Big 12 Basketball: 2019-20 power rankings heading into conference play

Texas’ record doesn’t look too bad 10-2, but their blowout loss to Providence gave plenty of reason to doubt that the Longhorns are any different than previous iterations have been under Shaka Smart. The talent is always there, but the Longhorns struggle to put all of the pieces together.

Matt Coleman is the clear leader of the team this season, and his shooting prowess really can make Texas a dangerous team. This was evident in the Longhorns’ road win over Purdue where Coleman recorded 22 points on only nine shot attempts. Backcourt mate Courtney Ramey hasn’t been able to match Coleman’s level of play however, as he has struggled to shoot so far this season. The Longhorns’ trio of 4-star freshmen have yet to make an impact this season, and that will need to change for Texas to take a step forward.

Junior forward Jericho Sims has taken advantage of an increased role this season, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He is an efficient finisher around the im, and has provided Texas with a good rim protector and rebounder. Andrew Jones’ return from a battle with Leukemia has been inspiring, and he has provided a scoring punch off of the bench for the Longhorns.

The biggest theme with Texas, however, has been inconsistency, especially against quality opponents. A road win over Purdue is an extremely high-quality win, but it has been overshadowed by lopsided losses to Georgetown and Providence. The Longhorns will have an early opportunity to make a statement at Baylor on January 4th. A win over the Bears would go a long way towards proving that Texas is a threat towards some of the top Big 12 teams.