First Test: No. 7 Texas vs. Baylor Game Thread

No. 7 Texas takes on old foe Baylor today at 2 p.m. CT in the San Antonio Hoops Showdown in a first regular season test for both teams. This is a matchup of two of the top 25-30 teams in the country, and two of the to coaches in the country in Sean Miller and Scott Drew.

Texas is 3-0 vs. bottom 65 teams in the country. They are averaging 100 points per game, while not playing a team that could challenge them in the paint and at the rim. Texas has converted 58.1% from the floor, 41.7% from three and 69.1% from the free throw line. The Longhorns are +15.7 on the boards.

Baylor is also 3-0 with wins over Northwestern State, Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Yale. Baylor has converted 49.7% from the floor, 29.7% from three and 67.3% from the free throw line. The Bears are +12.0 on the boards.

This is the first game in which the Horns have to start answering questions to the ultimate test of how high their ceiling can be. And the first test without Mikey Lewis against a team that has three guards on the floor at all times, and can play three guards and a 6-6 wing forward.

The game
No. 7 Texas (3-0) vs Baylor (3-0)
When: Sunday, 2pm CT
Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas
TV: ESPN

The line
Line: Texas -4.5
O/U: 159.5

Projected starters
Texas: 
PG Isaiah Johnson, 6-2, Soph. (11.7 points, 2.3 reb, 3.0 ast, 1.3 stl)
CG Austin Goosby, 6-5, Fr. (7.0 points, 5.0 reb, 4.3 ast, 2.3 stl)
SF Elyjah Freeman, 6-8, Jr. (8.7 points, 4.7 reb, 1.3 ast, 1.3 stl)
PF David Punch, 6-7, Jr. (9.7 points, 5.0 reb, 2.0 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.3 stl)
C Matas Vokietaitis, 7-0, Jr. (21.3 points, 7.3 reb, 1.0 blk)

Key reserves:
G/W Amari Evans, 6-5, Soph. (6.7 points, 3.7 reb, 1.7 ast) 
PF Marcus Spears Jr., 6-9, Fr. (12.0 points, 4.3 reb, 1.3 blk)
G/W Bo Ogden, 6-6, Fr. (5.3 points, 3.0 reb, 1.0 stl)
SG Joe Sterling, 6-4, Fr. (13.3 points, 1.7 reb, 2.3 ast)
C Lewis Obiorah, 7-1, RS-Fr. (2.0 points, 1.3 reb) 

Sean Miller File
Career Record: 511-211 in 21 seasons
At Texas: 24-15, Sweet 16 in year one
NCAA Tournament Record: 25-14 in 14 appearances, including 9 Sweet 16's and 4 Elite 8's.

Baylor
The Bears are coached by Scott Drew
Career Record: 505-287 in 26 seasons
At Baylor: 486-276 in his 25th season
NCAA Tournament Record: 21-11 in 13 appearances, including 9 Sweet 16's and 4 Elite 8's.

Projected starters:
CG Kayden Mingo, 6-1, Soph. (15.0, 4.3 reb, 2.3 ast)
CG Dylan Mingo, 6-4, Fr. (15.0, 5.7 reb, 4.0 ast, 4.3 stl)
SG Brett Decker Jr., 6-0, Jr. (14.3, 4.3 reb, 1.0 stl)
W/F Elijah Williams, 6-6, Fr. (9.7, 3.0 reb, 1.0 ast)
PF Justin Bodo Bodo, 6-11, Sr. (0.7, 3.3 reb, 1.0 blk)

Key reserves:
G Isaac Williams IV, 6-1, Jr. (14.3, 2.0 reb, 5.0 ast, 2.3 stl)
F Isaac Celiscar, 6-6, Jr. (10.0, 5.0 reb, 2.7 ast, 1.0 stl)
PF Caden Powell, 6-9, Sr. (4.3, 4.7 reb, 1.0 ast)
F Evan Chatman, 6-7, Sr. (6.0, 5.0 reb)

On Baylor...

