College Basketball Betting: No. 1 Texas at No. 21 Connecticut

UConn is 1-0 without head coach Jim Calhoun this season. (AP Images)

The Texas Longhorns’ two-week stay at No. 1 will likely end no matter what they do Saturday against UConn after losing early this week to Kansas State, but the Horns probably won’t drop farther than No. 4 if they can beat the Huskies on Saturday afternoon – make your college basketball bet at Bodog on this game.

Connecticut (12-6, 7-9 ATS) is of course still without head coach Jim Calhoun, who is on an indefinite leave of absence for medical reasons. But the Huskies ended a three-game losing streak in their first game without Calhoun by beating St. John’s on Wednesday. UConn made 56.9 percent of its shots against St. John's, 65.4 percent in the second half, to shake out of its offensive slump. Jerome Dyson leads the Huskies in scoring at 18.8 ppg and is also averaging 4.9 rebounds per game and 5.1 assists per game.

When making your college basketball bet at Bodog, know that the numbers don’t really add up for a win for the Huskies as UConn is 1-6 all-time against the nation’s No. 1 team and 0-4 against ranked opponents this season. Texas is the first No. 1 team (other than UConn itself) to ever play at Gampel Pavilion, however. Connecticut hasn’t lost a non-conference game there since 2001. These two teams have met five times previously – UConn leads 3-2 – but not since the 2003 Sweet 16.

Texas (17-1, 7-7 ATS), despite Monday’s loss, is still off to its best start in 63 years. Against Kansas State, UT had season lows in points (62), first-half points (26) and free-throw percentage (.409). But Manhattan is one of the nation’s toughest places to play. Star forward Damion James will be up for national player of the year honors and is averaging 19.2 points and 11.9 rebounds in the past nine games. He was held to 9 and 7, respectively, on Monday. UT also has a lot more depth than UConn does but is 0-4 ATS on the road.

Why wait for March Madness? Bet on college basketball now at Bodog!