Following an Elite Eight appearance for the first time since 2008, Rodney Terry’s squad entered the 2023-2024 season with high expectations. Texas enters conference play with an 11-2 overall record but they don’t have that signature win just yet.
The Longhorns have played in two marquee matchups. The first came in November against UCONN in Madison Square Garden which didn’t go the Longhorns’ way, falling 81-71. In a game without Dylan Disu and fellow big Kadin Shedrick, it was a respectable effort but Texas isn’t about moral victories. The next offering came in early December against a familiar friend in Shaka Smart and a Top-10 Marquette team. Shedrick was back but still no Disu and the Longhorns were largely noncompetitive in an 86-65 loss. As we saw in the Big 12 & NCAA Tournaments last year, when playing at the top of his game, Disu can be the best player on the court. Getting him back against LSU on December 16th was big. He brings an energy to the team that nobody else does.
What Texas Must Do to Contend for a Big 12 Championship
It’s no secret that the Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country and it has only gotten better with the addition of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston & UCF. If you can simply go 12-6 in conference play, that will give you a chance to win the league title. Last year Kansas won it by going 13-5 while the Longhorns 12-6.
With that being said, grinding out a 12-6 record is not an easy task. There are no nights off in the conference like other leagues have and it helps the Big 12 get battle tested by the time the NCAA tournament rolls around.
Max Abmas Needs to Play at All-Big 12 Level
The Longhorns need Max Abmas to take his game to another level on a consistent basis. Abmas, a transfer from Oral Roberts, averaged 24.5, 22.8 & 21.9 points per game respectfully in his final three years there. This year Abmas is averaging just 17.2 points per game but is shooting better from the field (45%) up from 43% last year.
Many Texas fans have said Abmas shoots too much, but he is a guy who needs volume to get things going. However when he gets it going, there are few better scorers in college basketball. If Abmas plays to the level he did at Oral Roberts he will be an All-Big 12 player and Texas will be a threat to Kansas and Houston to win the league.
Texas (11-2) and Texas Tech (11-2) open Big 12 play on Saturday night at Moody Center with tip coming at 7:00 PM. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
