Any predictions on what people expect from UT Basketball? On PTI, Digger Phelps just predicted: Final Four: UConn, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas National Champion: Texas I tend to think we're going to seriously miss TJ, but some of these new guys have kicked ass early. Moreno had 11 pts, 10 assists yesterday. Tucker is averaging 18 pts, 11 rebounds in 2 games. I think we'll be sweet 16 / elite 8, but stop there.
I havent seen them play but P.J. Tucker sounds like a good pickup for the team. Kenny Taylor is gonna really help out an already good bunch of 3pt shooters.
Surprised Uconn had trouble with Yale and Nevada. Horns look goood. They could make it to the final four. Lavin also picked Texas to go to the final four. Texas was the only team he and Digger agreed on,.
I underestimated the team last year, and probably will again this year. I really like what Coach Barnes has done with the program. Tucker looks like he'll be a great player for us. We got really good shooting with Taylor, Boddicker, and Harris. Mouton is supposed to be our go to guy. I haven't seen enough this season to be really sold on him. Buckman was looking good at the end of last season, and Thomas provides rebounding and intensity. Royale is pretty good. Haven't seen enough of Moreno to make a judgement. I think it's really hard to make a prediction because it's such a long season and the tournament is crazy. I do like how we have a tough schedule and then Big XII play. That should have the team pretty prepared. I wouldn't be surprised if we made it to the Final 4 again, but I agree that's it's pretty likely sweet 16/elite 8. I need to see more teams play to see where Texas fits in. At least you know Barnes will get our players to play defense, be tough, and play hard the whole game. How do they play against the zone? How well do they use the zone? Will they have a go to scorer? If they can deal with those factors, they can definitely be in the Final Four. Lots or returning experience and a great coach make a huge difference.
Give me a break. It's the beginning of the season. Paulino is not very good. They wasted a scholarship. He's injured right now, though.
It's scary to think that this team could be deeper than last year's team, but I definitely see Kenny Taylor, Edgar Moreno and Tucker playing much bigger roles than the loss of Ogden and Ross. Of course, TJ leaving is huge, although one could argue that TJ became a bit of a crutch last year to the team. I think with him gone now, it's most evident that players like Boddicker and Mouton have stepped up their games. My biggest concern? The point, of course. I STILL don't feel good with Royal back there- I think Moreno is going to have to step up, because I'd much prefer Ivey covering the opponent's best 2 or 3 on defense, and saving his energy for that. Plus, i just don't see him as a great ballhandler.
I'm not sure. This team will be better at scoring in the half court and have better defense than last year. But the break isn't going to be as good. It's not going to be bad - Kenny Taylor, in particular, has looked great running the break so far. And that's what made Texas so capable of putting away opponents. Tough rebounding inside (still there) and a quick outlet to TJ. I'm interested in seeing how good of a scorer Mouton is really going to be. If he's as good as he's looked against weak opposition, Texas might be a real contender. More than anything else last year, we lacked a go to guy who was also a great scorer. TJ was the guy that everyone looked to in the clutch - but his scoring ability was only good, not great. He wasn't even a decent outside shooter. Mouton might be just that man. (and hell, this Tucker kid looks great early on, too)
Texas is a complete team. There is no reason to believe they won't return to the final four. Let's see, championship teams have leadership. UT has 4 senior starters and has only 3 new players in its rotation(Tucker, Taylor, Moreno). Check. Next, they have offensive firepower. Who on this team can't hit a jumpshot? Boddicker, Mouton, Harris, Ivey, Taylor can and even Buckman has shown the ability this year. Check. Third and more important than offensive firepower, they play great defense and rebound the ball well. Rick Barnes teams always are solid defensively and they will be again this year. Royal Ivey is a lockdown defender, Mouton has turned himself into a very good defender and Buckman is one heck of a low post defender and Thomas isn't bad. Then you have Thomas, Buckman and now Tucker to bang the boards and you have the rebounding. I pick them to go back to the final four as well. They are a complete basketball team. There will be minimal if any dropoff from the loss of Ford because they have all the components of a great team. It's not that losing a player like T.J. doesn't hurt, it does, but UT has the leadership returning to step up and fill the void. Then when you add in all the shooters and the post players they have its easy to see them returning to the final four. Personally, I think they are the best team in the country, but nobody wants to admit that since they lost the best player in the country last year to the NBA this summer. Plus, its Texas, a school trying to build a basketball reputation. A lot of media types can't imagine ranking them ahead of such perennial powers as Duke and Kansas. Rick Barnes has this program primed to become a dominant force in college basketball and do you want to know what's really special but scary at the same time? Both the men and the women have awesome chances of being crowned national champions this year. The women should have been Uconn last year and they already have beaten Duke, a final four team from a year ago, this year. They are looking really good as well. It's a great time to be a UT basketball fan, period.
Can someone give me a rundown of all the new additions, what positions they play, and where they came from, etc. Thanks.
PJ Tucker - 6'4 undersized forward from NC (passed on by UNC, Duke, etc -> sleeper with huge upside) Edgar Moreno - 6'2 combo guard from South America Peco - some walkon 12th man scrub
1.Mouton needs to be able to consistently create his own shot when needed in the big games. 2.Need to figure out how to play against a zone. Shouldn't be that hard with all the shooters. I think those are the two biggest factors.
Baqui99: You left out Taylor. He's a transfer from Baylor. Didn't have to sit out a year because of their situation. Lights out 3 point shooter. Pretty good handles. Good on the break. Barnes says he's great at help defense, but not quite up to snuff man-to-man.
I really have a hard time digesting this post. I think you've been looking through your orange-colored glasses a bit too much. There's no way UT can compete with teams like Duke and UCONN this season, imo. UT has good players, those two teams have great players. I think UT has a great shot at doing very well this season, but to call them the best team in the country is a bit much.
Well Peco is friends with Barnes' son. Just connections and BS. Doesn't really matter, but alot of people like having a player like that on the team. I wish they'd give the spot to someone who deserved it.
