| Date | Favorite | Spread | Total | Favorite Moneyline | Underdog Moneyline | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/8/2024 | Longhorns | -1.5 | 141 | -121 | +101 | 76-65 UCONN |
Texas
Texas' Steve Sarkisian 'very impressed' by Dawn Staley amid push to get Longhorns over the hump
Former WNBA great and current South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley secured the program’s third national championship this past Sunday.
Staley has coached the women’s basketball team to an impressive 109-3 record over the past three seasons, winning two titles over that span. The Gamecocks reached the Final Four last season, where they were eliminated by Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Sunday’s highly-anticipated matchup between South Carolina and Iowa attracted record viewership. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian was among the millions of viewers who watched Staley coach the Gamecocks to victory.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns looks on during the second quarter against the Washington Huskies during the CFP Semifinal Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
South Carolina is a longstanding member of the Southeastern Conference, the same conference the Longhorns are set to join next season. Sarkisian appears to be drawing inspiration from Staley’s successful run in the SEC and beyond.
“I watched both games. I watched both tournaments, quite frankly,” Sarkisian said, via On3.com. “And I think what coach [Dawn] Staley has done has been obviously very impressive in that she’s assembled talent year after year, but she’s got her culture for sure, and it’s in place. She instills it in them.”
“She had a whole new team this year, and they went out and won every game. And last year they lose in the semis, they couldn’t get it done,” Sarkisian continued. “So very impressed with what she’s been able to do.”
SOUTH CAROLINA’S DAWN STALEY PRAISES CAITLIN CLARK FOR ‘LIFTING UP OUR SPORT,’ CALLS HER’‘ONE OF THE GOATS’
Sarkisian said he is “striving” to reach a level of success that is similar to what Staley has achieved in Columbia, South Carolina.
Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates as the confetti falls after beating Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Sarkisian coached Texas to an 11-1 regular season record, a Big 12 Conference title, and a berth in the College Football Playoffs semifinals. But, Texas ultimately came up short, losing to the Washington Huskies.
“We’re always all striving for that and looking at those great teams that do it at a high, high level,” Sarkisian added. “I’ve been fortunate to be part of some great teams in that era with Pete Carroll, so it’s not a one-time thing. You’ve got to continually work on the things that are important to you to recreate it year after year after year.”
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian watches the run of play during the Allstate Sugar Bowl playoff game between the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Huskies on Monday, January 1, 2024 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA.
Sarkisian was also complementary of UConn coach Dan Hurley, who secured a second consecutive national title on the men’s side on Monday night.
“And very impressed with what coach Hurley has been able to do. I think he lost three or four NBA players off last year’s team.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Sarkisian credited both Staley and Hurley for their respective abilities to “coach hard.”
“But one thing that is very clear in both of them. I’d say two things,” Sarkisian said. “The first is they coach hard. There’s not for a second, you watch their interaction with their players, where they’re not coaching them hard. And they’re demanding of their players. But you can also feel the love coming from them with their players.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Texas
UConn vs. Texas Prediction, How to Watch, Odds, Channel
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
The No. 5 UConn Huskies (9-1) will attempt to continue a five-game winning streak when they host the Texas Longhorns (7-3) on Friday, December 12, 2025 at PeoplesBank Arena. The contest airs at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Keep reading to get all you need to know ahead of wagering on the UConn-Texas matchup.
UConn vs. Texas How to Watch & Odds
- When: Friday, December 12, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App and FOX One (Try free for 7 days)
UConn vs. Texas Prediction
The Huskies are holding opponents to just 60.4 points per game while averaging 91, giving them one of the strongest scoring margins in the country. Their defense has been particularly sharp, limiting opponents to 37.4% shooting from the field.
Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. continue to set the tone. Ball is averaging 15 points per game, and Reed Jr. has provided steady interior production with 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. Their consistency has been central to the Huskies’ early-season dominance.
The Longhorns have shown they can score, averaging 85.8 points per game, but their defense has struggled, allowing opponents to shoot 48.5%. That could be an issue against a UConn offense that moves the ball well and attacks efficiently.
