TCU Horned Frogs vs. Texas Longhorns: Big 12 Tournament Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 3/10/2023

Big 12 Semifinal

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

Venue: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO

Where to watch: ESPN

DraftKings: Odds not yet available

BetMGM: Odds not yet available

Caesars: Odds not yet available

No. 22 TCU: 21-11

No. 7 Texas: 24-8

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I will tell you that I have no idea how this game is going to unfold. I have been thinking about it for the last few hours trying to figure out if what we saw on Thursday was supposed to be for real or not. And I think we've spent all year clamoring over the Kansas State Wildcats thinking that they were absolutely the dark horse in this conference. And then we get back to the TCU horned frogs and suddenly everything is topsy turvy and we have no idea how exactly we need to establish ourselves within the realms of understanding college basketball. And yet here we are with TCU taking on the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 tournament semifinal on Friday night.

 

What exactly do we think was supposed to happen? I think we spent all year looking at Kansas State as being the team that no one really wanted to face and they showed it throughout this year and what was a very crowded Big 12 conference. TCU saw that as a challenge and decided to take out this team in rather convincing fashion by outscoring them 43 to 35 in the second-half and winning the game 80-67 to move on to the semifinals.

 

Chuck O’Bannon had 22 points to lead TCU to go along with seven rebounds, and it wasn't like TCU had an inside path to win this game period they only shot 40% from the floor, but the biggest difference was that they made four more 3 pointers than Kansas State did. And even the fact that they got out rebounded 41-34 it just did not feel like Kansas State was in control for any part of this game.

 

But right now when you're looking at TCU, what better tandem is there in the Big 12 then Mike Miles and O’Bannon? there really isn't. This is a combination that is able to take over the game at any given point and it showed when you have both of them going for 22 points and no one else's scoring in double figures. TCU could be a more dangerous team if Emmanuel Miller did not struggle shooting three of 13 from the field boy the fact that he struggled and two other guys picked up the pace shows how deep this team is.

 

Which is why I am not exactly discounting TCU against Texas. Texas did what it needed to do in beating Oklahoma State 61-47 in their quarterfinal matchup to set the stage for this game. Both matchups in the regular season were decided by a combined six points with both teams winning their respective home games, so this is going to be a really interesting game. And to be completely honest with you, I would feel much more comfortable about Texas if they just want a little bit more on the road. They have not been good away from home this year and I can't even count the fact that it was a neutral sight that they won the quarterfinal matchup. This isn't gonna be any different and I expect it to be a very close game.

 

If TCU has even a little bit of energy left in order to win this game, I expect them to empty all the tanks. I like Texas and I like their consistency, but TCU just has this aura about them and it has been there all season long. TCU 78, Texas 75

PG: Mike Miles Jr.

SG: Damion Baugh

SF: Chuck O'Bannon

PF: Emmanuel Miller

C: Jakobe Coles

PG: Marcus Carr

SG: Tyrese Hunter

SF: Timmy Allen

PF: Dillon Mitchell

C: Dylan Disu