#15 Texas Host UT-San Antonio in Season Opener
by awiggo on Nov 12, 2007 10:57 AM CST
in Texas Longhorns Basketball
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PrintThe #15 Texas men’s basketball team will emerge from the shadows of the college football season to begin the post-Kevin Durant era tonight at the Erwin Center. The Longhorns tip off the 2007-2008 season with a home game against UT-San Antonio. Tip time is 7 PM and the game will be carried by Fox Sports in the state of Texas only and on the radio on KVET 98.1 and the Zone 1300 AM in the Austin area.
Being the first game of the season, I am really excited, really nervous, and cautiously optimistic.
Things to look for:
- Universal Healthcare: As of this moment, freshman forward Gary Johnson has still not been cleared to play in games. He has been working out and practicing with the team and played in the only open-to-the-public pre-season scrimmage. I would love to see him out there tonight and firmly believe that Johnson is a key to this team’s overall success this season, but we must yield to the medical staff’s expertise on this one. AJ Abrams, Matt Hill, and Dexter Pittman all sat out the scrimmage with Xavier on November 2nd. Will they be ready ten days later? I hope so. Those injuries plus Johnson’s uncertain status and the knee injury to freshman Dogus Balbay, could lead to more of Harrison Smith and JD Lewis than we’d like.
- How Small is Too Small?: With the inexperience in our frontcourt and Johnson’s status, don’t be surprised to see a small starting lineup tonight: Abrams, DJ Augustin, Justin Mason, Damion James, and Connor Atchley. This is far from the ideal starting five and leaves the Horns too small and too vulnerable on defense and on the glass. If Coach Barnes does go small, look for the Longhorns to really push the tempo and attempt to score easily in transition.
- Quick Start: Yes, we lost Durant to the NBA, but the Longhorns do return four starters as well as a consistent contributor in Atchley from last year’s team. There is no reason why this team shouldn’t get off to a quick start in this game and this season. We’ve seen just about every college football Saturday turn chaotic, and college basketball is already traveling down the same path. Michigan State, USC, and Kentucky have all suffered shocking losses to Grand Valley State, Mercer, and Gardner Webb respectively. In a forty minute game, anything is possible. My heart has been strained enough this fall at DKR. I don’t need another stress test at the Drum tonight.
--AW--
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era?
Should we refer to one year w/ 2nd round exit an era? Not saying he isn't the best player we may ever see.
Looking forward to the Horns season starting. If they let Johnson play in the exhibition, how is playing in games any different? Why the waiting game on clearing him? Why is Damion James quoted as saying 'when Johnson plays in January'?
You're right Wiggo, Johnson will have a big impact on the team.
I hope sexy dexy is out there tonight.
Dex is expected to play tonight
However, he has missed a fair amount of practice time, so his conditioning may not be great for a lot of playing time.
Anyone have an estimate on how many are expected to attend the game?
Sure
It's still college football season. It's a Monday night. Let's see... If we top 6500 in attendance, it'd be an upset.
Was it an upset?
Announced attendance was 10840. But we know how dodgy that number usually is.
by patienthornsfan on Nov 13, 2007 1:58 AM CST up reply actions
UTSA
#140 Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners
2003-04: 19-14, 11-4
Southland
By Joel Welser
Last year ended with a loss to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the Roadrunners of Texas San Antonio and they are poised to make a run for the big dance once again. The momentum is riding high for a program that won 10 of their 12 games last year and returns four starters.
Who's Out: The Roadrunners lose their leading scorer and rebounder in Leroy Hurd. Key bench players Sammy Cole and Robert Ivy are also graduating.
Who's In: Tim Carter will bring a good class to San Antonio for the 2004-2005 season. Andre Owens and Ray Selvage are both experienced junior college players who should make an immediate impact. Incoming freshman Abram Donlon is 6-9 and will add to the post presence for the Roadrunners. Guard Adam McCoy and forward Roderick Rodgers round out the class.
Who to Watch: Kurt Attaway showed a lot of promise during his freshman campaign. The 6-0 point guard only scored 7.4 points per game last year but led the team with over three assists per contest. Attaway's ability to spread the ball around to the scorers will dictate how well things will go this year in San Antonio. Turnovers proved to be a problem last year averaging 2.7 a game, but that number should come down with one year of division I point guard play under his belt.
