Texas Basketball 2023-24

[shadow_operative 15932]

 

 

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2652]

meanwhile wife beater beard is overachieving at ole miss.  fml 

[closetohumping 17455]

Lmao iykyk 

Edited January 20 by closetohumping

[Ghost of Shag 2615]

I’ll say it.

Wins like today’s are only hindering the progress of our program long-term.

[Hookem2147 21345]

I’ll say it.

Wins like today are a data point in a much larger picture.

If you have to swing your opinion on a coach after every game in this conference you are going to be exhausted.

[Js1 85449]

But that’s the most Texas way 

[ClubWhatever 12154]

1 minute ago, Ghost of Shag said:

I’ll say it.

Wins like today’s are only hindering the progress of our program long-term.

It's going to be a rough couple of years.   I'll take every little blip of good I can get on the way down.  Otherwise what a miserable slog.   I don't think a couple of buzzer beaters that go our way in one whole season will change the ultimate outcome.

[closetohumping 17455]

2 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

I’ll say it.

Wins like today are a data point in a much larger picture.

If you have to swing your opinion on a coach after every game in this conference you are going to be exhausted.

Hey at least he didn’t post 6 straight call out threads in a row only to post an apology in his 7th post and then ask the mods to delete all of his overnight posts.  😂

[shadow_operative 15932]

17 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

It's going to be a rough couple of years.   I'll take every little blip of good I can get on the way down.  Otherwise what a miserable slog.   I don't think a couple of buzzer beaters that go our way in one whole season will change the ultimate outcome.

yeah man, you gotta still be able to enjoy the ride. bearing baylor in front of a crowd like that on a buzzer beater is something i’ll take every single time i can get it. if we know that RT isn’t the guy, so does CDC. there’s more shitty days ahead in this league. we gotta be able to enjoy these days when we get em. 

Edited January 20 by shadow_operative

[Js1 85449]

37 minutes ago, Ghost of Shag said:

I’ll say it.

Wins like today’s are only hindering the progress of our program long-term.

One win over Baylor in January isn’t going to save him unless he figured something out. It’s just as likely, if not more, to be a blip of a result by a desperate team for a win 

[jimmyjazz 46001]

According to Derka's last pre-season kenpom post, we were expected to be 4-1 at this point (wins over TTech, WVU, UCF and Baylor, loss to UCinn).  We went the opposite on TTech, WVU, UCF, and UCinn.  More recently, kenpom had us splitting with UCF and Baylor, but we flipped the script going L/W instead of W/L.

So, Big 12.  Keep on keepin' on.

[idigTexas 2289]

1 hour ago, shadow_operative said:

yeah man, you gotta still be able to enjoy the ride. bearing baylor in front of a crowd like that on a buzzer beater is something i’ll take every single time i can get it. if we know that RT isn’t the guy, so does CDC. there’s more shitty days ahead in this league. we gotta be able to enjoy these days when we get em. 

Why didn't you go back and dig up old posts to laugh at me for needing more time to evaluate Terry before the Tech game?  If you had, we might be sitting at 16-2.  It sure feels like an "I told you so," but it couldn't be, because you don't do that.

[HookEm 2467]

I don't know how anyone can be an alumni or fan of a team and root against them.  Must be a miserable life. 

That was an awesome win. I want more awesome wins. 

We ultimately fired Shaka and he was a 3-seed with one of the better teams in the country.  Terry is going to need to be exceptional to keep his job.  We don't need the program to bottom out to fire him.

[jimmyjazz 46001]

4 minutes ago, HookEm said:

I don't know how anyone can be an alumni or fan of a team and root against them.  Must be a miserable life. 

This could be a clue.

[HookEm 2467]

I added that part intentionally.

[HookEm 2467]

As far as the team goes, I think we need to get Weaver up to 25 minutes a game. His athleticism is NBA level and he also hustles.  He is also extremely engaged on the bench and is constantly cheering the team on.  He could be a cornerstone of this program for the next 3 years with proper development.  

I want to see more out of Chris Johnson as well.  He is very talented and if we don't play him, he is just going to hit the portal.

