Current 14th seed West Virginia Mountaineers still have a ways to go in order to become March madness betting favorites, and the next step is tonight against the Texas Longhorns at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. The good news for WVU fans who’d bet on March madness is that the ‘Neers are favored to beat UT.
Texas +15½ (-110) 142½ (-110) +1050
West Virginia -15½ (-110) 142½ (-110) -1600
The Horns lost their third game straight on Saturday, a 61-64 loss to Kansas State. Kendal Yancy had 13 points but also got beat to the punch on the game’s last shot’s rebound and to compound matters he fouled DJ Johnson on the tip – Johnson then made a free throw that sent Wildcats to a 64-61 victory. Jarret Allen added 12 points for the Texas, who came back from a nine point deficit early in the second half. Andrew Jones tied the game twice for the Longhorns, first with a 3-point shot and then a thunderous dunk that made it 59-59 with 1:22 remaining. Texas suffered another heartbreaking loss though on the bright side they must have already grown accustomed to it in head coach Shaka ‘Khan’ Smart. Long gone are the days when the Longhorns were a ranked team – and maybe even March madness betting favorites? Now all that’s left for UT fans would have liked to bet on March madness is this: Save me, Shaka Khan, Shaka Khan.
WVU knows what it’s like to lose to a Kansas school but they bounced back with an 83-74 double overtime win over Texas Tech on Saturday. Jevon Carter scored a season-best 24 points, including the game-winning basket, while Tarik Phillip added 15 points, including six after regulation. The Red Raiders went without basket during a 4+ minute period across both OTs, which the ‘Neers took advantage of to outscore Texas Tech 13-4 in the second overtime. West Virginia also out-rebounded the Raiders 43-30. Elijah Macon had a season-best 17 points and a career-best 12 rebounds as well as his first double-double of the season. Head coach Bob Huggins said “that’s the Elijah Macon that everybody thought we recruited.” You mean, when you were bringing home the Macon? WVU won their first of four OT games this season. They squandered a 14-point lead in the final three minutes of regulation before losing in overtime to the Jayhawks. WVU is going to need all the March madness betting good will they can get. UT has won six of the last eight games against West Virginia entering tonight’s game including a 56-49 win in Morgantown last season. Texas leads the series 8-5 but WVU won their last encounter 74-72 on January 14th in Austin. Texas has had 14 of its first 27 games decided by five points or less. UT is 5-9 this year in contests decided by five points or less and 3-7 in games decided by three points or less. But then this probably data that people who will bet on March madness will have no use for.