texassports.com preview

[BabHorn]

of exhibition game with Midwestern State .

No tickets needed to get in and free parking in lot 108. Gonna have to get there early, though.

Almost forgot these came up before the games!

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Followed the stats and was happy that so many on the roster saw playing time. I wonder if there are injury issues with Ashley, Brianna and Nekia, since everyone else (inc the new walk-on) saw action. Hard to tell much given the opponent, but nice to see everyone other than Tau (only 3 mins action) score, inc six in double figures. 33 fouls and 20 TOs are a bit of a worry considering the mismatch; half of Midwestern's points came off free throws. Looking forward to some reports from those who attended the game.

 

[UTExinPDX]

Bet this game took forever to end with the number of free throws attempted.

 

[Rexy]

I was there but could only stay for the first half. The refs were calling EVERYTHING, even minor touches. This may be the MO this year though, with the emphasis on the dribbler. Anyway, the team looked better than at this time last year, although given the opponent, it's hard to tell much. Our shooting percentage was much better, but again, we were getting good looks. I really like the new point guard, Krystal Henderson, she is a gamer and you can tell she is very very experienced. It will be interesting to see how she does against top notch competition, as I'm sure that will be a bit of an adjustment. Anyway, the game was fun to watch, as the players were having fun. I just hope we can adjust to the reffing, if it is going to be called as close as it was last night.

 

[BabHorn]

Well, one thing to remember, the refs were calling the game as the new rules indicate. They were not calling everything. They were calling prolonged contact. You cannot keep your hand on the player being defended. You are allowed one brief touch. You are not allowed to body up and push an offensive player. They called it consistently on both sides. As long as it gets called that way all season, the players will adjust. Remember what has been said, players will need to move their feet to gain defensive position, not reach or maintain contact to hinder progress. The other thing to remember is that charges will be easier to get now. And our players benefited from those changes as well. Midwestern State had 47 FTs. Texas had 38. MSU had just as much trouble with the changes as Texas did. I expect that to continue to improve as more games are played. One rule change that did not seem to present a problem was the 10 second rule. Horns had no problems getting the ball across halfcourt, especially when Krystle was pushing the ball. I hadn’t really had a chance to watch her other than the O&W scrimmage. She is fast.

As to the game, I enjoyed watching what appeared to be a much more fluid offensive flow. Even in an exhibiton game, it was good to see Empress hit 6-9 (2-4 BTA); Brady connect on 4-7 (2-4 BTA) and Celina go 1-1. They had trouble last season, especially from BTA. Krystle and Celina are going to give us a very good combo at PG. Krystle is more offensive minded. Both are excellent passers and have really good court vision. Brady also demonstrated some excellent passing in addition to her shooting. Chas took advantage of open looks to knock down 8-12, including 4-7 from BTA. Imani showed off her hook shot several times. She’s gotten pretty good with that since last season when it was hit or miss. Gigi had a poor shooting night (3-11, 1-4 BTA) but got the only double double due to 14 rebounds and hitting 10-13 FTs. Our posts are going to have to adjust more than our perimeter players. Imani and Lilley fouled out. Nneka and Kelsey had four fouls. Empress was the only other player with four fouls. Krystle had three and none of the others had more than two. Brady picked up two quick fouls within a couple of minutes of coming in but adjusted quickly and did not pick up another foul. I did notice both teams tending to play off a bit on D. I think they will learn to play tighter without using their hands or actual contact with their bodies to redirect the offensive player.

The Horns’ 54-19 rebounding edge helped keep MSU to only 1 second chance point. Kelsey had a strong game on the board with 6 rebs in 14 minutes. Imani had 8 rebs while Nneka and Chas each added six. Not only was the scoring spread out (six players in double figures) but so was the rebounding. Eight of the 11 players had at least one assist with Celina (10), Krystle (7) and Brady (5) leading the way. A big part of that was the players making shots (59.4% and 43.5% BTA).

It is going to be interesting to see how the Horns adjust to the new defensive rules. And whether the Horns will continue to click offensively as the group continues to mesh vets and newcomers.

 

[txtreefan]

In a blowout win against a Division II team, there were a few things to like. Henderson can penetrate and pull the trigger, McGee-Stafford and Enemkpali looked as good as last year. Otherwise more of the same: against a team that TX outsized, out-quicked and significantly out-talented, 20 turnovers because the passing lines are still so predictable that a blind player could pick off the ball.

And Midwestern never got the memo that to give TX trouble: zone 'em. Guard play is still tragic and the half-court offense against a weak team was enough to make one weep. Rodrigo was as steady and slow and ineffective as last year. Fortunately, it was a healer-skelter kind of game against a team without vision or discipline on defense.