This team showed today that they can beat anybody when Hunter is playing well.  Abmas is always solid and Disu is great if he can stay out of foul trouble. This team could be one of my all time favorites if everyone would just play to their potential.  Or it could be one of the most frustrating Texas teams ever (which is how it is trending).  We are about 5 points away from being at the top of the Big 12 standings.  And we are about 5 points away from being in last place.  The season could still go either way. 

Freaking WV just knocked off KU.

[shadow_operative 15932]

7 minutes ago, HookEm said:

I want to see more out of Chris Johnson as well.  He is very talented and if we don't play him, he is just going to hit the portal.

i’ve just been assuming that he’s already gone. i can’t explain why he has so many DNPs as the lone member of our freshman recruiting class, knowing full well he can leave if he’s unhappy at the end of the season. 

[Hookem2147 21345]

Gerry Hamilton made a comment early in the season that Johnson wasn’t taking care of business in the classroom and that was right around when his minutes went off a cliff.

Didn’t he have some baggage coming out of HS too? It seemed like Pryor was the guy the staff was more excited about but obviously he was more raw with the reclassification.

Edited January 21 by Hookem2147

[closetohumping 17455]

2 hours ago, idigTexas said:

Why didn't you go back and dig up old posts to laugh at me for needing more time to evaluate Terry before the Tech game?  If you had, we might be sitting at 16-2.  It sure feels like an "I told you so," but it couldn't be, because you don't do that.

He had about 6 posts last night patting himself on the back and then an apology for said posts after we beat baylor.  All gone as I guess he called in a favor with the mods

[shadow_operative 15932]

13 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

He had about 6 posts last night patting himself on the back and then an apology for said posts after we beat baylor.  All gone as I guess he called in a favor with the mods

last night my buddy came home and i got blackout drunk and at 4am decided to talk a bunch of reciprocated shit to the people who had been incessantly talking shit to me for my opinions on RT weeks ago. it was drunken, assholish behavior. when i woke up and saw my posts i immediately reported them, said it was my bad, and asked for them to be deleted, because that shit does nothing but fuck this place up. 

you see it takes me half a bottle of scotch and i-dont-know-how-many IPAs for me behave the way that you, and idig, and motown, and so many others have behaved all season/your entire posting histories. except that for me, when morning comes and i sober up and realize that that was drunken, assholish behavior that doesn’t help anything around here, i ask for it to be taken down. the horror!

now here you are after the big baylor win that everyone else is celebrating, and all you want to do is constantly bring up my drunken 4 am ranting, making sure everyone knows about it because you, at your sober baseline, behave like i do when my BAC is .28 and im being all pissed off and bipolar. and you enjoy it. so uh, congrats for that. and thanks for doing your best to make sure that the shit slinging and fighting around here never stops for even half a second. great job. i’m sure you’re very proud of yourself. hook em. 🤘🏼 

Edited January 21 by shadow_operative

[closetohumping 17455]

3 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

last night my buddy came home and i got blackout drunk and at 4am decided to talk a bunch of reciprocated shit to the people who had been incessantly talking shit to me for my opinions on RT weeks ago. it was drunken, assholish behavior. when i woke up and saw my posts i immediately reported them, said it was my bad, and asked for them to be deleted, because that shit does nothing but fuck this place up. 

you see it takes me half a bottle of scotch and i-dont-know-how-many IPAs for me behave the way that you, and idig, and motown, and so many others have behaved all season/your entire posting histories. except that for me, when morning comes and i sober up and realize that that was drunken, assholish behavior that doesn’t help anything around here, i ask for it to be taken down. the horror!

now here you are after the big baylor win that everyone else is celebrating, and all you want to do is constantly bring up my drunken 4 am ranting, making sure everyone knows about it because you, at your sober baseline, behave like i do when my BAC is .28 and im being all pissed off and bipolar. and you enjoy it. so uh, congrats for that. and thanks for doing your best to make sure that the shit slinging and fighting around here never stops for even half a second. great job. i’m sure you’re very proud of yourself. hook em. 🤘🏼 

Thanks for owning it. Careful with that bac.  
 

also why not just chill out and see where this goes?  You and I don’t have the gravitas to influence cdc. Stop calling people out everytime we lose.  You see the pumpers thread?   We just won and there’s two posts. Nobody is gloating.  It’s very unbecoming. Breathe. Chill.   Enjoy the win.  Don’t get pissed when the people you call out call you out on your shit though. 

