College Basketball Odds, Pick for LSU vs Texas

Below, we have college basketball odds and a pick for LSU vs Texas.

In a slate filled with marquee matchups, this one appears to be flying under the radar. But it has a valuable angle that we can capitalize on.

The LSU Tigers head to Houston, Texas, to take on the No. 19-ranked Texas Longhorns.

This matchup will be one of the Tigers' final tests before conference play begins. To this point, they have yet to prove they can hang with the upper echelon of programs in the country.

While they own a win over Wake Forest, they have fallen to the likes of Dayton, Syracuse and Kansas State.

We'll find out here how they may fare against their toughest assignment yet.

That tall task comes in the form of a Texas Longhorn team that will have the opportunity to make a statement. Texas has racked up two double-digit losses to the two ranked opponents it's faced thus far, but a big win over an SEC foe could give it the boost it needs.

The one thing that stands out about this LSU club is its size. The Tigers are the 12th-tallest team in the country and have shown that they'll utilize it to their advantage on the offensive end of the floor.

Senior big man Will Baker leads the Tigers in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting 56% from inside the arc.

While Baker has been solid, he's not the first option. That title belongs to Jordan Wright.

However, Wright hasn't shot well from the floor this season, as he comes into this matchup with a field goal percentage of just 35. His inefficiency has derailed the offense at times because his usage is so high.

LSU's offensive outlook for this matchup is not too promising, as the Longhorns have the size to contend with Baker inside and have held opponents to just 49% on close 2s this season.

Texas' length has aided it on the perimeter as well. Just 24.6% of the points the Longhorns have allowed this season have come from beyond the arc. It'll be surprising to see the Tigers break 70 here.

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Seeing the Longhorns fall short against elite competition is a tad surprising, as the talent of this club is apparent.

It starts at the top with former Oral Roberts folk hero Max Abmas.

Abmas has proven to be an efficient volume shooter since dawning burnt orange. He, along with the backcourt duo of Tyrese Hunter and Ithiel Horton, give the Longhorns the ability to punish the Tigers from where they're most susceptible: beyond the arc.

LSU has allowed its opposition to shoot over 35% from long range, and over 42% of the points it's allowed this season have come off 3s. The issue for Texas is that it doesn't shoot from long range at a high volume.

The Longhorns' mixture of size and athleticism has proven effective inside, as they're 35th in 2-point percentage. However, that's where they'll have to contend with the size and strength of the Tigers' defense.

LSU is 14th in opponent 2-point percentage allowed and 44th in block rate.

KenPom has this total projected at 143. That total is fair, but it may be overestimating each offense in this matchup.

Eight of LSU's 10 games have gone under that total, and this will be its toughest test yet on the offensive end.

On the other side, the Longhorns will have to find success from the perimeter, where they're far less efficient.

This matchup points to going under the total.

Pick: Under 142.5

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