Tag: texas longhorns basketball recruiting

Texas basketball reaches out to former five-star center Kel’el Ware

Rodney Terry and company hit up a big-time post player initiating Day 1 of new era.

Texas needs big men on its basketball roster for next season. Rodney Terry understands the assignment. Continue reading “Texas basketball reaches out to former five-star center Kel’el Ware”

Report: Texas to offer head coaching position to Rodney Terry

Rodney Terry is expected to be the head coach of the Texas men’s basketball program.

Rodney Terry is expected to be the head coach of the Texas men’s basketball program. Reports circulated Sunday night that the Longhorns are expected to extend an offer to Terry following a strong season.

Texas finished the year 29-9 after advancing to its first Elite Eight in around 15 years. Three NCAA Tournament wins all but solidified Terry as the top candidate for the program.

We discussed the strong likelihood of his return last week. I called Terry the coach of the present and the future despite outside clamor over the lack of a contract extension for the new head coach. The athletic department looks to be silencing the noise.

The toughest season, and offseason for that matter, will likely be the first for Terry. Texas is set to lose Marcus Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen and Christian Bishop. The team could also lose Dylan Disu.

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The Longhorns need to win the transfer portal once again. It will likely take adding an impact guard and at least two post players. It appears Terry will get his shot. Now he must pass the next test.

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Social media reacts to delayed contract for Texas HC Rodney Terry

Joey Hickey believes Rodney Terry is the head coach of the present and future for Texas.

Rodney Terry has yet to have been announced as the permanent head coach for the Texas Longhorns basketball program. In my opinion, he doesn’t need to be announced. This is Terry’s program. It goes without saying.

Terry piloted perhaps the best regular season in Austin since 2003. He is well on his way to the best postseason since that year. Just three times have the Longhorns reached the Final Four (1943, 1947, 2003). Nearly 20 years later, Terry and company are one win over No. 5 seed Miami away from making it back to college basketball’s biggest stage.

Never mind the positive news. College basketball media have made Terry’s perceived lack of job security a major storyline of the NCAA Tournament.

I find it hard to fathom that Texas could go with any other coach but Rodney Terry. Looking at the last few results, perhaps the only question is how much money Terry will make and for how many years.

We could certainly be wrong. In which case, I’ll be the first to call out Texas for moving on from a terrific coach. But until we have tangible proof that the Longhorns are heading in another direction, any coaching controversy talk is premature.

Here’s a look at college sports media commentary on the head coaching position.

Texas Basketball: Potential target Kerr Kriisa enters transfer portal

Could the Pac-12 assist leader choose Texas through the transfer portal?

Former Arizona Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa is now in the transfer portal. He could potentially find a place on the Texas basketball roster next season.

The Estonian guard was a key piece in the Wildcats’ impressive season. Kriisa compiled a strong 9.9 points and 5.1 assists per game over the 2022-23 season. His assist total was good for league-best in the Pac-12 Conference.

The well-rounded player shot 36.6% from three-point range to go with a 76.7% mark from the free throw line. And while Kriisa is not Marcus Carr, he could certainly ease the loss of the Longhorns do-it-all point guard.

Texas is set to lose Carr, Sir’Jabari Rice, Timmy Allen and Christian Bishop with Dylan Disu likely to depart as well. Incoming freshmen Ron Holland and A.J. Johnson are set to combat those losses, but the team probably needs to find an impact guard and two post players through the portal.

Arterio Morris, Tyrese Hunter, Dillon Mitchell and Brock Cunningham are set to return to make for a strong core of players. A strong performance in the NCAA Tournament could help command consideration from free agents in the portal.

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Former Texas coach Shaka Smart loses heartbreaker to Michigan State

After a heartbreaking loss to Michigan State, Shaka falls to 1-8 in his last nine NCAA Tournament games.

Marquette head coach Shaka Smart is a likable coach. Nevertheless, his struggles continued in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Smart and his team lost in heartbreaking fashion to Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. There’s no shame in losing to one of college basketball’s best coaches. There is shame in how he lost.

Late into the game, Shaka used the first fifteen seconds of a TV timeout to have his team participate in a breathing exercise. The interesting use of time makes one wonder what usually goes on during long NCAA Tournament timeouts. Presumably, Tom Izzo used the time more productively.

