No. 12 Texas vs. Houston Christian preview

Looking to build on the 72-57 win over the UTEP Miners to start the season, the No. 12 Texas Longhorns welcome the Houston Baptist Huskies to the Moody Center on Thursday evening.

Led by head coach Ron Cottrell, who has coached the Mustangs since 1990, Houston Christian enters the game 0-1 following a 77-66 loss to Florida International after turning the ball over 22 times. Guard Brycen Long led Houston Christian in scoring with 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field, including 9-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc. No other players scored in double digits for the Huskies as the Panthers shot 50 percent from the floor and had four players score in double digits.

In the victory over UTEP, guard Tyrese Hunter scored a game-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting, making all four field-goal attempts in the second half, while guard Marcus Carr provided a strong floor game with six assists to complement his 12 points, mostly scored from the free-throw line. Guard Sir’Jabari Rice also provided an efficient performance, scoring 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 shooting from three, and leading the team with six rebounds.

“I’m glad that I’m never going to have to see Jabari Rice again,” UTEP head coach Joe Golding said after the game. Playing at New Mexico State last season, Rice hit a game-winner three-pointer against UTEP with two seconds left to cap a 19-point performance.

“It’s a really, really good team,” Golding said of Texas. “That’s a team that’s got a chance to play late into March. There’s probably 10, 15, maybe 20 teams that have a good chance to win a national championship. That’s one.”

How to Watch:

TV: Longhorn Network

Time: 8:00 p.m. Central

Livestream: WatchESPN

Radio: Longhorn IMG Radio Network (affiliates available on Texassports.com)

Odds: The Longhorns are 37-point favorites, according to DraftKings. Odds/lines are subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.