Very important game in the Big 12 Conference on Saturday afternoon. No. 12 West Virginia is tied for second, and finishing second or third would mean potentially avoiding Kansas until the Big 12 Tournament title game. TCU, meanwhile, is teetering on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament and badly needs its first win against a ranked team this season. The Frogs will be underdogs in college basketball spreads.
West Virginia vs TCU Spread, Free Pick & TV Info
- When: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2 PM ET
- Where: Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: WatchESPN
- Radio: West Virginia / TCU
- Opening NCAAB Lines: WVU favored by TBA
Why Bet On West Virginia?
The Mountaineers (22-6, 10-5) are tied for second with Baylor and Iowa State – Kansas has already won the Big 12 regular-season title. WVU beat Texas 77-62 on Monday. Jevon Carter matched his season- high with 24 points and Lamont West came off the bench to score 23 – it was the first time this season two WVU players scored at least 20.
After a slow start, Bob Huggins’ team used a 21-3 run to turn an early 12-2 deficit into a 16-point advantage with 1:43 remaining in the first half. West was the catalyst, draining five of his seven 3-point attempts to score 20 by halftime. Starting forward Esa Ahmad watched the game in street clothes after suffering a strained back during last Saturday’s double-overtime win over the Red Raiders.
WVU swept Texas in the season series for the first time since 2013, but that was secondary to what happened near the end of the first half when Huggins went to his knees and grabbed his chest following a timeout. He said afterward that his heart defibrillator went off and it gave him a shock. After communicating with his personal doctor, who was at the game, he continued to coach without any issues. Huggins will be fine to coach here.
Huggins is in ninth place all-time on the NCAA Division I winningest coaches list. His record now stands at 813-327 in his 35th season as a head coach. Huggins trails Rollie Massimino by two wins and Jim Phelan by 17 wins.
WVU leads the country in turnover margin (9.3), turnovers forced (21.8) and steals (11.1). WVU ranks third in scoring margin (18.9), fourth in offensive rebounds (14.7), 14th in assists (17.1) and 10th in scoring offense (85.6). The Mountaineers are forcing their opponents to turn it over on 28.7 percent of their possessions, tops in the country.
Why Bet On TCU?
The Frogs are on their second four-game losing streak in the Big 12 this season, going from in the NCAA Tournament to just on the outside. The Frogs lost at Kansas 87-68 on Wednesday. The score was only 49-47 on a basket by JB Miller with about 16 minutes left. The Jayhawks answered moments later when Frank Mason lobbed a pass to Josh Jackson as he finished with a dunk. The play touched off eight straight points that allowed Kansas to pry open a game in which nobody had led by more than five. The Jayhawks ripped off another run a few minutes later.
Alex Robinson had 15 points and a team-high four assists for the Horned Frogs (17-11, 6-9), who have never won in Allen Fieldhouse. Jaylen Fisher added 11 points and Miller had 10. Miller reached double figures for the sixth time in the last eight games. He had just four double-digit scoring efforts in his previous 19 contests this season. Vladimir Brodziansky had four blocks. It was his sixth game this season with at least four blocks. Brodziansky moved into fifth place for the most blocks in a season at TCU with 65.
TCU had nine turnovers. It was the sixth time this season the Frogs have had fewer than 10 turnovers in a game. TCU’s eight blocks tied for the third most this season. Here, TCU will be trying for its first win over an AP Top 25 team since a 70-55 win over No. 21 Oklahoma State on Feb. 14, 2015. The Frogs have lost its last 21 games against ranked opponents. The highest ranked team TCU has ever beaten was No. 5 Kansas, 62-55, on Feb. 6, 2013 in Fort Worth.
TCU lost at WVU 82-70 on Jan. 7. West Virginia’s Carter scored nine of his 13 points during a decisive 16- 4 run. WVU is 10-0 all-time vs. TCU since the schools joined the Big 12.
West Virginia vs TCU Free Pick
Take the points here – it’s desperation time for the Frogs.
