Texas Men’s Basketball Ready to Live up to Expectations
Texas basketball is set to kick off its 2022-2023 campaign. The Longhorns are coming off a round of 32 appearances in last year’s NCAA Tournament. In year two of head coach Chris Beard’s tenure, the Longhorns have national title aspirations set forth. Saturday Texas will face off against SEC powerhouse Arkansas in a charity exhibition.
The Longhorns return some key players from last year’s squad. Guard Marcus Carr, forward Christian Bishop, forward Dylan Disu, center Timmy Allen, and fan favorite small forward Brock Cunningham. Those additions plus two big impact transfers in guard Sir’ Jabari Rice, and guard Tyrese Hunter have the Longhorns in the preseason top 15 rankings.
In year two of Chris Beard, he wants to build a perennial program. He wants Texas basketball to be the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Kentucky, UCLA, and Kansas. Culture is a big part of that process as well as continued success.
“What we are trying to build here,” Beard said. “We could be really good defensively, with length, athleticism, and IQ.
Texas will need to continue their defensive intensity in year two of Beard. One of the main reasons why is that the Longhorns have a pure gauntlet in the non-conference.
The Longhorns have tests against title contenders in Gonzaga, Creighton, Illinois, and Tennessee. One of the biggest knocks on Texas last year was the out-of-conference schedule.
For the 2022-2023 schedule, it’s safe to say that won’t be an issue.
The Longhorns will need veteran leadership to play a big role in this year's team. Players like Carr, Bishop, Allen, and Cunningham will all need to step up.
“We are going to play hard,” Cunningham said. “Five returners understand what’s expected and will carry it out to the new guys.”
The Longhorns return of the deepest teams in the country while also having a strong freshman class. Texas opens up the 2022-2023 basketball season at home against UTEP on Monday, Nov.7.
You can follow Adam Glick on Twitter @adamglick39
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