On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns (16-10) face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks (10-16) at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Get ready for the college basketball season with our college basketball picks.

South Carolina comes into this matchup on a thirteen-game losing streak. In their recent matchup, the South Carolina Gamecocks were defeated by LSU with a final score of 81-67. During this game, Jamarii Thomas stood out by scoring 23 points for his team. This season, Collin Murray-Boyles has established himself as the Gamecocks' top scorer, boasting an average of 15.5 points per game. Following closely behind, Jamarii Thomas holds the second position in scoring with an average of 13.3 points per game. Additionally, Murray-Boyles is not just the leading scorer but also excels in rebounding, securing an average of 8.5 rebounds per game, making him the team's most consistent presence on the boards. On the other hand, Thomas demonstrates his playmaking abilities by leading in assists, averaging 3.2 per game. Defensively, South Carolina has been struggling, allowing opponents to score an average of 79.4 points over the past five games. As the Gamecocks aim to turn their season around, they are particularly focused on ending a challenging streak of 13 consecutive losses, hoping to finally claim a conference victory and avoid their 14th straight defeat. Offensively, the team averages 69.6 points per game, indicating areas that need improvement if they are to enhance their overall performance.

Texas enters this game on a one-game winning streak, but has dropped three of their last five games. In an unexpected turn of events, the Longhorns triumphed over Kentucky with a close 82-78 win, thanks in large part to Tre Johnson's outstanding performance, contributing a staggering 32 points. Throughout this season, Johnson has been an offensive powerhouse for Texas, topping the team’s scoring chart with an average of 19.8 points per game. Following him is Arthur Kaluma, who holds the position of the second-leading scorer, boasting an average of 12.9 points per game. Kaluma is not just a scoring threat; he also commands the glass, leading the team in rebounds with an average of 7.9 per game. Meanwhile, Julian Larry orchestrates the offense with finesse, dishing out an average of 3.5 assists each game. Defensively, Texas has faced some challenges, allowing opponents to score an average of 80.6 points over their last five games. Now, the Longhorns aim to build on their momentum by securing a conference victory on the road and extending their win streak to two games. On average, Texas racks up 78.7 points per outing over the course of the season.

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