The buzz around this year’s Longhorn team has been strong since the moment last year’s team was knocked out in the NCAA tournament’s Round of 32. That only intensified in late April when Myles Turner decided to attend UT, and the national excitement continued to grow as the Horns notched neutral site wins over Iowa and Cal, and a true road win against UConn. As the hype train gained speed, one game was repeatedly mentioned by every announcer and publication.

After weeks of build-up, that big game is finally here. The matchup of the massive frontcourts of Texas and Kentucky is now just hours away, and although the absence of Isaiah Taylor will put a disappointing asterisk on the box score, that buzz and excitement is still in the air. Considering Taylor’s absence and the tough road environment, both Vegas and the legendary Ken Pomeroy don’t give the Longhorns much of a chance. Still, college hoops writers have pointed out all week that if any team is going to match up with this Kentucky juggernaut, the Longhorns are your first pick.

By the numbers

When you look at the statistics for the Wildcats, it’s hard to find a negative. It’s almost as if this is a video-game team where the programmers just decided to give everyone a 99 rating in every category, and you ended up with an entire roster of gigantic players with freakish athleticism. The only statistical areas measured by Pomeroy in which Kentucky is not ranked in the nation’s top 50 are free-throw percentage (65.3%; 253rd), three-point percentage (32.3%; 207th), and effective field-goal percentage (52.5%; 74th), with that last percentage actually being dragged down by the second one.

Overall, the Wildcats have the nation’s third-most efficient offense in terms of adjusted efficiency, with Pomeroy reporting 1.136 adjusted points per possession. On the other side of the court, they post the nation’s second-best adjusted defensive efficiency, averaging 0.839 adjusted PPP. Every single team that has played Kentucky this year has posted their worst offensive numbers in that game, with Montana State managing just 0.398 PPP in an 86-28 blowout.

If you take a look at the tempo stats for UK, you can see just how difficult it is for opponents to limit their effectiveness. On the year, the Wildcats have an adjusted tempo that is in the bottom third of Division I, with an average of 65.2 adjusted possessions per game. In terms of actual possession length, Kentucky’s 16.1 second average on the offensive end is 42nd shortest in D-I. Against Kentucky’s defense, the average possession length is 19.8 seconds, which is the 23rd longest. Opponents have tried to slow the game down by being patient on offense, but Kentucky is so explosive on the other end that they can still score points in a hurry.

Meet the Wildcats

There is never a shortage of talent in Lexington, and that is certainly the case this season. With Aaron Harrison (No. 2), Andrew Harrison (No. 5), and Willie Cauley-Stein (No. 15) all deciding to return for another season at UK, Coach John Calipari suddenly found himself with more great players than he’d planned on having. The team boasts nine McDonald’s All-Americans and eight returning players, three of them starters.

With the abundance of riches on his bench, Calipari decided to test out a platoon system in their August trip to the Bahamas. Named the Blue Platoon and the White Platoon, Calipari’s two stacked groups of five provide him with the chance to provide complete “reinforcements” — he prefers that term to “subs” — at every media timeout. With the second platoon easily being skilled enough to start at any school in the country, the Wildcats have waves of talent that allow them to keep their energy levels high as they wear down opponents over 40 minutes.

The Blue Platoon starts the game, and consists of the Harrison twins, Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress (No. 22), and Karl-Anthony Towns (No. 12). Andrew Harrison runs the point, and is coming off a season in which he struggled with turnovers and oftentimes made his frustration visible on the court. As a sophomore, his turnover rate is still north of 20%, but he carries himself with more confidence, and still dishes out dimes on nearly 29% of the buckets scored when he’s on the floor.

His brother, Andrew, is the Blue Platoon’s shooting guard. Andrew instantly became a Kentucky legend with his clutch three-point shooting in last year’s NCAA tournament, which saved the team in consecutive wins over Louisville, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This year, he’s only taken 13 threes, but has connected on 38.5% of them.

In addition to his three-point prowess, Andrew is easily able to get inside and score, thanks to another gear that makes him look like he’s just gliding with the ball. He has good body control, so he can absorb contact in the air and still make a shot, and he also scores a few fast break buckets each game thanks to his quick hands on the perimeter.

Inside, Poythress is one of the team’s old, grizzled veterans, despite being only a junior. He has great hops and timing to block shots, and will often wipe away an opponent’s fast break opportunity by racing back and swatting the layup attempt from behind. The 6’8″ big man has missed a pair of games this year due to illness, and is currently shooting just 35.5% from the field, but his defensive contributions and solid rebounding still make him a factor in every game.

The other old man in the Blue Platoon is Cauley-Stein, a 7-foot junior who had to watch the team’s Final Four run after suffering an ankle injury in the Sweet 16. That injury led to this awesome outfit at the title game, and it also encouraged Cauley-Stein to return for another season, despite being projected in the first round of the NBA draft. He runs the floor well in transition, moves well laterally when defending the post, and provides an intimidating, shot-blocking presence down low.

