With a trip to Maui and a potential pair of games against top ten opponents looming just a week away, toight the Longhorns look to brush up and correct a few mistakes against a vastly overmatched Tulane team. The Green Wave comes to Austin on the heels of a tight 68-62 win over McNeese State in New Orleans this weekend. Texas also sports a 1-0 mark following their 68-38 thumping of Stetson on Friday night.

About the opponents

Tulane is hoping to bounce back after losing three solid seniors in David Gomez, Matt Wheaton, and Donnie Stith. The trio combined for over 40% of the Green Wave’s points in the 2008 season and 41% of the team’s rebounds. With the loss of Gomez, Robinson Louisme is going to have to carry the load down low for the Green Wave, but he faces a tough task against a Texas team that blocked eight shots in their first game.

Following such massive turnover at Tulane, the Green Wave is pinning its hopes on tiny guard Kevin Sims, who started his junior season with a 17-point performance against McNeese State on Saturday. Kris Richard joins Sims as a starter in the backcourt, and matched his teammate’s 17-point total in the season opener with an identical scoring line. Richard checks in at 6-foot, 5-inches, and provides Coach Dave Dickerson with a versatile wing option.

The frontcourt is facing a mismatch against the taller Longhorns, with all three Green Wave starters listed at 6’7″ or shorter. Although Texas occasionally struggled on the offensive glass despite a significant height advantage over Stetson, Tulane will still likely have their hands full in the paint. If the Longhorns can crack down on those easy follow-ups, the Green Wave might have a tough time scoring.

Longhorn storylines

The big story of the night for Texas is the collegiate debut of point guard Dogus Balbay. It’s no secret that the Texas offense struggled in the first half with A.J. Abrams at the one, so having a true guard that can penetrate and create looks for his teammates will open up the floor. Balbay’s addition will also free up Abrams to return to his natural role as a catch-and-shoot three-point threat.

Putting Balbay in the mix also raises questions about the backcourt rotation, as the small size of the Abrams, Balbay, Varez Ward and Justin Mason makes it less likely that the Horns will run three guards at once. Mason brings smart play to the court along with lockdown defense, so Barnes will be able to tinker the lineup to match nearly any situation.

It’s not just the backcourt combinations that are up in the air, but also the playing time for the crowded frontcourt. Connor Atchley and Damion James are the unquestioned leaders, but Gary Johnson demands PT with his hard-nosed effort and nice mid-range jumper. Clint Chapman and Dexter Pittman are looking to improve after showing flashes of brilliance in 2007-08, but obviously that progress is more likely to happen with increased time in live game situations. If Friday night was any indication, Matt Hill and Alexis Wangmene are the odd men out in the rotation, but games like tonight’s offer Barnes an opportunity to experiment.

The key to the game tonight is to take advantage of the height disparity between the two teams by pounding the ball inside — something that Texas failed to do for the first half of Friday’s game — and attacking the glass. Abrams will likely knock down a handful of threes, which should aid in stretching out the Tulane defense, making it easier for Texas to go down low.

Tip is at 7 P.M. at the Frank Erwin Center, and there are still tons of tickets available. But if you can’t make it out to the Drum, tune in with other Longhorn fans to Fox Sports Net for all the action.