Texas Basketball: Who are the 2017-18 Longhorns really?
Texas basketball has been incredibly inconsistent this season. They have a few solid wins and some head-scratching games. Who really is this team?
While sitting on the early-season bubble, the Texas Longhorns are one of the more confusing teams in the country so far this season. They have not only shown the ability to beat just about anyone in the nation but they have also struggled mightily in games that they should dominate. For example, they have solid wins over teams like Butler and Alabama while also playing Duke and Gonzaga tough.
On the flip side, Texas nearly fell to Tennessee State earlier this season while narrowly escaping with a 47-46 victory. This was an example of a game where the Longhorns struggled mightily due to their inability to shoot the three. For the season, Texas ranks 342nd in the nation (out of 351) at just 27.8% from behind the arc.
This is absolutely abysmal shooting and makes them beatable in any game. Their 3-point shooting is by far and away their biggest weakness and it will come back to haunt them throughout this upcoming season. The Big 12 is one of the best conferences in the entire nation and Texas will be tested in just about every game during the rest of the season.
Texas Longhorns Basketball
Thankfully, even when the Longhorns struggle behind the arc, they are an elite defensive team. In the traditional Shaka Smart way, Texas prides themselves on their defense and it is the hallmark of their team. So far this season, the Longhorns are giving up just 60.4 points per game, good enough for seventh in the nation in scoring defense.
In addition, they are forcing their opponents into nearly 16 turnovers per game. These turnovers help create transition opportunities for Texas and therefore allows them to avoid half-court offense, where they struggle to get things going.
Leading the way for this top-notch defense is freshman center Mo Bamba. One of the best rim protectors in the nation, Bamba is averaging 4.2 blocks per game. Bamba is not just a defensive threat, though. He is averaging 10.9 points per game, which is fourth on the team while shooting an even 50.0% from the field. On the glass, Bamba is snagging 9.8 rebounds per game as he is nearly dropping a double-double nightly.
With these numbers and his physical frame, Bamba is a consensus top-10 prospect for the upcoming NBA Draft. He is one of the biggest reasons for Texas’ success to this point in the year, but he is not alone.
Of the healthy players currently on the roster, Dylan Osetkowski (14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds), and Kerwin Roach (11.1 points) are leading the way. They are two of the leading scorers on the roster and continue to be go-to players on the offensive end. After them, Matt Coleman has stepped in to be the primary facilitator for the Longhorns. He is averaging a team-high 4.1 assists per game and has also made his impact on the defensive end with 1.2 steals per game.
As already mentioned, the biggest issue with this team is shooting and they are currently missing their best shooter. Andrew Jones is missing time right now with a fractured wrist and he is one of the key members of this team. Not only is Jones the best shooter on the team (44.4% on 4.5 3PA per game) but he was also the team’s leading scorer before going out with injury at 15.3 points per game.
Once Jones returns, this will be a whole different team. One man cannot make up for a roster-wide lack of shooting but he will certainly help. Texas will need him to be at his best in order to succeed in the Big 12 and make the NCAA Tournament.
Next: Answering preseason Big 12 questions
With their current resume, Texas has some work to do in conference play in order to make the Big Dance. The Big 12 is arguably the best conference in America and it will not be easy to win any game in conference play. Texas will need to hope for about a .500 season against the rest of the conference in order to reach the Big Dance.