We couldn’t have done it without Ed Hightower. Thanks Ed. That over-officious buffoon rolled up in his black and white striped clown car, slapped his size 19′s on the Erwin Center floor and proceeded to do his typical “I’m Part of the Game” asshattery including but not limited to chatting up coaches while the ball was in play and calling two /Bill Walton voice/ HORRIBLE /Bill Walton voice/ offensive fouls against Dexter Pittman, insuring our best answer to an ugly halfcourt style affair would be a non-factor in a pretty damn important basketball game. But again, thanks Ed. We wouldn’t have been able to find out how truly dynamic this Texas team is without your officiating faggotry, Mr. Red Nose.
Ed’s antics aside, what a tremendous win for the program, a tournament caliber win as srr50 aptly calls it. Lose your best weapon, play a style you’re not entirely comfortable with or accustomed to, against a seasoned group of talented, well coached basketball players, and still get the W going away. Damion James was a man amongst boys again, and we, gasp, ran offense through him. Maybe coming back was a good idea. And Gary Johnson, the kid with a heart bigger than his own game or skillset, looked like an elite hybrid 3 out there on both ends of the floor at winning time. Big steals, big boards, and silky smooth offensive game for the player that people endearingly call spastic. What a showing. What a time to show. And finally the young backcourt of Balbay, Bradley, Hamilton, and Brown. They grew up a bunch last night, playing the best defensive team they’ll likely see this year. Outside of their own practices that is. Let’s discuss.
Damion James.
In the UNC post mortem I declared that Damion James played his best basketball game in a Longhorn uniform. Scratch that. After last night, the UNC battle was his second best. Against the Spartans, he was left on his own to battle MSU on the glass after Pittman was saddled with foul trouble, and James was up to the challenge pulling 13 boards. Even more impressive than his glass work, however, was Damion’s transformation into an offensive catalyst right before our very eyes. He took bigger forwards to the rack, showed feathery touch on midrange jumpers, and even created some shots as shot clocks wound down. The game film alone probably netted him a dozen draft slots and millions of dollars. Just a virtuoso performance from the heart and soul of this basketball team.
Dexter Pittman.
It’s a shame we couldn’t see Big Dex physically overwhelm a woefully undersized Michigan State frontcourt, but in the long run, Pittman’s absence was probably good for this basketball team. Had the big man been allowed to play, Texas likely wins the game by 20 because the Spartans had zero answers for Dex. Would it have been nice to see us run high ball screen dives to the post sets with a bunch of shooters on the floor? Sure. If they work with Matt Hill in the game, they would have certainly worked with Pittman. Again, some folks just can’t swallow their whistle, but Texas is a better team for it.
J’Covan Brown.
J’Fearless. Not the best stat line he’ll have all year, but his 3 ball and reverse layup came at crucial points in the game when State had small leads and Texas was trying to make its run. I liked that Barnes is starting to trust him in the screen and roll game as well. Flank him with two shooters, run the high screen with Dex, and then have the big man dive to the goal. This set alone is good for 10 buckets a game and would have been a staple of our halfcourt offense against State had Pittman stayed in the ball game.
Dogus Balbay.
Along with baklava, you’re going to find pieces of Larry Drew and now Kalin Lucas in Doge’s stool. Balbay keeps going up against elite point guards and making them look like they can’t play. I’ve told the story before, but prior to his 9 knee surgeries, Randy Livingston so thoroughly dominated Jerry Stackhouse in an AAU tournament game that an NBA scout left the building that night wondering aloud if Stackhouse would be worth a shit at the college level. I wonder if Balbay is creating the same perception about the players he destroys defensively. On offense, Balbay turned in a masterpiece. Six big assists and no turnovers, coupled with his aggression in attacking the basket is perfect for this club. Come in and lock down the opposing point guard on defense, distribute and attack the rim in spots on offense. That’s all we need out of Doge.
Jordan Hamilton.
