Texas Basketball

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

Looks like the football program is where it should be after following the baseball program.

Now it is time for Shaka Smart to earn his paycheck.

I am thinking NCAA Tournament appearance for sure.
Preseason rankings are anywhere from 3rd to 6th in the Big XII

Texas returns pretty much everyone except for Mo Bamba.
Jacob Young transferred as well but that was to create room for a scholarship.
Plus they added transfer Eli Long and a Top 10 recruiting class.

UT's starting lineup
F Jericho Sims So
F Dylan Osetkowski Sr
G Jase Febres So
G Kerwin Roach Sr
G Matt Coleman So

Contributing players
G Andrew Jones Jr
G Eli Long Jr
F Royce Hamm So
G/F Gerald Liddell Fr
G Courtney Ramey Fr
F Kamaka Hepa Fr

Others who may contribute
C Jaxson Hayes Fr
F Brock Cunningham Fr


What are y'all's opinion of Texas basketball for 2018-2019

 

[toonces11]

Looks like the football program is where it should be after following the baseball program.

Now it is time for Shaka Smart to earn his paycheck.

I am thinking NCAA Tournament appearance for sure.
Preseason rankings are anywhere from 3rd to 6th in the Big XII

Texas returns pretty much everyone except for Mo Bamba.
Jacob Young transferred as well but that was to create room for a scholarship.
Plus they added transfer Eli Long and a Top 10 recruiting class.

UT's starting lineup
F Jericho Sims So
F Dylan Osetkowski Sr
G Jase Febres So
G Kerwin Roach Sr
G Matt Coleman So

Contributing players
G Andrew Jones Jr
G Eli Long Jr
F Royce Hamm So
G/F Gerald Liddell Fr
G Courtney Ramey Fr
F Kamaka Hepa Fr

Others who may contribute
C Jaxson Hayes Fr
F Brock Cunningham Fr


What are y'all's opinion of Texas basketball for 2018-2019

You guys have plenty of talent to win 25 games and you def would if Barnes were coaching.

 

[dukedevilz]

I just think we should all pause and look how wildly different Osetkowski looks from last season.

 

[WeAreDePaul]

I didn't think much of them with Bamba gone, but looking at that roster they do look really solid...even if Jones doesn't contribute.

Looking forward to another great Big12 season. Really love the size of that conference and it's home and home schedule format. Not a big fan of these mega conferences with teams all over the country and no home and homes.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

I didn't think much of them with Bamba gone, but looking at that roster they do look really solid...even if Jones doesn't contribute.

Looking forward to another great Big12 season. Really love the size of that conference and it's home and home schedule format. Not a big fan of these mega conferences with teams all over the country and no home and homes.

That just gives Sims more time on the court.
Sims can touch the top of the backboard from a straight vertical

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

You guys have plenty of talent to win 25 games and you def would if Barnes were coaching.

The issue with Shaka Smart is he has had to rely on freshman in the starting lineup since he came to Austin.

This is truthfully the first year he has his players with experience

 

[sdsufan10]

It all comes down to what level of play and if Andrew Jones suits up, if he looks like the same guy or better than as a frosh I think they can be a dark horse final 4 threat. If not, then I just think they are a tourney team that loses in round of 64 or 32.

 

[kl40504]

Looks like the football program is where it should be after following the baseball program.

Now it is time for Shaka Smart to earn his paycheck.

I am thinking NCAA Tournament appearance for sure.
Preseason rankings are anywhere from 3rd to 6th in the Big XII

Texas returns pretty much everyone except for Mo Bamba.
Jacob Young transferred as well but that was to create room for a scholarship.
Plus they added transfer Eli Long and a Top 10 recruiting class.

UT's starting lineup
F Jericho Sims So
F Dylan Osetkowski Sr
G Jase Febres So
G Kerwin Roach Sr
G Matt Coleman So

Contributing players
G Andrew Jones Jr
G Eli Long Jr
F Royce Hamm So
G/F Gerald Liddell Fr
G Courtney Ramey Fr
F Kamaka Hepa Fr

Others who may contribute
C Jaxson Hayes Fr
F Brock Cunningham Fr


What are y'all's opinion of Texas basketball for 2018-2019

Should be a top 25 program this year. Texas fired one of the best basketball coaches in the country. If you had kept Rick Barnes you would be where Tennessee is now. A top 5 program.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

Should be a top 25 program this year. Texas fired one of the best basketball coaches in the country. If you had kept Rick Barnes you would be where Tennessee is now. A top 5 program.

Rick Barnes is a decent coach but don't overrated his ability in the NCAA.
He had talented teams that came up short as well.

Like I said Shaka Smart has to earn his paycheck. The 2019 recruiting class may end up the best ever at Texas but he needs to make a Sweet 16 run first.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

It all comes down to what level of play and if Andrew Jones suits up, if he looks like the same guy or better than as a frosh I think they can be a dark horse final 4 threat. If not, then I just think they are a tourney team that loses in round of 64 or 32.

A lot comes down to shooting and spacing.
Something that was missing last year.
Roach is a slasher but he needs space.
Same for freshman Liddell.

I am hoping for an uptempo team with more of Sims, Hamm and Hepa in the front court.
Too much half court basketball last year. Something Texas struggled with.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

ESPN analyst came away impressed by the guards at UT.
I think these three can make Texas a fun team even without Andrew Jones playing

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

 

[GE Nole]

Texas should make the Tourney this year, but Shaka could still find a way to eff it up. Not sure what UT is thinking with him. Dude had one flukey run at VCU.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

It was truthfully Shaka Smart or Gregg Marshall

Shaka Smart was the better choice for numerous reasons including style of play.
Texas HS football may be the best in the country but basketball is way behind even at the AAU level
You are left with tremendously athletic players who may not be refined.

Shaka Smart at Texas has had to rely on one and dones.
His two main guards Roach and Jones have developed.
Jones' health hurt Texas last year. That team had Sweet 16 potential. Even without Jones they played a very good Nevada team to OT.

 

[KisteK]

Sims looks to breakout, I doubt Jones plays (bonus if he does tho), love a couple of the frosh they've brought in, Shaka's gotta be near the end of his rope....
I think they'll finish top 5 in the Big XII and I think they could be a second weekend team.

 

[SheriffBufordTJustice]

I think Sims' issue is expectations.
At the end of the season without Bamba the guy came to play.

Everyone is high on him. Can he realistically be a double double every night.
I think so but it is not a sure thing.
His biggest issue will be Jaxson Hayes.
I wasn't really high on him but I guess he will be forcing his way onto the court this year.

 

[Kronic22]

Projected any where from 2nd to 7th.

The coaches have them 4th, tied with TCU. I think that's about right.

There isn't a bad team in the conference. No gimme wins on the road. Will prolly be the highest rated conference again this year, but outside of ku, no real contenders. Will be a bunch of teams bunched from 10 to 6 wins (maybe even everyone from 2-10).

I'm not expecting much from AJ1, but anything less than sw16 will be a disappointment.

 

[GE Nole]

Projected any where from 2nd to 7th.

There isn't a bad team in the conference. No gimme wins on the road. Will prolly be the highest rated conference again this year, but outside of ku, no real contenders. Will be a bunch of teams bunched from 10 to 6 wins (maybe even everyone from 2-10).

That's the difference between the Big 12 and the ACC, seems like every year. Big 12 doesn't have bad teams but also really has few elite contenders outside Kansas, and occasionally a UT or Baylor or something.

ACC has a couple of dregs at 14 and 15, but has 4-6 teams that can be legit Elite 8/Final 4 teams.