Men's Hoops: Texas might be back on the bubble after an 88-85 overtime loss to Oklahoma

[UTexas]

I tuned in to Craig Way on the radio very late (I was on Pawpaw duty twice yesterday) and thought WTH? 

[cmk4pres]

This team is not fun to watxh

[Jordan91]

Coach Miller said defensive limitations last night. He’s right they have been limited all year. You can’t fix their limitations. The team was better defensively last year. However, given their numbers defensively this year, most top 100 teams would have looked better last year. Looked at some games previous games again. They are slow getting around screens. Most of the switches defensively are very slow. So some of it is laziness and some of it is they just don’t want to do it. Heide can’t guard a chair. If you watch whoever he is guarding, they either score or get fouled by him. Codie doesn’t use his peripheral vision at all. Matas struggles passing out of the post. Swain has a lot of issues defensively as well. Pope shot so much because nobody else would. Mark missed so many opportunities to score early in overtime. They just didn’t look right from the start of the game. How do you get blown out one night and do this the next game? They just have too many positions where they are limited. The players that do most of the scoring often struggle defensively which would explain being 9-9. 

[Jordan91]

9 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

Miller: "I'm not giving a big picture because there is no big picture. We lost a big game here tonight."

He’s right. 

[Freehorn]

Pretty close to not caring about this team 

[Jordan91]

9 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

Miller: "I thought Oklahoma defended us well. I don't think we defended in the first, maybe, 12 minutes of the second half."

This is what pisses me off. How do you just decide to not play defense? Let me know so I won’t watch. Cultural has to change and guys need to go, including some that Miller brought to the team. 

[Fan of the Game]

I think 6-12 in conference last season and still selected for a NCAA tournament appearance. The conference tournament performance last season helped before the committee made final decisions. The team played well. I think Mark was the spark then and will have to play all out in the conference tournament this year too to make it happen.

[Gerry Hamilton]

9 hours ago, Hexter said:

@Jeff Howe how much improvement can we expect next season? I know we have recruited young talent but how many portal additions do you see as necessary? I know we have the coach now!

All depends on Swain's decision - portal numbers (that goes into need, and NIL available). Matas won't be cheap - tier 1/blue bloods are reaching out to his agent (he's considered very elite at center by college coaches). Two players, if they both ended up coming back, would take up around 45-50% of possible/expected NIL. Goosby wasn't cheap. So what Texas can do with 3-4 needs will tell the story IMO. If Swain goes pro, more NIL money to build out the 2026-27 roster, but that's a tough player to replace for a tier 2/tier 3 NIL program. 

Miller will build the program (which is what he should do). But a lot ultimately will come down to where NIL goes in the top tier of CBK, and how far off from the top the 2nd/3rd tiers sit in the NIL world. 

Texas has the coach. If Texas can't compete in the correct sandbox, then the build is on a different timeline, and they will have to catch lightening in a bottle on 2-3 guys to ultimately maximize. 

Miller was brought to Texas to legitimately build a sustainable program. He's really good, so it will happen. But seriously unrealistic fan base expectations in the college sports world rarely support that anymore.

 

Something else that is of note: NIL wise I've talked to two college coaching buddies, and the demands of NIL levels required in major conferences are going to push for more 8 guys using up 75-80% of NIL in a lot of cases. Have a couple of minor role players at 15'ish %, and couple of developmental players. That means team health is going to take on more importance, and can crush some seasons. Roster depth not expected to be as prevalent with rev share affording every school the ability to compete/win out for really good role players. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

1 hour ago, Fan of the Game said:

I think 6-12 in conference last season and still selected for a NCAA tournament appearance. The conference tournament performance last season helped before the committee made final decisions. The team played well. I think Mark was the spark then and will have to play all out in the conference tournament this year too to make it happen.

Texas doesn't need to go on a run to make the NCAA Tournament like last year.

It's pretty much this...

Beat Ole Miss ... 10/11 seed line. Nothing will really change seeding wise.

Lose to Ole Miss ... drop to play in game (which gets into jeopardy if there are 3-4 conference tournaments that have upset winners and forces multi-bid leagues, or extra power conference selection). 

 

[TheRoJoShow]

As they should 

[Bevohorns]

If CDC cant give miller money to build a program hell be leavinf texas within the next few years for a school that gives him the money. He has the history to go to a school that actually values him this off-season will be the test if we are really considering taking basketball serious. You cant just have enough to keep two of your best players thats just pathetic and wouldn't blame any player for leaving if you dont have enough to build around them 😂 

[Assistant Regional Manager]

11 minutes ago, Bevohorns said:

If CDC cant give miller money to build a program hell be leavinf texas within the next few years for a school that gives him the money. He has the history to go to a school that actually values him this off-season will be the test if we are really considering taking basketball serious. You cant just have enough to keep two of your best players thats just pathetic and wouldn't blame any player for leaving if you dont have enough to build around them 😂 

Will you relax for one day?

You keep trying to act like we are the Oakland A’s and are making Sean Miller to mop the floor to save money on the budget. We have money and will spend money. Swain wasn’t free this year. Matas wasn’t free this year. Pope and Mark weren’t free this year. Goosby and Ogden aren’t coming for free.

If your expectations is we will be Duke or Kentucky or Texas Tech with a sugar daddy, you aren’t being realistic. That isn’t a requirement to be good at college basketball. We are going to be competitive in our sandbox which is in a good tier of college basketball.

