:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71890836/usa_today_19815304.0.jpg "College basketball picks: Texas-West Virginia prediction, odds, spread for Jan. 21")
The West Virginia Mountaineers take on the Texas Longhorns at The Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN on Saturday evening. Let's take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.
Texas vs. West Virginia odds
Spread: WVU -1
Over/Under: 145.5
Moneyline: WVU -110, Texas -110
The Longhorns enter as the No. 7 team in the country but are coming off a loss to the Iowa State Cyclones this week. Texas has two losses in Big 12 play but the conference is so deep teams aren't getting dinged too much for it. The Longhorns got beat on the glass, being out-rebounded 9-4 on the offensive side against Iowa State, which was the difference. Fouls also played a factor, which is no surprise in the Big 12.
The Mountaineers had started Big 12 play with five straight losses before knowing off No. 14 TCU this week. WVU entered Big 12 play 10-4 and among the top 25 before falling behind. Kedrian Johnson was able to return to the lineup and provide some stability at guard against TCU, scoring a team-high 20 points.
The Pick: WVU -1
There's a reason that a non-ranked team at home is favored over the No. 7 team in the country. And that's because of how strong the Big 12 conference is this season. The Mountaineers are streaky but have some momentum finally and are playing at home. Even against TCU, the offense was shaky, shooting around 45% from the floor. Erik Stevenson continues to struggle but will eventually put together a whole game and shoot well. Having Johnson back is big since it takes pressure off guys like Joe Toussaint, Trey Mitchell and Emmitt Matthews Jr. The Longhorns also could get beat on the glass again. Jimmy Bell Jr. was the key for WVU against TCU.
If West Virginia can get Texas in foul trouble and clean the glass, they should be able to pull off the upset. Clearly, the books don't think there's that much separation between these two teams. KenPom would also seem to agree. An in-game bet may also be the way to go to get some value on either side. We may not see the line move dramatically but one run and we've got a side at +4-5.