After a frustrating loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes on opening night in Las Vegas, Texas basketball and head coach Rodney Terry quickly regrouped and zeroed in on refining their game in the two non-conference matchups that followed. Despite the tough season opener, the Longhorns have used the past week to focus on getting things right on both ends of the court, building confidence and cohesion for what’s to come.
In their first two non-conference tune-ups at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas put on a show, making quick work of the Houston Christian Huskies and Chicago State Cougars. In the home opener against Houston Christian, freshman shooting guard Tre Johnson put on a scoring clinic, exploding for more than 28 points in a dominant 90-59 victory. The team continued its offensive fireworks a few days later, putting up a staggering 105 points in a 105-58 drubbing of Chicago State on November 12th.
The Longhorns’ offense has clearly been clicking, averaging just over 89 points per game through their first three games. There’s little to complain about on that front, as the team’s scoring output has been impressive. However, Coach Terry’s focus is now turning to what’s happening at the other end of the floor. With the offense rolling, the next step is to establish a stronger defensive identity. Terry emphasized the importance of getting his team to “sit down and guard,” as they work on building a more cohesive defensive unit.
While the Longhorns’ offensive prowess is evident, Terry recognizes that they are still in the early stages of developing team chemistry and a clear identity. As the team heads into their next non-conference game on November 16th against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, the goal is to continue improving defensively while maintaining the scoring momentum. Terry is confident that with more time, his team will continue to gel and improve on both ends of the floor as the season progresses.
Leave a Reply