UConn’s home court-advantage and Texas’s 2-2 road struggles tilt the matchup toward the Huskies.
- Pick ATS: Texas (+16.5)
- Pick OU: Over (145.5)
- Prediction: UConn 81, Texas 69
Prediction provided by FOX Sports’ Sports AI. Download the FOX Sports App for free access to Sports AI.
UConn vs. Texas Betting Insights
Betting Line Implied Predictions
- Based on the spread and over/under, the implied score for the matchup is Huskies 81, Longhorns 64.
- The Huskies have a 95.9% chance to win this meeting per the moneyline’s implied probability.
- The Longhorns have an 8.3% implied probability to win.
Key Spread Facts
- UConn has compiled a 3-7-0 record against the spread this season.
- Texas has won six games against the spread this year, while failing to cover four times.
- UConn has covered the spread once this season (1-4 ATS) when playing as at least 16.5-point favorites.
Key Total Facts
- The Huskies and their opponent have broken the 145.5-point mark four times this year.
- Longhorns games have gone over 145.5 points on eight occasions this season.
- The total for this matchup is 145.5 points, 23.4 fewer than the combined scoring average of the two teams.
Key Moneyline Facts
- UConn has won six of seven games when the moneyline favorite this season (85.7%).
- Texas has split the two games it has played as underdogs this season.
- UConn has played as a moneyline favorite of -2326 or shorter twice this season, and won both.
- Texas has not entered a game this season with longer moneyline odds than +1103.
UConn vs. Texas: Recent Results
UConn vs. Texas: 2025-26 Stats Comparison
| UConn | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Points Scored Per Game (Rank) | 79.8 (137) | 89.1 (21) |
| Points Allowed (Rank) | 61.7 (10) | 73.2 (189) |
| Rebounds (Rank) | 9 (234) | 11.7 (49) |
| 3pt Made (Rank) | 7.7 (203) | 8 (175) |
| Assists (Rank) | 17.9 (38) | 14.6 (179) |
| Turnovers (Rank) | 8.8 (10) | 11.5 (167) |
UConn 2025-26 Key Players
| Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Ball | 10 | 15 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2 |
| Tarris Reed Jr. | 5 | 14.8 | 7.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Alex Karaban | 10 | 13.4 | 5.4 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Silas Demary Jr. | 10 | 10 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Eric Reibe | 10 | 9.6 | 4.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
Texas 2025-26 Key Players
| Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matas Vokietaitis | 10 | 15.9 | 6.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Dailyn Swain | 10 | 15.7 | 6.9 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Jordan Pope | 10 | 12.5 | 2.1 | 3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| Tramon Mark | 10 | 9.9 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Simeon Wilcher | 10 | 9.4 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.6 |
FOX Sports used technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar to create this story.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Texas
Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl
At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.
Texas
Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful
Neimann Lawrence list the Longhorns as one school that is standing out
As the Longhorns continue to build for the future, one of their targets is four-star prospect Neimann Lawrence. The Miami native is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2028 class and is attracting interest from some of the nation’s top programs. On Monday, Lawrence revealed the schools that have stood out so far, including the Longhorns.
While Mondays update was encouraging, Texas was not the only school Lawrence mentioned. He also highlighted Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. That is not an easy list of schools to go to battle with; the Longhorns have time to make themselves stand out.
Currently, the Miami Northwestern High star is ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in is class by 247Sports. They also rank him as the ninth-best player from Florida and the 39th-best player in the nation. With collegiate debut still over a year away, those rankings could change.
At the moment, the Longhorns do not have a commitment in the 2028 class, but they have made offers to some of the top recruits. That includes Brysen Wright, Jalanie George, Jamarios Canton, Micah Rhodes, and King Pitts. Landing any of those players would give Texas a bright future.
With a decision still months away, Lawrence will be a player to watch. A lot could change as his recruitment continues, but it is a good sign for Texas that they are standing out early on in the process.
-
Alaska6 days agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Politics1 week agoTrump rips Somali community as federal agents reportedly eye Minnesota enforcement sweep
-
Ohio1 week ago
Who do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?
-
Texas6 days agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington3 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa5 days agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL6 days agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH5 days agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS