Texas Basketball: Shaka Smart’s second year proves to be disappointment
By Doug Winkey
What happened to Texas basketball and what could happen next season in Austin?
Few teams lost as much as Texas basketball did last spring. The Longhorns had to replace their top three scorers and six total rotation players. And yet, Texas still entered the year as a top four preseason selection in the Big 12. Things were looking up on the strength of its returning sophomores and a top-tier recruiting class.
Related Story: Matt Coleman commits to Texas
Those expectations went unrealized in a 11-22 campaign that saw the team go 4-14 in Big 12 play. The Longhorns will miss the postseason outright for the first time since the 1997-1998 season. Texas did manage to beat both Iowa State and Oklahoma State, but their only other Big 12 wins came in a season sweep of Texas Tech. The team also failed to knock off anyone tournament-bound in the non-conference slate.
The brightest spots in Austin this year were freshmen Jarrett Allen and Andrew Jones. The two averaged 13.4 and 11.4 points per game, respectively. Allen also led the team in rebounding and blocks. He was top five in the Big 12 in both categories. Jones nearly led the team in assists despite playing out of position at point guard.
The problem was that the team didn’t have a true point guard. Jones and Roach each averaged over three assists an evening, but neither is a true distributor. The lack of a dedicated ballhandler prevented shooters from getting consistent outside shots. UT shot just 44 percent from the field overall and 29 percent from deep. The team’s offensive flow was further hurt when leading scorer Tevin Mack was suspended for a second time and eventually left the team. He was averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 boards per game. Mack was also the only regular shooting better than 33 percent from three point land.
Given the disparity between expectation and results, it is safe to say this season was a huge bust in Austin, TX.
Final Grade: D-
So, what is next in Austin?
Who’s gone:
G – Kendal Yancy (5.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
G – Tevin Mack (14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
F – Mareik Isom (1.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg)
F – Shaquille Cleare (8.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
The biggest loss off this list is clearly Mack, but Cleare was a nice surprise after averaging just 3.6 points last season. He was second on the team in rebounding behind Allen. Yancy’s scoring was up to 5.3 from 3.0, but sharply regressed from deep and wasn’t a huge senior presence. Isom came over as a graduate transfer from Little Rock, but only played in 15 games and never scored more than seven points.
Who’s back:
G – Eric Davis, Jr. (7.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
G – Andrew Jones (11.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.5 apg)
G – Kerwin Roach, Jr (9.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.7 apg)
G – Jacob Young (3.7 ppg)
C – Jarrett Allen (13.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
C – James Banks (1.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
The unknown here is Allen’s pro-aspiration. The top 10 center prospect averaged 16.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game during Big 12 play. Those numbers could get him into the lottery pick range in June’s NBA Draft. There is plenty of remaining potential all over the court even if Allen does make the jump.
Losing Mack means that there will be more scoring opportunities for Davis, Roach, and Jones on the wings. Those three are athletic and should improve with another season. Especially watch for Roach and Jones to be one of the better shooting guard/small forward combinations in the Big 12. Young might be a bigger piece as a backup point guard, while Banks could slide into the starting center role depending on Allen’s move.
Who’s new:
G – Matt Coleman (6’2″, 174 lbs)
G – Jase Febres (6’5″, 210 lbs)
F – Royce Hamm (6’8″, 210 lbs)
F – Jerico Sims (6’8″, 190 lbs)
F – Dylan Osetkowski (6’9″, 250 lbs, transfer from Tulane)
Coleman is the biggest grab in the team’s top 10 class. The Oak Hill product is one of the best players at his position and should start immediately based on his passing ability. He will allow Jones or Roach to take the shooting guard position and the other wing spot. Febres rates as a top-notch outside shooter and will help boost the team’s percentages everywhere. Sims and Hamm are both nice prospects, but both need to add strength if they want to make a big impact alongside Banks. Osetkowski is the other big newcomer after averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 boards for the Green Wave in 2015-2016.
Right now Texas has 11 scholarships out at the moment. They are in the hunt for five-star guys Mohamed Bamba and Brian Bowen as well as three-star Fort Worth native Jordan Myers. The team could also pursue a graduate transfer too in order to add depth on the perimeter. The Longhorns could be loaded next year with the new crop.
Next: Looking closely at Kansas State roster
Final Number to know:
.85 – As in the team’s assist-to-turnover ratio. Texas actually gave the ball to team more times than it did to its own guys. The Longhorns were 296th in that category with 443 giveaways compared to 377 assists. Coleman’s addition will help improve this number.