Texas vs. #5 UConn Picks and Predictions: Longhorns Take On Huskies Up North

|
Solo Ball leads the Huskies with 15.0 points per game - Texas UConn Picks

Sean Miller and the Texas Longhorns head to the northeast part of the United States for some Friday Night basketball. This college hoops matchup won’t be easy for the visitors, even though it is not technically a road game. Nevertheless, the UConn faithful will certainly be packing PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut tonight, as their No. 5 ranked Huskies take on the team from Austin. Let’s get into our favorite picks for this contest tonight.

Go check out what else I’ve got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.

Texas Longhorns vs. #5 UConn Huskies NCAA Basketball Insights

Jordan Pope adds 12.5 points per game for the Longhorns, shooting over 37.5% from deep - Texas UConn Picks

Jordan Pope adds 12.5 points per game for the Longhorns, shooting over 37.5% from deep

Texas is 7-3 to start the season, while UConn is 9-1. The Longhorns lost their season opener to the Duke Blue Devils by 15, with losses to Arizona State and Virginia as well this season. Although they have a decent win over NC State in the Maui fifth place contest, they were blown out by the Cavaliers on their home floor. Now, coming off a demolishing win over Southern, can they take on the Huskies in Hartford?

UConn has just one loss this season. It was at home to the Arizona Wildcats, who are currently the top ranked team in the country. They have four other ranked wins: against No. 7 BYU in Boston, against No. 13 Illinois at Madison Square Garden, against No. 21 Kansas on the road in Allen Fieldhouse, and most recently against the No. 18 Florida Gators in Storrs. This team has had plenty of tough tests already, will facing the Longhorns be that difficult?

Matchup Information – Texas vs. UConn – December 12

  • Venue & Location: PeoplesBank Arena (Hartford, CT)
  • Date: Friday, December 12, 2025
  • Kick Off: 8:00 p.m. Eastern
  • Broadcast: FOX

Texas vs. UConn Betting Odds

Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of December 12, 2025 at 10:28 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.

Spread

  • Texas +15 (-112)
  • UConn -15 (-108)

Moneyline

  • Texas +825
  • UConn -1600

Total

  • Over 145.5 (-112)
  • Under 145.5 (-108)

The Huskies have the advantage when it comes to most categories. In terms of player talent and coaching, UConn has a serious edge.  They’ve won five straight since their loss to Arizona at home, and they shouldn’t be looking ahead to Butler on Tuesday, even though it will be their first Big East game. UConn needs to focus on the task at hand, and I see them shutting down the Longhorns.

Texas vs. #5 UConn NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions

Dan Hurley and UConn are one of the nation's best teams this season - Texas UConn Picks

Dan Hurley and UConn are one of the nation’s best teams this season

Texas vs. UConn Prediction: UConn Wins and Covers, Under 145.5

Best Bet: Texas/UConn Under 145.5 (-108) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook

Both these teams play slow, but UConn is painfully slow compared to Texas. The Longhorns come into this game ranked No. 185 in pace, about middle of the pack but slightly on the slower side of things. As for the Huskies, they are nearly north of 300, coming in ranked No. 294 in terms of possessions per game. Point being, UConn can slow this thing down, limit the Longhorn’s offensive possessions, and force them to defend for the entire shot clock.

The Longhorns don’t shoot very many threes, but they take care of the ball, crash the glass on both ends, and get to the free throw line plenty. However, they only shoot 72% as a team from the stripe. Texas also ranks No. 326 (bottom 40) in turnovers forced, so the Huskies will be able to run all of their offensive sets, milking the clock before getting a good look.

Neither team gives up many offensive rebounds, and UConn is top 30 in turnover rate. The Huskies are also top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and the Longhorns have struggled against such teams. Duke ranks top 15 in offensive efficiency, and are third in the country on the defensive side of things, plus they play plenty slow. They held Texas to just 60 points. Virginia also plays slow, ranking No. 7 in adjusted offensive efficiency, and top 20 on eFG% defense. They held the Longhorns to just 69 points while scoring 88.

Point being, the Longhorns struggle to put up points or defend very efficient teams on both sides of the ball. UConn fits that description, and I see them winning in dominating fashion tonight, while the full game stays under the total.

Still Didn’t Get Your NCAA Basketball Fix?

Here at Betting News, we offer Free Expert Picks for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our Twitch Channel with our best bets, as well as sweat out games on Playback! Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our Youtube, TikTok, and X pages as well, and follow my personal twitter @Shaggy_Bets for my full daily card.

Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly

Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER

Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News