The freshmen posts are big and slow and foul and turnover prone. Van Der Zee had 5 fouls and 3 points in under 10 minutes of play. Lang was marginally better, and Jones never saw the floor.

The team has a lame OOC schedule and the Big 12 is down this year. Nevertheless from what I saw last week, TX is looking at another losing season. None of the problems from last season looked like they have begun to be addressed. Chas, Nneka and Imani may very well be the most talented trio in the Big 12, but they get zero help from a clueless coaching staff, and while Henderson impressed me as a multiple threat PG, I fear she will be effectively stifled by offensive schemes that will crumble against a zone.

The first real test comes in ABQ at the Pit, a notoriously tough place to play and one that has confounded many much better TX teams than this one. If TX loses there, I predict a 10-21 season. If superior talent prevails, I think a marginal winning season and an NIT bid is on the cards. The experienced coaches of the Big 12: Coale, Mulkey, Fennelley, Patterson, Henrickson, Carey, Mittie have to be very excited about playing against such a poorly coached TX squad, where zero in game adjustments are ever made, and even though Imani is listed by ESPN as one of the top 5 Centers in the country, the attempts to get her the ball are so easily confounded. Stanford will come in and put on a coaching clinic at the end of the month.

Aston theoretically might be able to recruit, but of the newcomers on the floor only Henderson impressed. The posts - anyone remember the other Carey? Kalee Carey?

For the first time in 12 years, I found a parking spot on Red River directly opposite the main entrance of the FEC. For a free game, I doubt that there were a 1000 people in the arena. The product on the floor is that poor, and everyone knows and stays away. A once proud program is on its knees. I know it was only one exhibition game, and hopefully things will improve, but I saw no signs. Aston is out of her depth. Things will have to get worse before they get better. She, and perhaps Plonsky need to go. I hate hating to watch TX WCBB.

Watching this team is like watching the Conradt teams from the 1990s on offense with much less of the prowess on defense. I hope things change soon, but I don't see it with the current staff in charge. Fans are in for a VERY long season.

 

[utfannforlife]

Geeze Tree, do you find it hard to call yourself a fan sometimes? Not because you dont see a positive outlook for the team, but because you didnt single out any of the good things that the team did.

First lets start by your saying that our zone offense was just as bad as it was last year.....Thats not true MSU actually spent the better part of the game in a zone and Texas was much more effective than it couldve dreamed of being last year. We went 43.5% for BTA with atleast 5 players hitting one. We didnt have two players that could hit the 3 last year, let alone FIVE!!

The 20 TO's are a bit misleading, they only had 3 of them in the second half. To go from 17 to 3 after halftime sure sounds like an adjustment to me. When you run up and down the court and have upwards of 130 posessions in a ball game, you're bound to have quite a few TO's. I think that we're in better shape than we were at any point last season.

My lasting opinion is that defense is much easier to fix than offense and thats where we're lacking this year so im incouraged that if we can score like that, very few teams can keep up.

 

[txtreefan]

utfann,
What basketball game were you watching? Here's a link to the game stats
The Link

There were 10 turnovers in the first half and 10 turnovers in the second half???

These are facts. What kind of delusion are you suffering from?

Midwestern State in a zone??? They came out in man 2 man and stayed in man 2 man for nearly the entire game.

What's worse: your ability to count or your knowledge of basketball?

 

[overseasbbfan1]

In reply to:

---

---

 

[txtreefan]

^^^ wow, I am not the one "piling it high" on this board. I am not even the one FABRICATING totally bogus stats to prove a totally bogus point: "Sure Aston made a great adjustment at the half to go from 17 first half turnovers to 3 second half ones." Only problem is there were ACTUALLY 10 turnovers in each half.

 

[overseasbbfan1]

I would only say to expect the frequency and ferocity of the trolling to increase in direct proportion to the number of top recruits that commit to the Horns. And since we've already landed five of the best for 2014 and '15, and have at least that many more still considering (with multiple likely signees) for years inc 2016, I say 'bring it on' (both recruits and the trolls). Because trust me, one certainly isn't going to have any impact on the other

.

 

[BabHorn]

txtreefan's diatribe about Coach Aston reminds of Seattle's tirade about Coach G. Change the coach's name and it's hard to tell which one is posting.

 

[DINO22]

I was excited to see the season start. But the expectation to be so high for the 1st game is wrong to me. I do see things that have improved. I love that we have a True Point Guard. We actually have a nice team this year. Just Be Positive For The Team.
Hookem'