Big 12 showdown pits Sooners against Longhorns

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/21/2009 - Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the top spot in the national polls within reach, the second-ranked Oklahoma Sooners head to Austin this weekend, to battle the Texas Longhorns in Big 12 action from the Frank Erwin Center.

Jeff Capel's Sooners have won 13 straight games and are a perfect 11-0 in league play. The team's lone defeat came at Arkansas back on December 30th and the most recent outing resulted in a 95-74 pasting of Texas Tech last weekend. Oklahoma's dominance coupled with Connecticut's recent loss this week, should set the Sooners up for taking over the top spot in the polls next week, providing the team takes care of business in Austin.

Trying to prevent that from happening will be a Texas team in desperate need of a quality win. After starting the Big 12 slate at 4-1, the Longhorns have struggled, including losses in three of their last five games. The team was in action on Monday, but came up small in College Station, falling hard to Texas A&M (81-66).

This game represents the 74th all-time meeting between these two teams. Oklahoma holds a 46-27 advantage in the series, but it is the Longhorns who have had the upper hand of late, winning six of the last seven meetings and 11 of the last 15 overall. Oklahoma however, is seeking the regular season sweep after posting a 78-63 decision in Norman back on January 12th.

The Sooners are one of the most balanced teams around, getting it done both with flashy offensive firepower, as well as stingy defensive pressure. The team is converting just under 50 percent of its shots on the year, resulting in a hefty scoring average of 80.5 ppg. Of course, All-American and National Player of the Year candidate Blake Griffin is a big reason for the success. The 6-10 sophomore is unstoppable in the low post, converting a mind-boggling 63.8 percent from the floor and leading the team in scoring (22.8 ppg) and the nation in rebounding (14.2 rpg). He gets help up front from brother Taylor Griffin (8.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg), while guards Willie Warren (14.9 ppg) and Tony Crocker (10.0 ppg) get open looks from the perimeter, thanks to all the attention paid to Griffin down low. It was once again a magnificent performance by Griffin in the win over Texas Tech last week, as he completely dominated to the tune of 40 points and 23 rebounds. Warren added 15 points to the cause, as Oklahoma shot .530 from the field and outrebounded the Red Raiders, 48-28.

The Longhorns shot a bland .431 from the floor and turned the ball over a costly 15 times, as A&M routed UT in College Station this week. Gary Johnson led the way for Texas with 17 points, while A.J. Abrams and Dexter Pittman tallied 16 and 13 points, respectively. However, it still wasn't enough to get the win. The team's lack of offensive production was not surprising, considering Texas is averaging just 73.0 ppg on the year. Still, the team remains difficult to beat with a solid defense, limiting foes to a mere 64.5 ppg. Abrams is the straw that stirs the drink. The veteran guard is averaging almost 17 points per game (16.8) and leads the team with 75 three-pointers thus far. A staple in Austin, Abrams will set the school record for career games played (135) in this contest. The team does have adequate balance, as Damion James and Johnson are perfect complements up front. James is netting 15.6 ppg and leads the team with 9.0 rpg. Johnson checks in at 11.4 ppg and nearly six boards per outing (5.9).

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