5 Things to Know Before WVU vs. No. 5 Texas

West Virginia travels to No. 5 Texas for their first of a two-game road trip. Let’s take a look at five things to know before the game.

First Meeting: Texas Left Morgantown with Win

On Jan. 21, Texas came into Morgantown and held WVU off late for a 69-61 win. The Longhorns went on a 6-0 run in the final two minutes.

West Virginia struggled to control the ball in the first matchup, turning it over 20 times.

WVU head coach Bob Huggins admittedly forgot to put guard Joe Toussaint in the second half until the final minutes. Toussaint came in and tried to give his production in a limited time.

Since the first matchup with Texas, WVU is 4-1 and is playing better basketball on both ends of the floor.

WVU F Tre Mitchell Returns to Austin

West Virginia forward Tre Mitchell will play Texas in Austin for the first time since transferring last spring. Mitchell spent one season at Texas before entering the transfer portal. Mitchell ended up at WVU in May.

Mitchell’s first game against his former school on Jan. 21 resulted in a 12-point effort.

Mitchell, a senior from Pittsburgh, is averaging 11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists through 24 games for West Virginia. The 6-foot-9 forward is shooting 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.

West Virginia 5-2 in Last Seven Games

The Mountaineers have dug themselves out of a hole. On Jan. 14, this team was 10-7 with no Big 12 Conference win in five attempts.

West Virginia has defeated TCU, Texas Tech, Auburn, Oklahoma and Iowa State in their stretch to turn the season around. WVU is projected as a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament as of Saturday morning.

A win over No. 5 Texas would have West Virginia back in the top 25 conversations.

Betting Lines

The spread for the West Virginia-Texas game is Texas -6.5. The over/under is set at 149.0.

Where to Watch

West Virginia and Texas will tip off at noon inside the Moody Center on Saturday. The Mountaineers and Longhorns will be on ESPN2.