[9:32 PM] #23 Texas v. Northwestern

Who will WIN this matchup?

#23 Texas Longhorns (3-0)

Northwestern Wildcats (2-1)

 

• The line for this game is Texas by 2.5 points.

• Texas, which bounced back from a 2-3 start to finish 20-13 and earn a NCAA Tournament berth in Shaka Smart’s first season as head coach, is off to a 3-0 start in Year Two. But the Longhorns, who cruised to home wins over Incarnate Word, Louisiana Monroe and Eastern Washington by an average of over 16 points, will step up in class when they face Northwestern on Monday night in the Legends Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y.

• Sophomore swingman Tevin Mack is one of six Longhorns averaging in double figures with a team best 16.5 points. Jarrett Allen, a 6-foot-10 freshman forward who along with fellow freshman forward James Banks played for Smart on the USA U-18 National Team that claimed gold at the FIBA Americas Tournament last summer in South America, leads the team in rebounding (8.0) and minutes (29.3) while also scoring 10.0 points per game. Starting guards Kendal Yancy (13.7), Eric Davis Jr. (11.0) and Kerwin Roach Jr. (11.0) also are averaging in double figures as is freshman guard Andrew Jones (13.0).

• Versatile sophomore forward Vic Law, who missed the entire 2015-16 season with a shoulder injury, has shown no sign of rust so far, averaging a team best 20.3 points to go along with 5.3 rebounds and three steals. The Wildcats have made 25 3-pointers with Law an amazing 11-of-14 (78.6 percent) beyond the arc. Junior guards Bryant McIntosh (13.7) and Scottie Lindsey (13.0) also are averaging in double figures with the 6-foot-5 Lindsey also grabbing a team leading 6.0 rebounds per game.

• Texas is holding opponents to just 21.8 percent shooting from 3-point range which ranks 16th nationally.

• Mack has connected on eight of his 14 3-point tries (57.1 percent).

• The series between Texas and Northwestern is tied, 1-1, but this is the first meeting since Dec. 23, 1974 when the Longhorns captured a 63-59 home win.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Texas Longhorns

Confidence: 5/10

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