Two top-level college basketball programs that have more than lived up to preseason hype thus far this season will meet on Thursday night when the Creighton Bluejays head to Austin to face off with the Texas Longhorns.
Creighton lost in the finals of the Maui Invitational last week after defeating two ranked opponents to get there. Texas remains undefeated on the season, including a win over the then-second-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Will the Longhorns remain undefeated after another big test at home?
Check out our college basketball picks and predictions for Creighton vs. Texas on Thursday, December 1 to find out.
Creighton vs Texas best odds
Creighton vs Texas picks and predictions
If I asked you to name the first thing that came to mind when thinking about Chris Beard, defense is probably near the top of that list. This year is no different as the second-year head coach of the Longhorns. Texas ranks sixth in the country in points allowed per game and second in defensive rating.
The Longhorns also rank ninth in the country in allowing their opponents to shoot only 35.1% from the field. Fifth-year Senior guard Marcus Carr and Senior forward Dylan Disu are two major reasons. Carr averages 2.4 steals per game and Disu averages 2.0 blocks per game.
They will be put to the test against one of the best offenses in the country, however, in Creighton, who averages 83.9 points per game (26th in the country) and shoots 51.2% from the field (10th in the nation). They have only been held under 80 points three times this season and have yet to score fewer than 72 points.
A major reason for their offensive success is their balance. All five starters average double-digit points per game and they all have the ability to pull up from 3-point land. However, they only have two players that play more than 10 minutes per game off the bench, and neither of them are big scorers. Meanwhile, Texas’ rotation will go nine-deep in most games.
Texas completely dominated Gonzaga at home on November 16, playing closer to the Bulldogs’ style of play. Gonzaga still scored 74 points, but that was nine points below its season average, as they also gave up 20 turnovers, six more than their average. Texas managed to score 93 points, which was their highest output of the season.
No defense is likely to completely shut down this Creighton offense, but Texas will give it fits in Austin. Creighton did hold Texas Tech to 65 points, but it allowed 87 and 81 points to Arkansas and Arizona, respectively. I like Texas to win another big game at home here by a comfortable margin, similar to the Gonzaga game. Creighton is battle-tested, but not in a true road environment.
My best bet: Texas -6.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
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Creighton vs Texas spread analysis
Texas may only be 3-2 against the spread this season, but it covered its one “close” spread by a massive 17 points. Last season, Texas went 16-3 ATS at home and all three losses were spreads of 20+ points in games the Horns still won by double-digits.
Meanwhile, Creighton was only 6-5 ATS last season in true road games. However, it was an even worse 1-3 in road games against ranked opponents. None of those opponents were as strong as this year’s Texas team. This will be Creighton’s first true road game of the year.
Not only can Carr shut down opponents, but he can also help light up the scoreboard on offense. He is Texas’ second-leading scorer at 14.8 per contest, and also the leading assist man at 3.8 per game. He had 16 points and season-highs seven assists and four rebounds against Gonzaga earlier this season.
Carr is going to be a pivotal player in another big game for Texas. His defense will lead to more offense and his passing will put points on the board. I love Texas here at this low of a spread and expect another double-digit home win for the Longhorns.
Creighton vs Texas Over/Under analysis
Only the neutral-court match against Texas Tech had a lower total than this game for Creighton. However, that game went Over both totals. Creighton has only played one game this season that didn’t hit at least 140 total points.
This is an average total for Texas, but sits about five points lower than the total in a very similar matchup against Gonzaga, which resulted in 167 points and went well Over the 144.5-point total.
Carr is going to be out there forcing turnovers and dishing dimes for Texas points. However, Creighton is also going to score in what is likely to be a fast-paced game. I don’t necessarily love this total, but it should be a lean towards the Over based on the likely game script.
Creighton vs Texas betting trend to know
The Over is 5-1 in Creighton’s last six games following an ATS win. Find more College basketball betting trends for Creighton vs. Texas .
Creighton vs Texas game info
| Location: | Moody Center, Austin, TX |
| Date: | Thursday, December 1, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