This is why it is galactically stupid to give up on a singular talent like Hamilton after one bad performance. Not only is the kid the best pure shooter on the ballclub, but he’s probably the third best rebounder and third best ballhandler and your only true 3 man. Without Jordan’s 4-6 from deep, I’m not sure Michigan State gives up the lane to guys like Bradley, Balbay, and James as much as they did. If Jordan continues to learn what a good shot is vis a vis time and score and in the context of what is going on in the basketball game, he’s going to be fine. Kudos to Barnes for being patient and realizing the kid hasn’t had a whole lot of coaching in this department. And mark my words, when Jordan starts to get it, he’s going to reward this program with some explosive offensive performances.
Avery Bradley.
I thought Avery deferred a bit too much in this game but I’m sure the coaches will take the 4-7 efficiency when considering the defensive effort the young guard turned in. But as I posted in the Carolina write up, this team is a better club when Avery is shooting the ball 15 times per game. He’s just too talented to give away field goal attempts to anyone else on the roster.
Gary Johnson.
It’s obvious that Rick trusts Gary, and Gary rewarded that trust with 3 or 4 huge plays down the stretch. Johnson’s emergence gives Rick one more matchup weapon as a hybrid 3 or 4. He also gives the Horns frontcourt depth we can lean on if and when we decide to place a fullcourt pressure arrow in the quiver.
Alexis Wangmene.
Not a good matchup for Alexis considering MSU is a team that’s going to run motion and place a premium on a defense’s ability to help and recover. Wangmene is not a very good help and recover big at this point in his career. He’s much better suited to play in an up and down tempo ball game so he can use his length and athletic ability to block shots and pull boards. If Lexi is forced to play position defense for long stretches, invariably he’s going to be caught out of position and it’ll lead to driving angles and post entry angles for the opposition.
Justin Mason.
One comment on the senior and I’ll leave it at that. My only problem with Barnes current rotation strategy is how Mason is used. We’ve already talked about how it doesn’t make much sense to play him with another non-shooter like Balbay but I’ll expand on that even further. If you’re worried about Pittman playing limited minutes due to conditioning or foul trouble, why would you risk wasting those precious minutes playing a source of help like Mason along side Dex? Why not play Mason when you’re going small, or you’re in some sort of pressure package? I think it’s an inefficient use of resources.
Clint Chapman.
I think Clint could be in store for more minutes. He came in and played confidently which is really the only missing piece for the young man.
Jai Lucas.
I thought Jai played decently. He showed his true value which is spreading the floor with the threat of his jump shot. For that reason I’d like to see him off the ball in halfcourt sets, letting Brown do all the heavy lifting of ballhandling and creating help. Jai’s at his best when he’s catching and shooting and defenders are running at him. Defensively, he’ll struggle against bigger ballhandlers that can knock him off the ball.
Overall it was a chameleon-like win for the Horns. We proved we can win a halfcourt scrum without our big pivot horse. We’ve now shown we can win any style ballgame against any and all comers and in adverse situations. Even better news is that our ceiling is still pretty high. We’ve yet to play our best game and we’re still running fools out of the gym or banging them into submission. Wait until we shoot it well, and yes, I mean from the foul line as well.
Thoughts?
More from this Barker:
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Posted by Trips Right on September 7th, 2010 under Football
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Posted by Trips Right on August 29th, 2010 under Football
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Posted by Trips Right on August 25th, 2010 under Football
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Posted by Trips Right on August 24th, 2010 under Football
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Posted by Trips Right on August 23rd, 2010 under Football
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Huckleberry said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
Trips -
What do you see as our biggest matchup problems against Gardner-Webb? How will we handle Artis Gilmore? Is Anton Silver really THE TRUTH? Should I give the 54.5 points?
Lowdenswain said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:52 am
Great stuff. Spot on about Hightower.
My history on this site is brief, but that, Trips is the funniest thing I’ve read so far.
Chapmans turnaround jumper and Balbay hitting the front end of a late 1&1 were nuggets of joy.
batate said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:53 am
J’Covan gave a better defensive effort than I expected too. What a great win.
Bartoncreek said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
Nice recap, can’t say I can find much to disagree with. The d was outstanding and MSU probably can’t shoot any better than they did in the 1st half and were still only up 3.
