Texas men's basketball preview, prediction: Longhorns return home against Central Florida
After dropping out of the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time this season following Saturday’s loss to West Virginia, Texas (12-4, 1-2 Big 12) will try and rebound against visiting Central Florida (10-5, 1-2) Wednesday at 7 p.m. (Longhorn Network, 1300).
Here's what you need to know about the matchup:
More: Dylan Disu back permanently in starting lineup for Texas basketball, says coach Rodney Terry
Max Abmas: Honors keep piling up for guard
Graduate guard Max Abmas earned the Big 12’s newcomer of the week award for the second time this season, the league announced Monday. In Texas’s two games last week, Abmas averaged 23.5 points and four assists in 36 minutes a game while shooting 48.4% from the floor and 50% from 3-point range. His week included a season-high 32 points in Saturday’s 76-73 loss to West Virginia, when Abmas moved into a tie for No. 17 on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list with NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird (Indiana State) with 2,850 points.
Ithiel Horton: Looking for his stroke against former team
Texas hopes a reunion with his former team can kick-start Ithiel Horton, a graduate transfer from UCF who has struggled with Texas this season. Horton started all 34 games for the Knights last season while averaging 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also flashed the ability to get hot from long distance while making four or more 3-pointers in eight games. This season, Horton averages just 7.1 points a game and has shot 0-for-5 without a point in Big 12 play.
Central Florida Knights: Mixed results in Big 12 debut
In their Big 12 debut season, the Knights have already carved out some memorable moments. They suffered a blowout loss on the road at Kansas State in their conference opener, rebounded with a stunning home win over No. 3 Kansas and gave No. 18 BYU fits Saturday before falling at home 63-58. Jaylin Sellers, a 6-foot-4 guard who transferred from Ball State in the offseason, leads UCF with 17.5 points a game, but the Knights shoot just 40.9% from the floor as a team.
Texas vs. UCF prediction
Texas. The Longhorns are an 8.5-point favorite despite their slow start to Big 12 play, and a sparkling home record at Moody Center could be one reason for the sizeable spread. Texas has dropped just two games on its own court since Moody Center opened prior to last season, and that home edge should be enough to top a UCF team that can fall into some offensive doldrums.
— Thomas Jones
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas men's basketball preview, prediction: Longhorns face UCF