Projected Conference Rank: UTSA was involved in a three-way tie with SE Louisiana and Texas Arlington atop the Southland standings last year. It should be close but the Roadrunners have the tools to stand alone on top this time around.
Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA
Crap
That was an old profile. Sorry. (Times like this, I sure wish there was an edit/delete function on this message board.)
Try again
From the Express News:
UTSA ROADRUNNERS
Optimists in the UTSA Roadrunners' camp see the potential for a run at the upper echelon of the Southland Conference. Perhaps, even a championship. SLC observers, however, are projecting only slight improvement over last season's 7-22 record.
The reality may fall somewhere in between for a team that finished last in the SLC West in Brooks Thompson's first year as coach.
The keys to success? Forward Travis Gabbidon, who sat last year with a broken foot, will have to score to his potential. First-year Division I talent in the paint and at point guard will have to play well.
Last season: 7-22, 3-13 (sixth place in the SLC West)
Postseason: Failed to reach SLC tournament
Starter lost: G Kurt Attaway (7.2 ppg, 4.1 apg)
Top retuners: F Andrew Francis (10.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg); G Melvin Smith (12.9 ppg); G Isaiah Allen (10.4 apg), Keith Spencer (8.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg).
Newcomer to watch: F Travis Gabbidon, junior from Phoenix and College of Southern Idaho (redshirted at UTSA last season)
Coach: Brooks Thompson, second season
Longest NCAA run: First round,1988, 1999, 2004
Go Horns BBall!
We got UCLA coming up really soon. I can't wait to see how we do this year. Speaking of complaining about biased referees, does anyone remember when Kansas was called for charging in a late season conference game against Texas and they failed to remove the points from the board. That one play cost us the Big 12 championship. I don't know if I could ever let that one go.
Also, I went to the University of Florida's homecoming with my girlfriend who is a Gator and was not suprised to see all new players but was suprised to see that they looked a lot like Duke in that out of about 14 guys, 12 of them were whiteboys.
I remember..
not a fond memory of mine because I am still extremely bitter about it.
by mvplonghorns on Nov 12, 2007 7:12 PM CST up reply actions
Stuck in Houston Airport
I think I am going to see if I can watch the game at the Fox Sports Bar in terminal E.
listless effort...
but exciting to see chapman and wangmene and dex.
by cortexas on Nov 12, 2007 8:00 PM CST reply actions
Game Chants
UTSA had a decent crowd and eventually they all moved to empty seats behind the O-Zone cheering section.
UTSA Chant: Air Ball! (following a shot that hit glass but not rim)
O-Zone Chant: Texas Rejects!
UTSA Chant: Daddy's Money!
O-Zone Chant: SAT Scores!
UTSA Chant: We Get Laid!
0-Zone Chant: S-T-D's!
UTSA Chant: Sausage Fest! followed by
UTSA Chant: Overrated (Score was 47-30 with UT playing Ian Mooney & Co.) followed by
UTSA Chant: Daddy's Keys
O-Zone remained silent and enjoyed the win...despite poor rebounding all night.
Interesting rotations
I liked what Barnes did with putting Chapman and Wangmene in the game at the same time. That definitely boosts our front court defensively and for rebounds.
I would go ahead and start either one of them over Connor. With him starting at center, our team found a way to get out-rebounded by UTSA. The score reflected their desire to ssslllllooooowwww down the tempo big time.
Augustin was great, and Mason was very impressive. I still believe he should be starting over Abrams because he gives us a boost defensively. Abrams did not shoot well. Basically, if he's not shooting well, he's a liability to the team because you know he's already not helping us defensively. He did score most of his points in the 2nd half, which is a positive.
All these non-conference games against weak opponents should be free attendance, period.
Is this how you pronounce Alexis Wangmene? I believe this is what I heard from Greg Lucas on FSN.
Uh-lek-see Wong-muh-nee
If that's the real pronunciation, I like that his name ends with a "MONEY".
by goingforthecorner on Nov 12, 2007 11:13 PM CST reply actions
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