We are starting to get a little better in our half court sets, too. Brown is still a little careless with the ball at times, but he is getting better. The guy is just money taking it to the rim. I was glad to see what Lucas can do. I still think that Balbay/Lucas will log the vast majority of minutes at the 1 with Brown playing a hybrid 1/2 when he’s in.
Hamilton played better, but still showed his carelessness as well. He still has the most upside of anyone on the team and that is saying a lot. Bradley continues to impress and his d is getting better and better, which is scary to think about.
James is just a warrior. A skilled James Thomas is what he’s turned into. Love his effort.
Finally, I owe Gary Johnson an apology. At the end of last year, I had pretty much decided that he just couldn’t play against big time competition. Thanks for proving me wrong. His best game against a real team so far. I hope he realizes what his role is and how effective he can be if he sticks to it.
Can’t wait to see how much better we get. This team could be one of the all-time greats if they continue to improve.
Tdiddle said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:04 am
Nice writeup. I kind of agree with you about Mason. It seems to me, as with most of Barnes’ strategy, that he’s more concerned about defense rather than offensive strategy when it comes to how Mason is used. I get the feeling that Barnes has come to the (right imo) conclusion that with so much other talent that Mason will now be a non-factor offensively, and that he’s only going in to play defense. And btw he has been doing a great job at this when he gets to go in.
Tdiddle said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
Also like Damion said this team is Scary Good. I’ve never been so excited about our basketball team. I can’t wait for Kansas and then March!!!! HOOK EM!!!
ransomstoddard said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
Watch the replay of Brown’s reverse layup and see him switch hands in mid-air. This guy’s a freshman?
Tdiddle said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:07 am
The crossover to get open for the reverse was pretty sick too!
Woody Bombay said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 am
Bashing refs is a time-honored tradition around here, almost knee-jerk, but you are dead-on here. Dex got jobbed last night, plain and simple.
I like this win better than the NC win because they never looked down against the Heels, I never thought “We’re going to lose this one.” Overcoming early struggles and pulling away easily from an Izzo team is a hell of an accomplishment.
kafka said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:25 am
Brown also shot that reverse with his left hand.
Holy Cow said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:31 am
Balbay, Bradley, Hamilton, and Brown. . .
Sounds like a kick a** law firm as well. . .
jinx said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:34 am
“Officiating faggotry” sums it up pretty well. I was yelling “we’re in Fucking Austin” on the fourth foul on Dex. Lucky my kids are already at the grandparents.
I’ll admit that I’m prone to think the refs are calling against us, so I felt vindicated when both announcers verified that the fourth was bullshit and that Dex was getting fouls called because “he was bigger.” This shit has to end. Dex has always had this problem, but you could tell he was playing with kid gloves when the fourth foul was called. The defender litterally ran up to him and fell down. RIDICULOUS!
Rant over. Jai played well and I liked that Barnes was coaching him up on the final possession of the first half. That experience will be rewarded later in the season. He gives us a different type of guard. The quick pass he swung around to Hamilton in the corner was huge and a testament to his vision and understanding of the game. Like I said in srr’s post, this team has sickening talent and we can match up with anybody with any line up.
This season is gonna be fun!
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:37 am
“And Gary Johnson, the kid with a heart bigger than his own game or skill set….”
Enlarged heart jokes with Gary Johnson? Too soon!!
Admittedly I’m not the biggest basketball fan, 6’1″ 195 lbs, but with the football hiatus in full swing I had to make time for beer and wings last night. Trips, I think you said that if Damion James is our leading scorer this year, we’re in trouble. Apparently he’s made some unforseen strides and is about to have a John Wallace type senior season. Fine by me, he’s a joy to watch, other than when he’s dribbling. I would like him, well everyone, to pass on the three every once in a while. Shot selection as a whole has been a little suspect.
I don’t see Avery Bradley being a one and done. I’ve said before, he has the Curtis Brown timidity problem, although it does seems to waning. The biggest factor in him coming back is I think he needs to have more adept PG skills. A guy his size has to be able to drive to the rack and I don’t see him consistently doing that. I did see him drive and miss that dunk (that would have been awesome), but I’d like to see it more before I annoint him “one and done.” Maybe he’s not asked to do much of it.
Our basketball team seems to have as much heart as our football team. I loved the emotion coming from the bench. They seem to have a special kinship, which is rare with all the youth.
