Texas (20-11, 11-7 Big 12) enters the Big 12 tournament as the No. 4 seed.

Here's a breakdown of Texas' matchup and reasons to be optimistic or pessimistic:

Matchup: vs. Baylor

Time: 11:30 a.m. Thursday

TV: ESPN2

Three reasons for optimism

1. Texas has beaten Baylor. The Longhorns beat Baylor on the road, and that's a big reason for them to be optimistic. During its 67-59 win in Waco, Texas able to penetrate the Bears' 1-3-1 zone, which was a big reason for its win. The Longhorns received a big three-point effort from senior forward Connor Lammert, who went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and scored 15 points. Freshman guard Kerwin Roach, Jr. went 2-for-2 from the 3-point line and added seven points in the win. Texas will have to channel its winning performance Thursday when it takes on Baylor for the third time this season.

2. Longhorns are rested. Texas will need junior guard Isaiah Taylor to succeed during the Big 12 tournament if it wants to make a deep run to a conference championship. Taylor, who has been suffering through plantar fasciitis since the Longhorns' win over Oklahoma, will benefit from the added rest time. The whole team will be fresh after a six-day break, but the Longhorns will go as far as Taylor takes them.

3. Freshmen add x-factor. The Longhorns have gotten a huge lift from their freshman guards: Roach and Eric Davis, Jr. Roach has averaged 7.4 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists per game, while Davis has scored 7.5 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game. Roach had a big performance against Oklahoma State to end the regular season. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound freshman from Houston scored or assisted in Texas' final 12 points. The Longhorns' freshmen provide a reason to optimistic.

Three reasons for pessimism

1. The Longhorns lost to Baylor. While Texas beat the Bears once, it also suffered a blowout loss at home to Baylor. The Bears took advantage of a bad start from the Longhorns to go up 6-0 early and never relinquished the lead. Baylor won 78-64. Texas struggled offensively as Taylor only scored 10 points, while senior guard Javan Felix was held to six points. Texas will have to avoid a bad start and an offensive meltdown in its Thursday matchup with the Bears.

2. Injuries. The Longhorns need Taylor for them to do anything in March, especially if they're interested in making a deep Big 12 tournament run. The plantar fasciitis injury, though, is a tough one to overcome. Texas received a 12 point performance from Taylor in its win over the Bears. In other injury news, the Longhorns might not get senior center Cam Ridley back for the conference tournament. While Ridley hasn't played since late December after fracturing his foot, he could add a much-needed boost. But the Longhorns might not have him back against the Bears.

3. Not a favorable bracket. Another reason for the Longhorns to be pessimistic is their bracket breakdown. If Texas finds a way to get past the Bears on Thursday it'll likely have to play the No. 1-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas has Texas' number throughout its time in the Big 12 and this year was no different. The Longhorns lost to the Jayhawks twice - 76-67 and 86-56. Even if Texas finds a way to upset Kansas, it'll play a tough opponent in the finals.