The State of Texas Basketball is strong and projects well for the foreseeable future.
There is no question that Longhorns took an early hit during the 2K Classic when Isaiah Taylor took a hard foul and ended up with a broken wrist, but this Texas basketball team remained resilient. Players picked up for each other and stepped up in big moments. When the Longhorns were staring down defeat in Storrs, CT, Jonathan Holmes did what he does best: hit a corner 3 to win the game. While the senior provided the synergy and stability for this Longhorns team, the freshman phenom has provided the flash.
Myles Turner has needed no adjustment period in college basketball. He is 1st on the team in total points, 1st in rebounds, 1st in blocks, and 2nd in free throw percentage. He has given this team a shot in the arm that was needed to potentially make a deep tourney run.
The Longhorns also said goodbye to Damarcus Croaker. While he could have taken the low road, he decided to be a good teammate while he knew he was moving on from Austin. Damarcus Croaker is likely going to go to South Florida or Central Florida. He showed flashes but not enough to earn consistent minutes on the squad.
The road ahead will be treacherous for the Longhorns. The Stanford Cardinal will make an appearance at the Frank Erwin Center and soon enough, Big 12 play will begin. As of now, the Longhorns have taken care of business and will be a formidable foe in the months to come.
Biggest Surprise: Demarcus Holland
In the offseason, most experts talked about how Texas needed their guard play to step up. It was also well known that Rick Barnes loves defense and Demarcus Holland is one of the best defensive players in the country. It was critical for Demarcus Holland to show some offensive flare and he has. Holland owns a 56.5% field goal percentage, 8.5 points per game, 53.5% from 3-point range, and his free throw percentage has improved to 76%. He did everything he needed to do to be a better guard for the Texas Longhorns.
Biggest Disappointment: Losing to Kentucky
It sounds like a cop out answer but this was the biggest disappointment so far this season. Players on this team have sacrificed their roles this season. and that’s a good thing. The Longhorns came out flat after halftime in Lexington, Kentucky took advantage of it, and never looked back. When a team of UK’s caliber gets on a run, it’s very tough to mount a comeback. So it’s a good lesson to learn as Texas enters Big 12 play. Nevertheless, it was obvious that Texas had a chance to win,and didn’t put it together.
Looking forward
Big 12 play is going to be difficult for every conference team, not just for the Texas Longhorns. 9 out of the 10 teams have 2 or fewer losses in non-conference play. The Kansas State Wildcats are 6-4 but played a tough non-conference schedule including games with Arizona and Pitt.
If Texas can start 5-0 before the January 24th game against Kansas, that would be a huge step forward for the program. The games are getting interesting.