Man, it’s going to be a fun ride. (Why are basketball comments so long?)
Holy Cow said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Oh and on the other site, the decision was made to name the defense Texas plays with Balbay on the court the “Turkish Prison”. I kind of like that in a Midnight Express sort of way. . . .
sa said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
JB’s nuts are bigger than the city of PA. he’s dirty.
GJ is a smart dude and his game is showing it.
Damion James is playing better than I ever thought he would. he really took the “you need to be more of a leader” commentary seriously.
I thought some early predictions about our squad were a bit hyperbolic…no more. the pieces have already come together and there’s plenty of room for improvement. everyone on the roster brings something to the table.
btw, Katz is calling for KU & UT to play a home/home every year. interesting idea.
now about that FT shooting…
Tdiddle said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 am
I don’t think Bradley is timid. Rather he seems to be going out of his way to not be the prima dona hotshot freshman. If he were timid I don’t think he would be hitting the kind of shots he was making against UNC. The MSU game was just a factor of him trying to not be selfish. No timid player plays defense the way he does.
kafka said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
Amazing past two games by Damion. Even his ball handling seems to have improved. He is now way better with his left hand, too.
Gary was a stud in the clutch.
I would absolutely love to see Brown doing much more screen and roll.
Jordan is hugely useful just as a shooter, let alone everything else
Jordan Hamilton.he can or will bring to the table. It was very imaginative of Barnes to bring in Jordan on O as a sub for Balbay when the spartans were fouling late in the game. Absolutely love to see Barnes talking to his whole staff about strategy during a timeout. That shows open mindedness and self confidence.
Wangmene just needs more coaching/experience, he has gobs of athletic ability and desire.
Chapman has offensive skills and a nose for rebounding. It is great to see him playing with more confidence. He also needs to get stronger and a bit more explosive. Hill has less skill than Chapman bus has improved his conditioning more.
J Lucas is useful. He shoots well, hits his free throws, and handles the ball well. He has to recognize double teams quicker and get rid of the ball (just a court rust problem). If he can stay in front of his man out front, Barnes is excellent at protecting small guards inside via big man help.
The horns hits 56% of their shots, including 44% of their 3 point attempts. They also had 20 assists. MSU only had 12 assists.
What a joy it is to watch this Team play.
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 am
Kafka, do you currently have carpal tunnel or something?
Tdiddle, only shooting 7 times is timid. Just because he’s a freshman doesn’t mean he should pass up shots to less talented players. That’s all I’m saying.
I’m trying to come up with a comparison for Gary Johnson. The best one I’ve heard is Ron Ron. Anybody got anything different?
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
Shit, way to kick me in the nuts. I guess you don’t have carpal. Your first post was by far your shortest ever, then you backdoor your usual essay. You must have had premature comment submission on your first. Second one is always a little longer.
fromwesttexasbrah said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
magnum do i sense sexual references twards kafka??
kafka said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
Ron artest is a good comparison for Gary.
My comparison for J’Covan is Earl (The Pearl) Monroe.
Kenneth Ivory said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:49 am
Loved seeing how excited the Horns were when Dogus slammed home 2 dunks and Gary Johnson had his 3 consecutive plays of awesomeness. They look like they are having so much fun out there, and damn it was fun to watch. Barnes has created a top recruiting machine and its only beginning.
Chad said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
Trip, my first thing after every game is looking for your post — thanks.
“… We proved we can win a halfcourt scrum without our big pivot horse. We’ve now shown we can win any style ballgame against any and all comers and in adverse situations….”
Now, two more tests left — against the depth of KU and Syracuse’s zone.
ballrific said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I’ve said it before, J’Covan is a fucking right handed Van Exel! If you don’t remember Nick’s game, go back and look. Deceptively quick-kind of glides/hops to spots and always get there, can shoot with range, and can finish with both hands, obviously.
Hank Dudek said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I thought Lucas was a liability when he took over for Balbay. Their guards knew they could score on him as he is undersized and he can’t get by anybody off the dribble. He was playing the right position at Florida. He is not a point guard as he is not a real threat off the dribble. He has a nice shot and can be a catch and shoot guy but only when needed. I would not have him running the point over Covan in future games if Balbay is sitting with foul trouble or gets injured. Covan will need to run the show so get him some reps so he is ready.