Edited January 21 by closetohumping

[shadow_operative 15932]

dp

Edited January 21 by shadow_operative

[shadow_operative 15932]

6 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Stop calling people out everytime we lose.

i’ll end this by pointing out that last night was the first time i called anyone out, and everyone i called out was someone who had been really shitty to me for my opinions that, three weeks ago were the object of their ire, yet today pretty much everyone here agrees with. i was drunk and frustrated, and i acted like an ass. but i haven’t called anyone out before or since then. i (normally) don’t care enough to do so. 

[Uncle Boobs 1248]

I won't ever act like a dick here. I love texas basketball.

[closetojumping 62765]

14 hours ago, shadow_operative said:

i’ll end this by pointing out that last night was the first time i called anyone out, and everyone i called out was someone who had been really shitty to me for my opinions that, three weeks ago were the object of their ire, yet today pretty much everyone here agrees with. i was drunk and frustrated, and i acted like an ass. but i haven’t called anyone out before or since then. i (normally) don’t care enough to do so. 

I’ve always defended you plenty, but get a fucking grip over the handwringing with people calling you out or being mean to you. You are a grown man. Do you know how many daily callouts some of us get for ridiculous or idiotic shit? No one needs to hear about it constantly. Pull it together and let this thread be about the subject matter that we all like to read and discuss. 

 

[txduck87 986]

I’ve always defended you plenty, but get a fucking grip over the handwringing with people calling you out or being mean to you. You are a grown man. Do you know how many daily callouts some of us get for ridiculous or idiotic shit? No one needs to hear about it constantly. Pull it together and let this thread be about the subject matter that we all like to read and discuss. 
 

Good luck with that. He is incapable of that. One Pathetic and miserable dude.

[Hookem2147 21345]

Dillon Mitchell scored 49 total points across 18 conference games last year.

He is already at 55 through 5 conference games this year.

We've talked about it before but hat tip to him for improving little aspects of his game, especially rebounding. He isn't the ideal offensive college player but the improvement is noticeable. 

[closetohumping 17455]

21 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

Dillon Mitchell scored 49 total points across 18 conference games last year.

He is already at 55 through 5 conference games this year.

We've talked about it before but hat tip to him for improving little aspects of his game, especially rebounding. He isn't the ideal offensive college player but the improvement is noticeable. 

Curious what sort of role he finds in the nba. Hope he makes it.  Does he remind anyone of Shawn merion?  Elite athlete, limited skill set?

[shadow_operative 15932]

17 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Curious what sort of role he finds in the nba. Hope he makes it.  Does he remind anyone of Shawn merion?  Elite athlete, limited skill set?

shawn marion helped lead the mavericks to a title with his elite three point shooting, so no, mitchell does not remind me of him. 

mitchell is not going to make very much of a career for himself in the nba. he can either languish in the g league or go over to europe and be a role player for a competitive team, but he’s not going sniff getting an nba contract barring miraculous growth in his ability to shoot.

Edited January 21 by shadow_operative

[Rickylovesweed 14533]

The key to the season are Brock (or his replacement Weaver) and Hunter. We have 3 starters that you can win with in Abmas, Mitchell, and Disu. 

If we get even decent level play from Brock or Hunter in Big 12 play we are 4-1 or 5-0. That's the frustrating part. The Baylor game is an example of what Texas can do when just one of those players show up. 

[HookEm 2467]

5 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

We've talked about it before but hat tip to him for improving little aspects of his game, especially rebounding. He isn't the ideal offensive college player but the improvement is noticeable. 

The coaching staff has done a good job with Mitchell. He is up from 40% FT to 61% FT, and in the last 5 games he is averaging 70%.  If he stayed for four years in college, he could turn into a tremendous player.  His defense is great and he has averaged 2 stocks and only 2 fouls.  He doesn't really turn the ball over.  He finishes.  

