[9:33 PM] Alabama @ Texas

Who will WIN this matchup?

Alabama Crimson Tide (4-2)

@ Texas Longhorns (3-3)

 

• A young Texas squad will continue to look for leadership when the Longhorns host Alabama on Friday. Longhorns coach Shaka Smart said his team needs someone to step forward when things go bad, as they did in the program’s first-ever loss to Texas-Arlington on Tuesday. Texas struggled offensively and is averaging 57.7 points during a three-game losing streak.

• Two young players are leading a balanced Alabama attack as the Crimson Tide prepare for their first true road game. Freshman forward Braxton Key is averaging 15 points at 66.7 percent shooting, four assists and two blocks in back-to-back starts.

• Key leads the Crimson Tide with 10.7 points and has hit 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the 3-point line. Redshirt freshman guard Dazon Ingram, who played seven games last year before a foot injury ended his season, adds 10 points on 62.5 percent shooting, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals. The Alabama bench averages 33 points as the Crimson Tide have 11 players averaging at least 10 minutes.

• Sophomore wing Tevin Mack leads the Longhorns with 14.6 points off the bench and sophomore guard Kerwin Roach Jr. adds 12.2 points. Freshman forward Jarrett Allen – one of four freshman in the rotation – contributes 10.5 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds in a team-high 29.7 minutes. Texas has been outrebounded (minus-8 average) during the losing streak and has hit 6-of-40 from the 3-point line in its last two games.

• The Longhorns have shot below 40 percent in consecutive losses to Northwestern, Colorado and Arlington after shooting better than 45 percent in their first three games.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide

Confidence: 4/10

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