This might be the best college on ball defense I can remember on the perimeter. I have never seen a backcourt dominate scoring perimeter players the way Balbay, Bradley and Covan do. I find myself saying how great these guys are and it is when they are on defense.
Good write-up Trips.
tangentorange said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
“My comparison for J’Covan is Earl (The Pearl Monroe”.
My comparison for J’Covan would be Natel “Tiny” Archibald , ex Celtics, UTEP star. Had similar problems in high school, corrected when he developed a good mentor relationship. Just replace South Bronx instead of Port Arthur. My 2cents.
scagnetti said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
restaurant quality again, Trips. you never fail to impress…
as does this board, with few exceptions. and to wax its car for just a moment, but this board and you fellow commentors – for the most part – are sure to make this Horns bball season that much more special for me.
i love this team, love this site, and as ive said on here before in the last year or more, that my appreciation for college basketball has only grown due to the fantastic contributors and members on here. i was a huge fan before, but now i am a ridiculously well informed and educated one.
i say all this because there simply is not a lot to add to this or any other horns basketball thread. i mean everyone has their opinions – mine being that i HATE to see damion catch the balll beyond the arc, and i know there are reasons for it, just makes me cringe – but the discussion is, well, restaurant quality.
again, as ive said before, fine work all around, not least from the most talented and cohesive and well coached team of collegiate basketball players in the country.
Hook ‘Em Horns!
(and i for one, enjoy kafka’s [overwrought and depressing] commentary. brevity may not be his forte, much like basketball is Vasherized’s kryptonite, but insightful and articulate is [usually] is, however. we can sniff each other out. i tend to go on, its been said…)
Another Dipshit Poster said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
J’Covan still needs to lose 10 or so pounds. We’re still not seeing how he can play when he gets to where he needs to be. Still some dietary work to be done.
Very glad to hear Barnes acknowledge publicly that playing Balbay and Mason together was problematic.
Odds are some good recruiting news will pop up in the next two weeks.
Barking Carnival — Blog — Happy Festivus! said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
[...] Trips and srr50 are fired up about last night’s win. And rightfully so. I must say, though, I’ve never heard of anyone being unhappy with an Ed Hightower officiated game. You’re on an island there, Trips. However, if Damion James continues to play like this, they’ll be tough to beat. He’s a huge matchup problem for anyone (us included) and he’s what pushes them from good to great. I’ve also been very impressed with J’Covan lately. If they ever figure out how to shoot from three (small concern) or the charity stripe (big concern), then they’ll be scary good. [...]
bigdukesix said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Odds are some good recruiting news will pop up in the next two weeks.
Basketball news? There will definitely be good football news.
E said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Trips,
thanks for calling out the disgusting officiating in this game. I feel like it hasn’t been focused on nearly enough in the post game coverage of this contest.
Another Dipshit Poster said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Bball news.
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Like what? Corey Joseph? Or are you just assuming because of our strong start?
3_from_the_corner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Great write-ups. Always enjoy them. Now, on to the real stuff at hand…
Texas is scary-good. Like out-of-no-where GOAT good. This team is sooo RAW at what are normally very important positions. These back-to-back wins are (UNC and State) phenomenal accomplishments. Only thing I can compare it to is a mini, mid-season FinalFour weekend, and we won it!. Amazing. They’re the new and improved version of 40 minutes of hell.
I think that this team thrives for two reason that are usually in opposition – Youth and Maturity.
The great thing about freshmen is that they just don’t know any better. They don’t know any better on when they’re jacking up their poor shot selection and they don’t know that they shouldn’t win these games against these teams. That brings me to the other good thing about them; they just don’t know (usually) anything about losing. It’s not in their blood. They’ve been winning at B-ball since they could bounce one. Bradley was on the team that won last year’s mythical HS National Championship. He, along with the rest, don’t know how to lose.
