Longhorns Host Boll Weevils

The #16 Texas Longhorns (2-0) are back in action at 5 PM against Arkansas-Monticello (0-2) for their second game of the Regional Round in the StubHub Lengends Classic. The Horns easily dispatched of UC Davis on Friday night, 73-42, and regardless of the outcome this afternoon, will automatically advance to the Championship Rounds in Newark, NJ to begin on Friday.

Rick Barnes’ club hasn’t really been tested in their first two outings and likely won’t be tested this afternoon either. Arkansas-Monticello is a Division II team that has already suffered two beat-downs this season. The Boll Weevils lost 101-44 to Tennessee to open the season and then 81-53 to West Virginia on Friday night.

The game will not be televised but you can listen to Craig Way and Eddie Oran on KVET 98.1 FM or the Zone 1300 AM. You may also be able to catch streaming video at TexasSports.TV. Some readers have reported that this has worked while others have struggled to find the connection.

If you are able to make it out to the Erwin Center, here are a few things to watch:

1. Feed the Big Men: Against UT San Antonio, the Texas guards rarely, if ever, looked to feed the post. It was obvious, however, that this was a point of emphasis during the UC Davis game. While DJ Augustin, AJ Abrams, and Justin Mason are going to carry a heavy portion of the scoring load this season, the Longhorns will be a more dangerous team if they develop the ability to score in the post.

2. Clean the Glass: The Longhorns will tower over the Boll Weevils this afternoon and should have no trouble maintaining an advantage on the boards. Tennessee outrebounded the Boll Weevils by seven, and West Virginia was a solid +12 on the glass. Unless this game gets out of hand early, the Longhorns should be at least +10 by game’s end.

3. Playing Time for the Youngsters: Coming into this season the Horns looked to be nine or ten deep at least. Then, we learned that Matt Hill’s foot is still not close to healing, Dogus Balbay went down with a knee injury that required surgery, and Gary Johnson has still not been cleared to play. I expected freshmen Clint Chapman and Alexis Wangmene to get some playing time this season, but with all the injuries, they are getting thrown into the fire. And we haven’t even mentioned Dexter Pittman yet. Big Dex has reshaped his body over the last year and a half and is now in process of matching his game with his new frame. Pittman has also been suffering from tendonitis in his left foot and has played just eight total minutes in the first two games. If he’s healthy enough to play, this is an ideal game to see 10-15 minutes of Dex.

TexasSports.com Preview

Statesman.com article on Dexter Pittman

--AW--