Tag: Chris Beard

Five-star small forward Dillon Mitchell officially signs with Texas

Another great day for Chris Beard. Texas officially signed five-star small forward Dillon Mitchell on Wednesday.

Dillon Mitchell joined fellow five-star guard Arterio Morris in signing with the Longhorns on Wednesday.

The small forward from Florida was a massive get for Chris Beard and his staff. Mitchell is the No. 27 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

The 6-foot-8 Montverde Academy product is a perfect fit to play under Beard’s scheme. He attacks the basket exceptionally well and is athletic enough to guard any position on the court.

Mitchell was such a big get for this recruiting class that Texas assistant coach Ulric Maligi jumped out of a plane. Literally.

The signing of Morris and Mitchell marks the first time Texas has signed multiple five-stars in one class since 2016. The class currently ranks No. 25 in the nation with more players expected to be added.

The momentum Beard has built for Texas basketball is real. A win on the road against No. 1 Gonzaga Saturday might take that momentum through the roof.

Here is the official announcement of Mitchell’s signing from Texas:

Texas Basketball: Five takeaways from the first win of the Chris Beard era

Five takeaways from the first win of the Chris Beard era.

Texas cruised past Houston Baptist 92-48 on Tuesday night, a strong start for Chris Beard’s first year in Austin.

Texas fans and students showed out in support of this team. The energy in the Frank Erwin Center was as electric as it has been in years.

“Our guys were dialed in and played well tonight,” Beard said. “It was a great crowd. There was a buzz in our locker room. Special thank you to the students, they turned out.”

Senior guards Courtney Ramey and Andrew Jones paced the team with 13 and 11 points respectively, shooting a combined 7-11 from three-point range.

Minnesota transfer Marcus Carr controlled the offense well, finding his teammates for open shots and taking advantage of his own scoring opportunities. Carr finished with 10 points and led the team with five assists.

Both Texas big men had good debuts in the burnt orange. Christan Bishop and Tre Mitchell combined for 20 points and four blocks. Mitchell started slow but showed his offensive skill set scoring 10 points in the second half.

Here are five takeaways from Texas’ opening night victory over Houston Baptist.

WATCH: Five-star point guard Arterio Morris officially signs with Texas

Cha-ching. Five-star point guard Arterio Morris officially signs with Texas.

Texas’ basketball program is experiencing other worldly hype right now thanks to the hiring of Chris Beard.

The first-year head coach hit the recruiting trail hard bringing in a slew of talented transfers for this season, but already has been on fire for the next season.

Beard has already secured two five-star pledges this offseason for the 2022 recruiting class in point guard Arterio Morris and small forward Dillon Mitchell. Their class currently sits at the No. 25 in the nation, and will surely continue to trend upwards with the success the team will likely have this season.

Morris was the first commit of the future that Beard secured, as he committed back in July. The Dallas native officially signed with the Longhorns on Tuesday at a signing day ceremony at Kimball High School.

Here is the speech he gave prior to signing, and some photos from the big day.

The point guard has drawn comparisons to Memphis Grizzlies’ star point guard Ja Morant. Morris is ranked as No. 2 overall recruit from the state of Texas and the No. 4 point guard in the nation, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

Morris took just one visit before deciding to commit to Texas, and now will look to help revamp a Texas squad that is senior and graduate transfer heavy this season. He and Kentucky transfer Devin Askew could form one of the most dangerous backcourts in the nation next season.

Texas Basketball: Chris Beard, Longhorns roll past Houston Baptist

Tuesday was a great day for Texas basketball.

Both Texas basketball programs got off to a roaring start on Tuesday. Continue reading “Texas Basketball: Chris Beard, Longhorns roll past Houston Baptist”

Texas Basketball: Marcus Carr and Andrew Jones named to Naismith Trophy watch list

Texas basketball is loaded with talent, Marcus Carr and Andrew Jones were named to the Naismith Trophy watch list this week.

The Naismith Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding college basketball player in the country. TJ Ford (2003) and Kevin Durant (2007) won the Naismith during their time as Longhorns.

Texas is one of only seven schools with multiple winners.

The Naismith Trophy released their preseason watch list on Monday. Texas guards Marcus Carr and Andrew Jones were among the 50 players mentioned, along with seven other Big 12 players.

  • Adam Flager, Baylor
  • James Akinjo, Baylor
  • Matthew Mayer, Baylor
  • David McCormack, Kansas
  • Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
  • Remy Martin, Kansas
  • Terrance Shannon, Texas Tech

While Carr tested the NBA draft waters this offseason, Texas head coach Chris Beard maintained a strong relationship with him during the process. Carr ultimately decided another year of college would benefit him. With the Horns looking for a point guard, it was a perfect match. Carr signed with Texas capping off one of the best transfer classes in the country.

Last season at Minnesota, Carr was named first-team All-Big Ten, averaging 19.4 points, 4.9 assists and four rebounds.

Andrew Jones is one of the few returners from last year’s team. Beard believes the two-time All-Big 12 Conference selection will have his best season yet.