The maturity-factor comes from the Seniors. Our group is a solid bunch that’s had each other’s back for many a moon. They know how to handle the big stage and the pressure that comes with it. They know the work they’ve put in to this program for 4 years has prepared them for these moments and they’re confident. They’re ‘ready’. This team has a PERFECT balance of Vets and Rooks. A work of art. Beautiful.
Damion James was AWESOME the last two games (outside of his 3-pt and free-throw shooting). He dominated for several stretches and at key junctures of the games. We’d have been crushed if it weren’t for him. He’s a pillar of our basketball temple. Awesome to watch at times.
Bradley is like the defensive version of KD. The kid can do it all. He’ll play the quicker guys, he’ll guard the bigger guys. He’ll scrap for rebounds amongst the trees. He’ll peel off his assignment to help and get back before they can squeeze the shot off. He’s beautiful to watch roaming out there. His D is second to none in all of college b-ball. Really, the only player out that I’ve seen that belongs in the same sentence is his teammate Dogus Balbay.
Doge is hell on legs out there. I’d cry if he guarded me. I’d hate myself for a long time afterwards, too.
J’Covan is becoming something very special. He’s the “X” factor in my opinion. James and Pitman are what they are at this point in their careers (Mason can be lumped in here, too). Bradley already has scads of game that we may never see. He’s so fast with the ball. He’s a gazelle. But, on the other hand, J’Covan is still learning and growing. Got some Mad skillz, but needs to understand how to use his tools. His ‘troubles’ have hampered his growth if only because he hasn’t been up against elite competition till he set foot on the 40 acres. Barnes may end up doing his best coaching job with this kid. Only time will tell.
It was nice to see Hamilton have a good shooting game. Lord knows he’s had enough in-game practice so far this season. I’m still not sold on him, though. I can see him being a Sydmill Harris-type player. As long as someone is around to give him a shot, he’ll take it.
I’d love to watch a practice. It would be a riot. How does anyone ever score?!?!
I love this team. I think they could really, truly be the GOAT at the end of the season. They are that good, and have that much upside STILL at this point in the season. I hope the other team doesn’t cry when we finally play up to our capabilities. We are seriously going to PUNISH teams this year. I can’t wait to DESTROY Kansas on nat TV. Bill Self is already crapping his pants.
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Nice to see A.J. Abrams make his Barking Carnival debut.
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
J’Covan Brown reminds me of Sam Cassell as a rookie with the Rockets. Those from Houston will understand what high praise that is.
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
It seems to me that a guy like Gary Johnson may hold the key to just exactly how amazing this team can get.
I think they’re going to live and die, night in and night out, on what they get from Sexy Dexy, James, Bradley and Brown. Those are the shoulders they’re going to stand on.
But if a guy like Gary Johnson starts to realize his potential this year, this team rockets to a whole other level. Jordan Hamilton could also be that guy.
This team could be so damn good.
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Officially, my biggest concern with this team is free throw shooting.
When you’re a crappy free throw shooting team, all it takes is one close game, and the 9 points you leave at the free throw line can be the end of your season.
Good thing March Madness isn’t known for unexpectedly close games. Oh wait…
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I also have concerns about J’Covan staying healthy and not being nicked and banged up over the course of the entire season.
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Now close your eyes and–instead of imagining the little girl is white–imagine that Kevin Durant is on this team.
homesickalien said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I don’t think Bradley is a one and done just because of how he is. If any #1-ranked college player were going to hang around an extra year or two, he seems like that guy.
Are any of our frosh really one-and-done’ers? Hamilton still seems really raw. I could see it with Brown more than the other two, but I could also see him sticking 2 years.
magnusbleuviegner said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Wow, a very random ‘A Time to Kill’ reference.
ctex80 said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Homesick,
When I close my eyes, Augustin is also on this team. Shudder…
SL Xpress said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Texas has been attracting more basketball recruiting attention with these last two wins.
Unlike Hank Dudek, I think Jai Lucas is terrific. When his transfer was announced, I was the lone guy who trumpeted the contributions this stud would bring. Sure, he had a rough outing against North Carolina, but against Michigan State, he shut down Lucious’s 3 ball in the first half. People were concerned he’d be too slight to affect perimeter shots. Ha! I laugh at them now! Ha! again. And how about his half court offense? Simply dominating. I was especially impressed with the last possession coming out of the timeout. You talk about a steady hand. He’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
I can’t see why Barnes didn’t play Lucas and Mason more in the 2nd half. That was an obvious error on his part. Texas was lucky to be able to grab any kind of momentum without those two stalwarts on the floor more.