It is surprising, but he is averaging more rebounds and a better shooting percentage than PJ Tucker at the same age. Plus more stocks, fewer turnovers and fewer fouls. And PJ Tucker is STILL in the NBA.  

Mitchell has a lot more to work with athletically than Tucker. With good coaching and effort, he will make an NBA roster and likely stay a while.

[Rickylovesweed 14533]

5 minutes ago, HookEm said:

The coaching staff has done a good job with Mitchell. He is up from 40% FT to 61% FT, and in the last 5 games he is averaging 70%.  If he stayed for four years in college, he could turn into a tremendous player.  His defense is great and he has averaged 2 stocks and only 2 fouls.  He doesn't really turn the ball over.  He finishes.  

It is surprising, but he is averaging more rebounds and a better shooting percentage than PJ Tucker at the same age. Plus more stocks, fewer turnovers and fewer fouls. And PJ Tucker is STILL in the NBA.  

Mitchell has a lot more to work with athletically than Tucker. With good coaching and effort, he will make an NBA roster and likely stay a while.

PJ Tucker developed into the ideal 3 and D type NBA player. Mitchell has shown zero ability to shoot from 3 but maybe he can develop that part to his game. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

PJ was an all american and big xii POY. PJ was a much more developed and well rounded player than mitchell currently is.

[jimmyjazz 46001]

12 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

PJ was an all american and big xii POY. PJ was a much more developed and well rounded player than mitchell currently is.

. . . in PJ's junior year.  Dillon has another year or two to continue to improve.  I'm not saying he'll match PJ, but he's not far off at this point in his career.  (A bit behind on scoring, a bit ahead on the boards, well ahead on blocks.)

[Braff Zacklin 13636]

In college, PJ didn't have a shot beyond 8-feet from the rim. Otherwise, he oozed skill. Great handle, great vision, a billion-and-one post moves for a guy playing PF at 6-foot-5, etc. In a different era, I think he would've made an outstanding point guard or even point forward (had he actually grown up doing that instead of spending the majority of his youth playing in the blocks).

And despite all that, PJ had to wander the desert for several years and develop an outside shot to make it in the NBA.

Defensively and rebounding-wise, Dillon has more potential than PJ, but as an offensive player, he's limited to lobs and putbacks. No handle and not much of a shot to speak of.

Doesn't mean he can't or won't get better, but most of the great athletes Texas has advanced to the pros lately (Hayes, Jones, Brown and Sims) seem to be content with living off their rookie deals until they are forced to seek work overseas as a result of not progressing their abilities further.

And there's nothing wrong with that--they're still gonna make more money in a short time than most of us here ever will--but I just don't see Mitchell putting in the work that Tucker has. And that's the secret to PJ still playing at the age of 38--he is a fucking worker.

[HtownHorn 14755]

2 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said:

The key to the season are Brock (or his replacement Weaver) and Hunter. We have 3 starters that you can win with in Abmas, Mitchell, and Disu. 

If we get even decent level play from Brock or Hunter in Big 12 play we are 4-1 or 5-0. That's the frustrating part. The Baylor game is an example of what Texas can do when just one of those players show up. 

It's really Hunter. In our conference wins 15.5 PPG, in our 3 losses 10.3 PPG. Weaver and Cunningham are icing points.

 

The biggest problem for Texas this year is our guard defense is just really bad. Abmas is small and gets abused, but he tries. Horton is just a turnstile, and Hunter has never been the same defensive player he was at ISU. Weaver needs to play more as conference play moves forward because he's the best stopper we have at guard. At least, Abmas's offense more than makes for his defense, but the same can not be said for Horton and Hunter. If we need a stop the 5 I am putting on the floor is Weaver, Cunningham, Mitchell, Disu, and Shedrick.

Edited January 22 by HtownHorn

[HtownHorn 14755]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

. . . in PJ's junior year.  Dillon has another year or two to continue to improve.  I'm not saying he'll match PJ, but he's not far off at this point in his career.  (A bit behind on scoring, a bit ahead on the boards, well ahead on blocks.)

PJ had the ability to create shots for himself and everyone else on the court. Mitchell is the last person you want handling the ball against any kind of pressure. He has taken over Allen's mid-range game with better athleticism and but less play making ability. It has been a wash so far.

