12 regular-season champion.
Texas Tech is the only team that saw significant line movement going from +1800 to +800 over the course of three weeks. Taking a look at Texas’ schedule next, well, they should start hot.
I will tell you right now, do not be shocked to see Texas go 11-1 or 12-0 to start the year.
A fast start will give them all the confidence they need going into Big 12 play. For the most part, the Longhorns have one of the easiest non-conference schedules in the country.
That Nov. 13th date is one of three games that are TV worthy -- that’s how easy it is.
Texas has matchups with Stanford and Seton Hall as two big non-conference matchups in December, but everyone -- and I mean everyone, will be watching Texas versus Gonzaga on Saturday, Nov. 13.
Texas catches Gonzaga nice and early while they go through a transition faze, so that should be one of the most exciting non-conference games of the year.
If the Longhorns win, which I think they can, everybody will want a shot at Texas. The Longhorns will be that good.
Kansas, Baylor and Texas Tech fans don’t want to hear that, but it’s the truth. Bet on the Longhorns in the long-term.
Pick: Texas Longhorns BIG 12 Champs +200 (2 units), Final Four +400 (0.25u)
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