I look forward to increased playing time for them both. They’re going to be needed the farther into the tournament field Texas possibly climbs. A final four or national championship simply isn’t possible without their dynamic offense, and shut down defensive skills. Forget spot duty. They need 20 minutes per game or Barnes is shorting this team’s true potential.
Bob Loblaw said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Hmmmm something doesn’t add up about that SL post. But this being the internet I will take it at face value and say you are an idiot SL! Lucas and Mason are terrible! And you claim to know something about basketball. I am now the most knowledgeable poster about Texas basketball, having just taken down SL Xpress.
My first nugget of wisdom: Damion James is good at basketball. More to come.
Matt Hill's Dad said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
SLEXpress,
I remember when you said the same thing about my son. Now, he doesn’t play a lick. What gives?
exuLt said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I don’t see J’Covan being as borderline out of control as Sam Cassell was on his lane penetrations during his first year. On the other hand I don’t see him penetrating at Sam’s level, either.
blackscholes said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Don’t tug on VY’s cape, and don’t impersonate SLX on teh web.
Trips had some pretty insightful comments (as usual) a while back that made me re-think Balbay and his role on this club. He was spot on, particularly the elite-level defense Balbay brings every night.
Best Longhorn hoops discussion on the web is found right here. And it don’t cost nothin’.
BEHorn said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 pm
My Humboldt-Gold-level euphoria is just slightly tinged by the fact that we shot a better % from 3 than from the FT line (.438 to .421).
raoulduke said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Can’t tell who is a better purveyor if irony, SLX of scholes.
Great stuff Trips.
J’C is a huge key to this squad. His baseline, one-touch bounce pass was a thing of Fonde-level pick up game greatness.
Scipio Tex said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Great review, Trips. Just reading this thread got me fired up again. College football and college basketball are so heads and shoulders above anything else in the sporting universe.
srr50 said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pm
btw, Katz is calling for KU & UT to play a home/home every year. interesting idea.
So was Jay Bilas. Hmmm, ESPN announcers want Kansas and Texas to play more often.
Stunning. You could knock me over with a feather.
Texoz said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:27 pm
This is all I’ll say.
I want to savoir this season like I’m at the best restaurant in Napa Valley and I’m having an exquisite filet mignon and a spectacular cabernet.
Even if we don’t win it all, which I do think we will, this season is going to be best ever in Longhorn basketball. Life is short. Enjoy these moments. I was at the game with my son and I will certainly remember that 2 1/2 hours.
ctex80 said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Texoz,
That’s why I bought tickets to the UNC game the day they went on sale. Sometimes you just know.
Art Vandelay said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Texoz,
You nailed it brother. My grandfather played BBall at Texas (6’4″ center), but I never met him. I’ve been lucky enough to go to three Texas football games with my dad (SWC track champ at Texas in the late ’50′s), myself (accomplished intramural frat dude, and semi pro drunk) and my now eight year old (who loves all things Burnt Orange).
Great times win or lose…. but winning makes everyone (especially the young folk) happy.
Enjoy.
dick said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Gary reminds me of Lyons from Mizzou team last year. GJ would have been a pretty good fit in the 40 minutes of hell defense. As would Avery and Doge.
jimmyjazz said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:07 pm
FT shooting is obviously a problem, but I don’t see us leaving 9 points off the board every game. Prior to the MSU game:
Texas: 62.5%
National average: 68.4%
National median: 68.3%
National best: 79.5%
Compared to the best FT shooting team in the country, we are leaving just under 5 points per game off the board. Compared to the average (or median), that number drops to less than 2 points per game.