There has been discussion as to whether or not Texas adequately valued Smart or made a mistake in firing him. We can put that discussion to rest.

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Shaka proved he could build and lead a quality team this season, but this year’s final result left something to be desired. Smart will look to build on a strong regular season after a tough season-ending loss.

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Texas head coach Rodney Terry simply gets it done in March

Rodney Terry ain’t it? Nah, he’s “it.”

Texas head coach Rodney Terry did more over the last week than he did in his time prior as the Longhorns’ leader. Terry won two NCAA Tournament games.

I have marveled at the notion some have put forth, that NCAA Tournament results don’t matter. Some assert it would be irresponsible to make a decision based on one or two random results in the tournament. In reality, coaches have significant impact over tournament results because of long TV timeouts and halftimes in which they can strategize.

Frankly, it would be far more unpredictable to hire Terry before getting it done in March. Until this season, he had made one NCAA Tournament appearance in ten seasons as a head coach. Like it or not, he had to prove he could win in the tournament. That’s exactly what Terry did on Saturday.

The Longhorns are going to the Sweet 16 and Rodney Terry is a huge reason for their success. The questions over whether or not he can win in the NCAA Tournament are gone. Now, he sets out to prove how far he can take the team in March.

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After winning Big 12 Tournament, Texas returns to Kansas City for Sweet 16

Kansas City has been kind to the Longhorns in basketball this year.

A week ago, Texas won the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri. The Longhorns return for the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

If the conference tournament was any indication, Texas feels comfortable in the T-Mobile Center. Texas head coach Rodney Terry and company rode momentum to the program’s second ever Big 12 Tournament title. The team will look to rekindle the offensive fire it started a week ago when it faces the No. 3 Xavier Musketeers its next game.

What must happen for Texas is clear. Terry’s squad must get back to normal at the three-point line. The Longhorns shot just over 7% going 1-for-13 from behind the arc. It’s fair to assume that kind of performance from three will not be good enough to advance moving forward.

The pendulum swung negatively for Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice who followed a 7-for-10 output from long range to go 1-for-6 against Penn State. He could be key for Texas guards getting back to form in the next game.

Perspective on No. 2 Texas’ huge win over No. 10 Penn State

We look at what a trip to the Sweet 16 means for the program and Rodney Terry.

The Texas Longhorns advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008. On the surface, Texas defeated a bad basketball program historically and a mere No. 10 seed. In reality, the win gives the program a monumental boost in perception and internal confidence.

The Penn State Nittany Lions entered the game as one of the better three-point shooting teams in the country. The team shot especially well against the Texas A&M Aggies two days earlier. Thanks to some luck and what was at times an excellent defensive performance by the Longhorns, Penn State went cold from the three-point line.

On average, Penn State connected on just over 10 three-point baskets per game. Against Texas, the Nittany Lions made just 8 of 28 from long range. Albeit, the Longhorns shot a much worse 1-for-13 from behind the arc.

Let’s look at what Texas accomplished by pulling out an improbable win.

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The key for No. 2 Texas against No. 10 Penn State

Texas can’t let Andrew Funk touch the basketball.

Ignore their seeding. The Penn State Nittany Lions are one of the more dangerous teams in the NCAA Tournament. Continue reading “The key for No. 2 Texas against No. 10 Penn State”

Big 12 CHAMPIONS: Texas tramples Kansas, 76-56

Drop the Tournament champs moniker. Texas is unequivocally your Big 12 Champion.

The Texas Longhorns splattered the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night. The win left no doubt who was the better team this season. Texas is your Big 12 Champion.

Undoubtedly, some will quibble over semantics and make the claim that Kansas, who got bludgeoned in a virtual home game, is the true champion of the league. Nevertheless, one team will earn the Big 12’s automatic bid. That team won’t be Kansas.

Texas head coach Rodney Terry coached a masterpiece on Saturday night. Terry, or whoever orchestrated the offensive game plan, schemed up wide open dunks and layups with back door cuts and screens. One of those screens set by Marcus Carr sprung Dylan Disu for a wide open dunk.

In addition to earning the league’s automatic bid, Texas improved to 26-8 and earned yet another Quad 1 victory. The Longhorns (14) have more Quad 1 wins than everyone but Kansas (17).

It’s unclear whether the win will be enough to earn a No. 1 seed. What is clear is that Texas is among the hottest teams in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament.

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