Tag: returning

The Texas Longhorns’ athletic director Chris Del Conte recently announced that head coach Shaka Smart will be returning for the 2020-21 college basketball season. This was big news on the Greg Brown recruitment front as it had been reported multiple times that if Smart was out so was he. So with his retainment, Brown still has Texas in his top five schools. 247 Sports crystal ball predictions have the Longhorns at 90 percent to land his recruitment. The Longhorns could use his athletic ability inside.

So what does success look like for the Texas men’s basketball team in 2020?

It starts with the Longhorns putting together another solid non-conference together. During the 2019-2020 basketball season, the Longhorns were able to put together some wins but losses against Providence, Georgetown and Louisiana State. Those hurt their tournament chances especially after beating a top 25 Purdue team early on. Teams can’t make the tournament during non-conference play but they can certainly make it a lot tougher down the stretch.

The Longhorns need to find a way to capture their late season magic from the 2019 campaign where they won five of their final seven games to capture the third best conference record. Texas needs to be more consistent in the next year and not sit back a hope for another late season push. Smart needs to coach with a sense of urgency and the players need to play that way. The seat will still be hot in 2020 so no need to get complacent. However, success for the Texas Longhorns is more than just doing well in conference play.

The Texas men’s basketball must make it to the big dance in March for the season to be considered a success. Not just making the tournament and exiting on the opening weekend. Under Shaka Smart, the Longhorns have failed to see the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The team hasn’t moved onto the third round since 2013-14 or seen a regional final since 2007-08. Both of those came under Rick Barnes.

So quite simply, for the Texas Longhorns and Shaka Smart to have success in 2020-21 they must advance to the round of 16 to really feel like they are building the program back to where it once was during the Barnes era. It is likely the only way that Smart coaches in Austin beyond next season.

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte spoke with the Austin American-Statesman on Friday and said Shaka Smart is “our coach.” Smart will now get the opportunity to coach the Longhorns for a sixth season, the same amount of time he was coach at VCU.

“Nothing’s changed. We won five of the last six down the stretch, finished third in the conference. We have a good team coming back. Nothing’s changed on my end,” said Del Conte.

Going into the 2019-2020 season, Smart was already on the hot seat as Texas had only made the NCAA Tournament twice under his tenure. Even when in the tournament, the Longhorns have failed to make it past the first round, losing to Northern Iowa in 2016 and to Nevada in 2018.

In the middle of February, it looked as if Smart was going to be fired at the end of the season, with Texas struggling in the Big 12. Lucky for him, the Longhorns turned it around, winning five out of their last six games, including victories against Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

Being in position to make the 2020 NCAA Tournament with a Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal win against Texas Tech, nobody will ever know what will happen as the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of now, Smart’s contract has three more years on it, running through the 2022-2023 season. Back in 2015 was he was hired, Smart signed a seven-year, $21.7 million contract.

To keep his job after this season, the Longhorns must at minimum replicate their standing in the Big 12, but more than likely do better. Third place in the conference sounds nice, but going 9-9 and getting third place via tiebreakers does not sound as great.

100% of Texas’ production next season is returning so Smart should pick up right where they left off. Guard play from Matt Coleman, Courtney Ramey, and Andrew Jones were exceptional down the stretch.

Mix in Jase Febres, Gerald Liddell, Jericho Sims, and Kamaka Hepa all returning from injuries and the Longhorns’ outlook look positive for next season.

Smart must now take advantage of it and make (and advance) in the 2021 NCAA Tournament to save his job.

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