K-State Wildcats vs. Texas Longhorns: TV, time, odds, game preview, score prediction

The Kansas State men’s basketball team will try to snap a losing streak when the Wildcats take on the Texas Longhorns on Monday night at Moody Center in Austin.

Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, plus a score prediction:

When: 8 p.m. Monday

Where: Moody Center (Austin)

TV: ESPN2

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: Texas by 8.5

Over/Under: 140.5

STARTING LINEUPS

About Texas (16-9, 5-7)

The Longhorns are coming off an 82-61 loss at Houston. Conference play has been an adventure for Texas, as it has quality wins over Baylor, Oklahoma and TCU but also head-scratching losses against UCF and West Virginia. The Longhorns have struggled more than most Big 12 teams at home, going just 11-4 at Moody Center. But they did win their last home game in a landslide, 94-58 against West Virginia. Oral Roberts transfer Max Abmas is the team’s leading scorere, and returning forward Dylan Disu is the top inside player. The Longhorns shoot the bell well from 3-point range (37.5%) and do a solid job on defense when it comes to preventing teams from scoring at the rim with their size.

About Kansas State (15-10, 5-7)

The Wildcats are coming off a 75-72 home loss to TCU that left them looking more like a NIT team than a NCAA Tournament hopeful. K-State has lost six of its past seven games and needs to go on a winning streak soon if it hopes to salvage its season. Cam Carter, Arthur Kaluma and Tylor Perry lead the team in scoring, but they have all been hit or miss lately. Carter only scored six points against TCU and will need to play much better against Texas. This team looked like a good 3-point shooting squad at the start of the season but it is only currently making 30.4% of its shots from beyond the arc.

K-State at Texas score prediction

There aren’t many reasons to like K-State on Monday night.

The Wildcats have lost six of their past seven games overall. They have also lost five straight games on the road.

Jerome Tang’s team simply isn’t playing well right now and expecting that to change against Texas at Moody Center seems unlikely.

Texas has more talent and offensive firepower. K-State will need to do something it hasn’t done much of lately (make 3-pointers) to pull off an upset against the Longhorns.

Maybe it can happen.

Whenever it looks like a Big 12 team can be left for dead that team has tended to bounce back with an inspired effort this season. Oklahoma State, UCF and West Virginia have all pulled off improbable wins. Furthermore, the Longhorns haven’t been dominant at home this season, and they only have five wins in conference play.

If the Wildcats play their best, they can absolutely pull off an upset here.

But that seems unlikely to happen. Texas should be motivated to win an important home game as it looks to improve its NCAA Tournament profile. The Longhorns deserve to be big favorites.

Texas 74, K-State 65

Last game prediction: K-State 65, TCU 61. (Actual result: TCU 75, K-State 72)

Season Record: 19-6

Season Record ATS: 12-13

Season Record O/U: 18-7