Baylor runs no middle defense

Look for full court pressure, some if not all of the game, with a similar look as St. John's to see where Texas is at now

And then fall back into a packed paint look somewhat ... play under ball screens on Elyjah, Goosby, Evans. Crowd Isaiah (with pressure on ball entire game), Joe and Bo.

Invite contested 15-17 footers by Punch and Marcus .. try to take away high low

These are answers to the test Texas has to have as the season goes along

Texas' 2026-27 Schedule 
Nov. 2 - Chicago State at Texas (109-59)
Nov. 5 - Gardner-Webb at Texas (98-50)
Nov. 9 - Grambling State at Texas (93-62)
Nov. 15 -  Baylor vs Texas (San Antonio), 2pm CT  ESPN
Nov. 19 - Southern Utah at Texas, 7pm CT. SEC Network+
No. 22 - Southern Indiana at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network+
Nov. 26 - Georgetown vs. Texas (San Diego), 1:30pm CT. FS1
Nov. 27 - UCLA/St. Mary’s vs. Texas, 4pm CT. FOX
Dec. 1 - Texas at Louisville, 8pm CT. ESPN2
Dec. 8  - Jackson State at Texas, 7pm CT. SEC Network+
Dec. 12 - Texas vs. Miami (Fla) (Houston) 4:30pm CT  ESPN
Dec. 16 - Memphis at Texas, 8pm CT  ESPN2
Dec. 21 - Prairie View A&M at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network+
Dec. 29 - East Texas A&M at Texas, 7pm CT SEC Network+ 
Jan. 2 - Florida at Texas, 5pm CT  ESPN2
Jan. 5 - Texas at Georgia, 8pm CT  ESPN
Jan. 9 - Texas at Ole Miss, 11am CT  ESPNU
Jan. 12 - Auburn at Texas, 8pm CT  ESPN/2
Jan. 16 - Oklahoma at Texas, 11am CT  ESPN/2
Jan. 19- Texas at LSU, 8pm CT SEC Network
Jan. 23- Arkansas at Texas, 5pm CT ESPN/2
Jan. 27 - Texas at South Carolina, 7pm CT SEC Network
Jan. 30 - Kentucky at Texas, 11am CT  ESPN/2
Feb. 6 - Texas at Florida, 11am CT  ESPN
Feb. 9 - Alabama at Texas, 6pm CT  ESPN
Feb. 13 - Texas at Vanderbilt, 1pm CT ESPN/2
Feb. 17 - Texas A&M at Texas, 8pm CT. ESPN2/U 
Feb. 20 - Texas at Oklahoma, 7:30pm CT ESPN
Feb. 24 - Texas at Mississippi State, 6pm CT ESPN2/U
Feb. 27 - Tennessee at Texas, 5:30pm CT ESPN/2
March 2 - Missouri at Texas, 6pm CT ESPN/2
March 6 - Texas at Texas A&M, 7pm CT SEC Network 

Things to watch in the next few weeks .. how much progress is Texas making to reaching their ceiling. It's a process

Condensed game ...

Texas 10 in KenPom

Baylor 32

https://kenpom.com

What would a win do... give Texas the chance to navigate the non-con w/o Mikey Lewis at 12-2.

Texas No. 4 seed in latest bracketology

Is Texas wearing white and Baylor wearing green?

2 minutes ago, LonghornFan4Ever said:

Is Texas wearing white and Baylor wearing green?

Texas is in white, I think

BTW, John Clark is likely not available… hear foot injury

Wouldn’t have played in meaningful game, but he’s insurance in case of injury

Just now, Gerry Hamilton said:

BTW, John Clark is likely not available… hear foot injury

Wouldn’t have played in meaningful game, but he’s insurance in case of injury

That sucks. There have been so many foot injuries in basketball this season.

14 minutes ago, LonghornFan4Ever said:

That sucks. There have been so many foot injuries in basketball this season.

Yep! UConn had a major one this week