[jimmyjazz 46001]

17 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

PJ had the ability to create shots for himself and everyone else on the court. Mitchell is the last person you want handling the ball against any kind of pressure. He has taken over Allen's mid-range game with better athleticism and but less play making ability. It has been a wash so far.

They're completely different players with similar stats.  That's it.  To suggest that Dillon is behind PJ in all aspects of his game at this point is ludicrous.  (It doesn't mean he'll have a long NBA career, though, and I'm not suggesting that.)

[TejasPedro 1858]

Does PJ want to coach some day? I think he would be a great recruiter. He would show up in some killer kicks and win the kids over instantly.

[jimmyjazz 46001]

23 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

If we need a stop the 5 I am putting on the floor is Weaver, Cunningham, Mitchell, Disu, and Shedrick.

. . . and if we get the stop we'll either turn it over or fail on the rebound.

[HookEm 2467]

Yeah, PJ is very different than Mitchell.  PJ had an insane low post game for a player of any size, much less one who is 6'5. (But his freakish long arms let him play more like a much taller player).

I'm was really just posting to show that Mitchell is on a good trajectory. PJ was a LOT better player as a junior than he was as a sophomore. 

[ChickenSandwich 9844]

Mitchell could make a lot of money with a 15ft J. Can get that open elbow look any time (unblockable), he just sucks at it. 

[HookEm 2467]

Nobody wants anyone shooting 15 ft jump shots. That shot is on the endangered list.

He needs to develop a 3-point shot if he ever wants to play in the NBA.

 

[Pancho 44881]

Bracketology 

ESPN: Next Four Out

CBS: out

Field of 68 Podcast: Last of the First Four Out

Bracket Matrix: Only in 4 brackets total (11 and 12 seeds)

[shadow_operative 15932]

1 hour ago, Pancho said:

Bracketology 

ESPN: Next Four Out

CBS: out

Field of 68 Podcast: Last of the First Four Out

Bracket Matrix: Only in 4 brackets total (11 and 12 seeds)

a win tonight would go a long way towards moving back into the projected field.

[dcar00 14317]

11 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

a win tonight would go a long way towards moving back into the projected field.

true but I think it all comes down to having to win 6 more games plus a tourney game.  then we are 8-10 with one tourney game win.  I think anything less and we are out.

[Hookem2147 21345]

Just looked back at the last 4 in from last year and their record in Q1 games + NET ranking.

Arizona State: 6-7 (NET 66)

Mississippi State: 4-8 (NET 49)

Nevada: 4-5 (NET 37)

Pitt: 6-5 (NET 67)

 

We currently sit at 2-2 in Q1 games with a NET at 59. I would say 6 is the magic number of Q1 wins we need for a good argument considering the non con schedule. Any win from here on out except OSU or WVU at home would be a Q1 win. Plenty of chances.

Edited January 23 by Hookem2147

[jimmyjazz 46001]

How many teams above NET 67 didn't get in?

[HookEm 2467]

From last year:

First Four

• 37. Nevada
• 49. Mississippi State
• 67. Pittsburgh

Missed the cut:

• 38. North Texas
• 40. Rutgers
• 43. Oklahoma State
• 44. Liberty
• 46. North Carolina
• 50. USC
• 52. Ohio State
• 54. New Mexico
• 60. Clemson
• 61. Michigan
• 62. Florida
• 63. Texas Tech
• 64. Yale
• 65. Sam Houston State
• 68. Oklahoma

If you are a team like Texas, you are going to get in if you are in the top-40.  If you are in the 40-60 range you have a 30% chance.  UNC didn't get in at 46.  If you are 60+, you aren't gonna make it in. Zero chance.

[Hook1997 5397]

20 hours ago, HookEm said:

Nobody wants anyone shooting 15 ft jump shots. That shot is on the endangered list.

He needs to develop a 3-point shot if he ever wants to play in the NBA.

 

That’s why the NBA is unwatchable now….  All it is are teams shooting 3’s or driving the lane to get fouls.  We don’t need that total boring transition happening in College too.  Posting up and mid range jumpers are a thing of the past in the NBA but can definitely still work in college ball.