Edited 5 hours ago by Assistant Regional Manager

[Bevohorns]

22 minutes ago, Assistant Regional Manager said:

Will you relax for one day?

You keep trying to act like we are the Oakland A’s and are making Sean Miller to mop the floor to save money on the budget. We have money and will spend money. Swain wasn’t free this year. Matas wasn’t free this year. Pope and Mark weren’t free this year. Goosby and Ogden aren’t coming for free.

If your expectations is we will be Duke or Kentucky or Texas Tech with a sugar daddy, you aren’t being realistic. That isn’t a requirement to be good at college basketball. We are going to be competitive in our sandbox which is in a good tier of college basketball.

Dude I am expecting to have a more complete team in year 2 and if we dont have the funds for that then thats not building a program because not winning wont give the program more money. Have to invest year two and have a better team than what we have. My expectations for year two arent final 4 either but at minimum being ranked at some point with less Ls against teams that we shouldn't lose to. Swain and matas are good but they are not enough for a better record next year need a few players that contribute more than guys on the team this year. 

[Assistant Regional Manager]

3 minutes ago, Bevohorns said:

Dude I am expecting to have a more complete team in year 2 and if we dont have the funds for that then thats not building a program because not winning wont give the program more money. Have to invest year two and have a better team than what we have. My expectations for year two arent final 4 either but at minimum being ranked at some point with less Ls against teams that we shouldn't lose to. Swain and matas are good but they are not enough for a better record next year need a few players that contribute more than guys on the team this year. 

You are talking about Sean Miller leaving for another school, which is putting about 10 carts before the horse.

[Jordan91]

4 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

All depends on Swain's decision - portal numbers (that goes into need, and NIL available). Matas won't be cheap - tier 1/blue bloods are reaching out to his agent (he's considered very elite at center by college coaches). Two players, if they both ended up coming back, would take up around 45-50% of possible/expected NIL. Goosby wasn't cheap. So what Texas can do with 3-4 needs will tell the story IMO. If Swain goes pro, more NIL money to build out the 2026-27 roster, but that's a tough player to replace for a tier 2/tier 3 NIL program. 

Miller will build the program (which is what he should do). But a lot ultimately will come down to where NIL goes in the top tier of CBK, and how far off from the top the 2nd/3rd tiers sit in the NIL world. 

Texas has the coach. If Texas can't compete in the correct sandbox, then the build is on a different timeline, and they will have to catch lightening in a bottle on 2-3 guys to ultimately maximize. 

Miller was brought to Texas to legitimately build a sustainable program. He's really good, so it will happen. But seriously unrealistic fan base expectations in the college sports world rarely support that anymore.

 

Something else that is of note: NIL wise I've talked to two college coaching buddies, and the demands of NIL levels required in major conferences are going to push for more 8 guys using up 75-80% of NIL in a lot of cases. Have a couple of minor role players at 15'ish %, and couple of developmental players. That means team health is going to take on more importance, and can crush some seasons. Roster depth not expected to be as prevalent with rev share affording every school the ability to compete/win out for really good role players. 

You would know better, but I don’t see him coming back. He certainly has things he needs to work on. He is young for his class but if he is a first round pick then you have to either get a discount or come close to the money. What good is developing players like Matas only to watch them leave? Hopefully player coach relationships will matter. It’s not like football where they essentially lowered the players on the team to raise money. The guys at the end of this bench are not making money. Texas needs a combo guard that can shoot the ball, likely a small forward, without question a power forward that can face the basket and then a bench. Don’t understand why they bring in a coach to build a program but not give him the money to do that. Catching lightning in a bottle is not something program builders say. To me that’s asking him to do something without the tools to do it. Coach Miller wants to get that elite eight monkey off his back and that doesn’t fit with lightning in a bottle. What Miller needs and what CDC thinks he needs are not in line with each other. When does Miller say enough? We can’t just watch them lose every year to Kentucky, Arkansas and say well what do you expect? Texas doesn’t have that kind of money. Coach Miller makes fans actually want to watch his teams play. Maybe the underestimated just how good he is. Just my opinion. Somebody else will have to chop something off this time. I need my one hand.

[Jordan91]

4 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Texas doesn't need to go on a run to make the NCAA Tournament like last year.

It's pretty much this...

Beat Ole Miss ... 10/11 seed line. Nothing will really change seeding wise.

Lose to Ole Miss ... drop to play in game (which gets into jeopardy if there are 3-4 conference tournaments that have upset winners and forces multi-bid leagues, or extra power conference selection). 

 

The tournament was always the expectation for me. What they do is irrelevant for me. 
 

[Jordan91]

3 hours ago, Assistant Regional Manager said:

Will you relax for one day?

You keep trying to act like we are the Oakland A’s and are making Sean Miller to mop the floor to save money on the budget. We have money and will spend money. Swain wasn’t free this year. Matas wasn’t free this year. Pope and Mark weren’t free this year. Goosby and Ogden aren’t coming for free.

If your expectations is we will be Duke or Kentucky or Texas Tech with a sugar daddy, you aren’t being realistic. That isn’t a requirement to be good at college basketball. We are going to be competitive in our sandbox which is in a good tier of college basketball.

You lost me on Pope and Mark not being free. If they somehow got more NIL based on last year then we are worse off financially than I thought. 

[Jordan91]

Man baseball is back. Potential to win championships in every sport but men’s basketball. Wish my dad hadn’t said “you will love Coach Lemons”. Been a diehard fan since then.