The Texas Longhorns will return to the NCAA Tournament under first year head coach Shaka Smart after a one year absence, rebounding from a tough start to the season to become one of the better teams in the loaded Big 12. Here's everything you need to know about the Longhorns:
Resume:
Record - 20-12 (11-7 in Big 12)
RPI - 24
Strength of Schedule - 2
Starting Lineup:
G Isaiah Taylor (Jr.) –15.0 ppg, 4.8 apg
G Javan Felix (Sr.) – 11.0 ppg, 2.3 apg
G Demarcus Holland (Sr.) - 3.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg
F Connor Lambert (Sr.) – 6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg
C Prince Ibeh (Sr.) – 4.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Key Player:
Isaiah Taylor
Taylor has been Texas’ best player for the past two seasons and took another step forward this year, posting career highs in points, assists, and shooting percentage. His jump shot is still extremely inconsistent (25.5 percent from three-point range), but his athleticism and ability to get into the lane at will is the focal point of their offense.
Biggest Strength:
Proven track record
Texas has shown the ability to consistently beat many of the country’s top teams, posting victories over North Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Iowa State, and Baylor. They also haven’t lost to an underdog since January, meaning the Longhorns could make a surprising run under Smart’s leadership.
Biggest Weakness:
Ball Movement
The biggest problem with Texas is that their offense is based almost exclusively around what Taylor can do. They rank just 307th in the country in assists (11.3 per game), of which Taylor accounts for 42 percent of. If Taylor isn’t creating shots for himself or someone, players are usually going one-on-one to find their own offense.
Outlook:
The Longhorns will get a lower seed because of their struggles at the start of the season, but they are capable of beating anyone on any given night. They should be able to make a run because of that, but that run probably won’t take them to a Final Four because of their over-reliance on Taylor. I’d say the Elite 8 is the ceiling for this team.