“The story I think is real with the adversity he’s fought, but the other story is just how he’s improved as a player,” Beard said during an offseason media availability. “He looks better. He’s playing better. I’m predicting he’s going to have the best season he’s ever had.”

Jones has a feel for clutch moments and will continue to build on his already impressive legacy this year.

Ranked No. 5 in the AP preseason poll, Texas will begin the season at home against Houston Baptist on Nov. 9.

How to watch, listen and stream Texas basketball vs. HBU in season opener

Let the Chris Beard era begin.

The pursuit of a dream season begins today for the Longhorns. Continue reading “How to watch, listen and stream Texas basketball vs. HBU in season opener”

College basketball analyst Jay Bilas gives his thoughts on Texas hoops

Jay Bilas speaks highly of Texas basketball ahead of their season opener.

While many thought that Steve Sarkisian would lead the football team to glory in his first season on the Forty Acres, the hype and expectations for Chris Beard and the basketball program seem to be a tad more realistic.

Beard hit the ground at an Usain Bolt paced sprint in Austin, as he went out and landed some of the top transfers in college basketball to form what looks to be a super team capable of winning it all.

After consistently disappointing and being unable to advance in the NCAA Tournament, the expectations for Texas’ basketball program are now as high as ever.

ESPN’s Jay Bilas wrote exclusive content for ESPN about the top teams in the country and everything you need know about the upcoming season. He not only mentioned the Longhorns, he raved about their potential.

Here is what he had to say about Beard’s squad:

Chris Beard was the best hire of the season, and he chose to return to his alma mater in Austin. Beard wasted no time stocking the Longhorn cupboard with new talent, grabbing the best haul of transfers of the recruiting season. Guards Andrew Jones and Courtney Ramey return to form a fiery, experienced backcourt, but the addition of transfers Marcus Carr (Minnesota), Timmy Allen (Utah), Dylan Disu (Vanderbilt), Tre Mitchell (UMass), Christian Bishop (Creighton) and Devin Askew (Kentucky) make this team special. Seven players on this roster averaged double-figures last season. If the transfers are willing to sacrifice and defend, Texas can beat anybody.

Texas’ season gets one tune up game when they play Houston Baptist on Nov. 9 in the season opener, but will quickly be tested when they have to take on No. 1 Gonzaga in just their second game.

The pursuit of a dream season starts today for Texas.

Texas basketball sets record for season ticket sales

Texas basketball breaks season ticket record ahead of the 2021-22 season. Chris Beard is building something special.

This buzz around the Texas basketball program this year is real.

First-year head coach Chris Beard was the shot in the arm the Texas fan base needed. Just days before the season opener, the program is already reaching new heights.

The previous all-time season ticket record was just below 9,000 seats. On Nov. 5, Texas basketball surpassed that mark, announcing they sold the most season tickets in program history for the 2021-22 season.

It has been a rough stretch for Texas basketball, to say the least. With not having an NCAA tournament win since 2014, Texas fans are desperate for a winner.

Beard set a promise that his squad would be competitive from day one. To do so, he brought in one of the top transfer classes in the country. It includes five double-digit scorers from a year ago.

  • G Marcus Carr, Minnesota, 19.4 ppg
  • F Tre Mitchell, UMass, 18.8 ppg
  • G/F Timmy Allen, Utah, 17.2 ppg
  • F Dylan Disu, Vanderbilt, 15.0 ppg
  • F Christan Bishop, Creighton, 11.0 ppg

Along with key returners Andrew Jones, Courtney Ramey, Jase Febres and Brock Cunningham, this team has a great mix of talent and veteran leadership.

Texas will begin their season at home on Nov. 9 against Houston Baptist. It is the final year the Horns will play at the Erwin Center before moving into the brand new Moody Center next season.

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Texas Basketball: Horns defeat TLU 96-33, who were the starting five?

First glimpse of Texas’ starting five under Chris Beard.

While the Longhorns football team has been a major disappointment, the new-look basketball program under Chris Beard has Texas fans thrilled for the upcoming season.

No. 5 Texas held a scrimmage on Monday evening where they faced off against Division III Texas Lutheran. As you would expect, the Longhorns absolutely demolished the Bulldogs, but we did get our first glimpse at how Beard plans on rotating his players in and out, while also seeing who is the current starting five.

Although he has been praised for bringing in a slew of talent via the transfer portal, Beard is now is tasked with figuring out what works for the team and what does not. In reality, the team can be about 10-12 players deep, so finding the right lineups and minutes distribution may be tough.

Here was the starting five was during yesterday’s 96-33 win over Texas Lutheran. Keep in mind that Dylan Disu will likely will be a starter for Texas this season, but is not medically cleared yet. Tre Mitchell was the second substitute off the bench, but led the team with 18 points and made his case as well.

Fans have the chance to design the Texas Longhorns new basketball court, which is your favorite?

The dark layout seems to be a popular favorite among fans at this point.

The University of Texas is allowing fans to design the new basketball court at the Moody Center, which is set to open in April of 2022. Continue reading “Fans have the chance to design the Texas Longhorns new basketball court, which is your favorite?”