Texas @ Providence preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 21, 2018 ) Providence 71, Texas 65

A pair of teams trending in opposite directions meet Saturday when streaking Texas visits a struggling Providence squad in a Big East/Big 12 Battle affair. The Friars return to their home court after another embarrassing display in an 83-51 loss to Florida on Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where they shot a woeful 25.9 percent from the floor while making 1-of-18 from 3-point range.

"I think our kids are playing hard," Providence coach Ed Cooley told reporters after his team fell for the fifth time in seven games. "We're just not having the success that we want." The Longhorns enter with five straight wins to their credit after an 87-76 victory against Central Michigan last Saturday. Junior guard Jase Febres nailed seven 3-pointers en route to a season-high 23 points as Texas put forth its best offensive showing of the season. "We could have got him even a couple more looks," Longhorns coach Shaka Smart, whose team hit six total 3-pointers in a loss to Providence last year, told reporters of Febres. "This is what Jase is capable of."

TV: 2 p.m. ET, FOX

ABOUT TEXAS (9-1): Junior guard Matt Coleman III finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in last Saturday's win and he leads the team in scoring (13.0), assists (4.9) and steals (1.7). Sophomore guard Courtney Ramey scored a career-high 20 points in the victory to boost his scoring average to 10.6 and he is one of four players averaging in double figures behind Coleman, sophomore guard Andrew Jones (11.8) and Febres (10.9). Junior forward Royce Hamm Jr. produced eight points and a career-high 12 rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench versus the Chippewas.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (6-6): Senior guard Alpha Diallo and junior center Nate Watson combined for 38 points on 10-of-26 shooting against Florida while their teammates were a collective 5-for-32 from the floor - 1-for-17 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard David Duke, who ranks second to Diallo (14.1) in scoring with a 12.6 average, missed all five of his shots while recording one assist and four turnovers. Sophomore guard A.J. Reeves had an even tougher night by missing all eight of his attempts from the floor and he is shooting 31 percent overall after finishing at 42.3 percent as a freshman.

TIP-INS

1. Diallo scored 20 points in the 71-65 win at Texas last season.

2. Coleman is 20-for-39 from 3-point range.

3. Friars freshman F Greg Gantt was 0-for-4 from the floor Tuesday after opening the season 14-for-22.

PREDICTION: Texas 72, Providence 66