I think FT shooting % is overrated. Obviously, in a tight game, it’s a problem if a team can’t make its free throws, but I think the actual damage is overblown.
dick said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
That’s interesting jimmy. If we could be guaranteed 62% every game and our opponent would shoot their average when we play against them, I think everyone would take that because we are much better in every other facet over most teams. But we have shown the ability to sink to sub 50% FT shooting and we have several certain players that are Shaq like at the line that other teams could choose to send to the line at crucial times. Those are almost like turnovers right now. I agree it’s overrated from a season long stand point if you are ok with it costing you a couple of games. Texas is not in that position this year, we should be winning them all.
We are ranked 324th out of 347 teams in FT%. That’s shitty.
jimmyjazz said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:47 pm
By the NCAA stats I’m looking at (pre-MSU), we’re 303 out of 334. Not a nit worth picking.
That said, if we were to magically climb to “average” at the line, we would have scored another 17 points this season (over 10 games in the NCAA website). That’s less than 2 points per game. I just don’t see it.
Don’t get me wrong — 62.5% FT shooting is shitty — but the difference between “shitty” and “average” is almost negligible in the context of the average basketball game.
jimmyjazz said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 pm
And yes, I absolutely agree that the problem gets magnified at the end of a close game. I’m not trying to diminish that.
Barking Carnival — Blog — The View from The Drum and Sundries . . . said:
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:55 pm
[...] you have not already read the excellent posts from srr50 and Trips Right, then do so now, or I will give HenryJames your IP address which could lead to you being the [...]
magnusbleuveigner said:
December 24th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Texoz,
Your last sentence will have me thinking twice next time I withdraw. Sounds like a great day. In fact, I know it was as I witnessed full on indoctrination when I accompanied my good friend and his son to the Rice game. Congrats.
RF said:
December 24th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Agree with the comparison of J’Covan to a rookie Sam Cassel; ice in the veins, killer instinct, money at the line, not ultra quick but somehow manages to put his man on his hip and drive, and especially the joy they both showed playing.
Confused and dazed said:
December 24th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Typically when there is a game where the other team is trying to put you on the line to win, it means theye rea behind. During that time, they will foul you ASAP. Then, after they make a bucket, wither they call a TO or you can. Barnes can alternate his lineup in those scenarios where he can have whomever he wants on defense, and then out Lucas and Johnson on the floor for the inbounds. Keep the ball in Brown’s hand and whenever possible, paas the ball to either Lucas. Damion has shown to be a clutch shooter late in games when it matters, and GJ is shooting 70% or better, I believe.
dick said:
December 24th, 2009 at 9:34 am
“By the NCAA stats I’m looking at (pre-MSU), we’re 303 out of 334. Not a nit worth picking.”
KenPom’s stats included the MSU game. Not sure why he includes more teams in his rankings.
People are not worried about the 2ppg that our FT shooting is causing us over the long haul, they are concerned about the one game that it will cost us 10 – 15 against a better team.
We’re we subbing Lucas in at the end for Balbay or was it someone else? Bradley, Lucas, brown, GJ and DJ seems like a good squad to have in at the end of games.
Should we be worried about Arky ?
Blueshorn said:
December 24th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
“My history on this site is brief, but that, Trips is the funniest thing I’ve read so far.”
Let me recommend you do a search for Scipio Tex articles and find the transcript of Greg Davis’ interview for the head coaching job at SMU.
dick said:
December 24th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
““My history on this site is brief, but that, Trips is the funniest thing I’ve read so far.””
If you like reading Trips, head over to Fading Las Vegas. He’s just as great to read and he wins you money over there.
rantanamo said:
December 24th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Am I the only one who think we have highly underrated the skill set of Gary Johnson. He’s a solid shooter from the elbow. He can take bigger guys to the hole. Look at that spin move to start off his crazy 3 plays. Great quickness with a sweet spin and finish. Has shown he is a good passer. Posts up guys big and small. Also he’s really long and quick in guarding guys on the perimeter. Dare I say it, but the guy can be a legit 3 at times. Really impressed with his play lately and it looks like his playing time is increasing. He could end up as much of an x-factor as Brown(I still think if the light comes on for Hamilton its lights out for the rest of the nation. Sydmil Harris? really?) Anyways, I agree with the post that we may see Gary’s light coming on and seeing what he can actually do. Keep it up Gary.
Syracuse Orange said:
December 25th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Haven’t seen our zone.