Texas just never seemed to find enough cohesion and consistency in order to succeed last year. The Longhorns did lose a lot of talent, but they also brought a lot of talent back and brought in even more. With more time together, this team should be able to find that consistency that they did not have last year in Chris Beard’s first season in Austin.
You can look over the previous team in my rankings right here.
Preseason College Basketball Rankings: #13 Texas Longhorns
Timmy Allen is arguably the best returning player for Texas. After transferring in from Utah, the now fifth-year senior didn’t miss a step. While his scoring average took a big dip, he was seventh in the Big 12 in rebounding average and also averaged a career-high in offensive rebounds. Marcus Carr was another top-tier transfer that came in a year ago. His numbers dropped off significantly from his time at Minnesota, but that can be attributed to playing a little less and being on a much better team. He still played really well and was an All-Big 12 selection.
Two other returnees are Christian Bishop and Dylan Disu. Both are very good players. Bishop was the Longhorns’ second-leading rebounder a year ago, and he started in 23 games while coming off of the bench in the other 11. Disu missed the first eight games with a bone fracture in his knee that he suffered while at Vanderbilt, and even after he came back, he never seemed like he was at full strength. Hopefully, he can get back to the same level he was playing at before his injury.
They say that “everything is bigger in Texas.” “Better” might be the more appropriate word here, as Texas brings in the nation’s third-best recruiting class. Dillon Mitchell is a top 5 recruit who is extremely athletic and can guard pretty much anyone. He will be one of their starting guards. Five-star Arterio Morris is raw but has a ton of upside. He probably won’t start but will be one of the first off the bench. Rowan Brumbaugh is another really good recruit, but because of the depth Texas has in the backcourt, especially at point guard, he probably won’t have too big of a role as a freshman.
The Longhorns also bring in two transfer guards, giving them the third-best class of transfers. It includes the best guard and the second-best player in the entire portal, former Iowa State point guard Tyrese Hunter. The rising sophomore won Big 12 Rookie of the Year in his lone season with the Cyclones and is a great addition for Texas. Fifth-year senior Sir’Jabari Rice from New Mexico State is a three-time All-WAC selection who also transfers in.
Projected Lineup
PF – Christian Bishop (7.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG)
PF – Timmy Allen (12.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG)
SF – Dillon Mitchell (#5 overall recruit on 247 Sports)
PG – Marcus Carr (11.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG)
PG – Tyrese Hunter (11.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG at Iowa State)
