Texas Basketball

[longhorn_mig]

Huge win for the wins, especially considering how long it had been since we won in Ames. Some thoughts from the game:

(1) Coleman played huge at the end of the game, both offensively and defensively. He is getting better and better with every game, and I think he's going to be a force to be reckoned with by the end of the game.

(2) Mo's offense disappeared in the 2nd half, but he still found a way to impact the game on the defensive end. No surprise that he came up with a huge block at the end of the game to help seal the win.

(3) I'm very disappointed in what we've seen from Febres. The kid was supposed to be a sniper, but he plain and simply isn't ready for this stage. Hopefully he finds his stroke before the end of the season. We need his 3-point shooting.

(4) LOL, I think Davis may have one of the most hideous shots I've ever seen, but he gave us offense when we needed it desperately in the 2nd half. I'm glad his missed free throw didn't kill us. 

 

[Rotty22]

watching the replay of the iowa st game.

i wish bamba had a motor like osetkowski.  is bamba a 1 and done?  personally, i don't see it.

 

[tejasrulz]

watching the replay of the iowa st game.

i wish bamba had a motor like osetkowski.  is bamba a 1 and done?  personally, i don't see it.

Yes, he should be a lottery pick. If he had Dylan's motor, he'd be the #1 pick.

 

[tejasrulz]

I watched a little of the TCU vs Baylor (TCU won in OT) and Tech vs Kansas (Tech wins at Lawrence) games. As I thought, those are some good teams.

 

[longhorn_mig]

Amazing what happens when Kansas goes 6-26, as opposed to 17-35, from 3.

 

[Huskie1]

Amazing what happens when Kansas goes 6-26, as opposed to 17-35, from 3.

They will live and die by the three this year. However, I think they will have more good nights then bad ones. Wish they had gone 6-26 against the Horns. 

 

[drgilbert]

 

[longhorn_mig]

I know there's division among the fan base when it comes to Shaka, and even though I still fully support him, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with his tenure thus far. However, this article is downright stupid...

https://www.vivathematadors.com/2018/1/3/16845068/its-already-time-to-sign-chris-beard-to-an-extension-texas-tech

"Shaka Smart is the most overrated basketball coach in the country. Slowly, Texas is realizing that. He inherited a winning culture at VCU from Anthony Grant and Jeff Capel and rode that success and hype all the way to a dream job at the University of Texas.

"Smart posted an abhorrent 31-35 record during his first two years at Texas, irrationally citing “youth and inexperience” as the reason for his team’s poor performances. Meanwhile, teams that start between three and five true freshmen like Kentucky continue to win 30 or more games each season, so I’m not sure why everyone has so readily accepted that excuse."

"If the Longhorns fail to make it at least to the Sweet Sixteen, I don’t envision a scenario where new athletic director Chris Del Conte doesn’t kick Smart to the side and pluck the brilliant Chris Beard from Tech’s grasping hands."

So a few points this writer may want to consider:

(1) Kentucky's class in 2017 was ranked No. 2 and had 6 5-star recruits (ranked 10, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 26 nationally). Texas' class was ranked No. 6, but we only had 1 5-star recruit (Bamba, ranked No. 3 nationally). Kentucky's class in 2016 was once again ranked No. 2 and had 5 5-star recruits (ranked 6, 9, 11, 15, and 23 nationally). Texas' class was again ranked No. 6, but we only had 2 5-star recruits (Allen and Jones, ranked 17 and 29 nationally). To say we can't replicate what Kentucky is doing with true freshmen is downright moronic.

(2) As far as Tech's team goes, when you look at minutes per game, 4 of their top 6 players are seniors;

(3) 2 of their top 4 scorers are seniors (and their leading scorer is a senior);

(4) Their leading rebounder? You guessed it...a senior; and

(5) Their top-2 assist leaders are seniors.

 

[Bear19]

I'm certainly willing to give Smart the rest of the season before grading him. But in his first two years I agree with the author. Piss poor.

 

[Huskie1]

Like Bear, I will give Shaka the benefit of the doubt until this season concludes. I do think this years team has a lot of talented pieces. I'm hoping they put them all together.

 I'm worried Shaka will be another Charlie. A great guy but couldn't get Texas where they need to be. 

 

[longhorn_mig]

This is unfortunate news...

https://www.hookem.com/mens-sports/mens-basketball/wrist-fine-now-texas-guard-andrew-jones-battling-unidentified-illness

Texas guard Andrew Jones has moved beyond his fractured wrist injury that kept him out of four games in December. He’s now battling an unidentified illness that is robbing the sophomore’s energy.

“He just, to this point, has not had the energy,” coach Shaka Smart said Thursday. “So we’re trying to figure out through the different testing what his ailment is. There’s something else, some type of sickness.”

A team spokesman said Jones was under the weather during Monday’s game against Iowa State. Jones played only 11 minutes and had eight points with one steal and one turnover.

He was averaging 15.3 points before suffering a fractured wrist during two falls against Virginia Commonwealth on Dec. 5. That injury kept Jones out of the next four games. He returned against Kansas in the Big 12 opener but was limited. Smart said then Jones had to get back into game shape.

But it’s clear now that Jones is battling something else. “I’d love to have him back to 1,000 percent today. But he’s not just been feeling like himself,” Smart said.

“It’s not for lack of trying,” the coach added. “He goes out there and really, really wants to play, obviously and wants to help his team. But he just, to this point, has not had the energy.”

The Longhorns (10-4, 1-1 Big 12) will need all available bodies as the league season progresses. Texas next plays at Baylor on Saturday and returns home to face TCU on Wednesday.

 

[Adferrum]

What do yall think, do we have a shot against Baylor?

I'm rather pessimitic

 

[tejasrulz]

Is Jones battling the flu? I had it for ~2 weeks and it drained the energy out of me big time!

About Baylor, yes we have a chance however winning on the road in the Big XII is going to be tough.

As far as Smart goes, Rome wasn't built in a day so I'm willing to wait. Let's also realize that Texas is never mentioned with the likes of Duke, Kentucky, Indiana, N Carolina or Michigan St when discussing great basketball programs. At least not yet. 

 

[longhorn_mig]

Unfortunately, it sounds like they don't know specifically what's wrong with Andrew. Not good.

As for Baylor, we definitely have a shot. I know they're dealing with the injury bug right now, but not sure if they're going to be full strength for this game. I think Pomeroy gives us a 40% chance of winning this game.