The 6’11” freshman Towns rounds out the Blue Platoon, and he’s already made a huge impact on both the Wildcats and the national basketball scene. He currently has the nation’s second-best block rate, as he swats more than 18% of the two-point shots attempted when he’s on the court. He also rebounds well on both sides of the court, with his offensive and defensive rates both ranked in the Top 50. One of the most impressive things about his game has been his ability to look to the opposite wing when doubled in the post, as he has repeatedly set up teammates for wide-open threes with his quick, timely passes.

The White Platoon is run by 5’9″ freshman point guard Tyler Ulis (No. 3). Although he’s the smallest player by far and has only played seven collegiate games, Ulis has been absolutely phenomenal. He is a lightning-quick pest on defense, practically living in the shirt of the opponent unlucky enough to be guarded by him. He has a steal rate that is ranked in the Top 50 nationally, but he’s also been responsible for turnovers by causing five-second violations and forcing bad passes.

On offense, he’s just as fast with the ball as he is on defense, and can quickly get a shot off, both in catch-and-shoot and pull-up situations. Although he’s taken just 14 attempts on the year, Ulis is the team’s most accurate three-point shooter with a 57.1% mark.

Although Ulis has the best mark so far this season, the team’s best three-point shooter is probably fellow freshman Devin Booker (No. 1). At 6’6″, roughly two-thirds of his shots come from behind the arc, but he’s also shown the ability to slash inside and hit a nice floater when defenses play him too tightly on the perimeter. Booker had a bumpy start on three-point shooting this year, which culminated in an especially tough 1-for-6 night against Kansas in the Champions Classic. Since then, he’s been practically automatic, knocking down 13-of-19 triples in the last four games.

Sophomore Marcus Lee (No. 00) is a fantastic shot blocker with great hops. He moves really well on defense for a 6’9″ guy, which allows him to provide pressure even when his man floats out to the perimeter. He hasn’t seen quite as many minutes as the rest of the White Platoon, a situation that will likely continue until his free-throw shooting improves. Currently just 1-for-8 from the line, Lee won’t be able to play late in close games if teams can target him for fouls.

Free-throw troubles are also a concern for 7-foot sophomore Dakari Johnson (No. 44). After a promising start in two exhibition games, where he made 7-of-9 at the stripe, Johnson has made just 60.5% of his free throws during the regular season. Last year, he made just 45%. That’s a big problem for a guy who draws fouls at the eighth-highest rate in all of Division I hoops.

Although Johnson’s free-throw shooting hasn’t improved, he does look much better running the floor in transition this year, and is still a shot-blocking and rebounding machine in the middle. Teams have tried double and triple teams already this season, but he’s showed patience and poise against the pressure, and is still often able to score in those situations, thanks to a nice little hook shot.

Freshman Trey Lyles (No. 41) is the final member of the White Platoon and the ten-man rotation. Named Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana last year, Lyles has already showed off a versatile skill set in his short collegiate career. At 6’10”, he’s still able to knock down outside shots, and can move well enough on defense to guard on the perimeter. Lyles has shown great body control for some impressive shots around the paint, is easily able to create his own shot in face-up situations, and of course can post up down low.

Keys to the Game

Even with Taylor at the point, Texas would have needed to execute extremely well for 40 minutes against an incredibly talented and deep team in one of the most hostile environments in the country, just to have a shot at escaping with a win. Without their point guard, it’s not a stretch to say that the Longhorns will need to play a nearly-perfect game to claim a massive road upset tonight. The four keys below are just a few of the many areas in which Texas will need to execute.

1. Dictate the tempo – With reinforcements coming in roughly every four minutes, Kentucky always has fresh legs late in the game. That depth also allows them to play high-pressure defense for 40 minutes, which wears on their opponents throughout the game. Add in the fact that the Longhorns are thin in the backcourt, have a pair of frontcourt players in Cameron Ridley and Prince Ibeh who will likely struggle against UK’s bigs, and that Texas is playing its third game in six days, and you can see why Texas needs to limit the possessions tonight. If the Longhorns have poor shot selection and don’t exercise patience on the offensive end, it’s going to cost them dearly in the form of fatigue late in the game.

2. Protect the paint – Although Kentucky has some three-point shooters, the bulk of their scoring comes down low. Texas is well equipped to give the Wildcats a battle in the paint, and they will need to make it very difficult to score down low for UK. If the Longhorns can force Kentucky to take mostly jumpers, they should be able to slow down the highly-efficient Kentucky offense at least a little bit.

3. Limit second chances – Forcing Kentucky into taking jump shots won’t make much of a difference it the Longhorns don’t win their defensive rebounds. Kentucky has the nation’s best offensive rebounding percentage, as they have reclaimed nearly half of their missed shots this season. If Texas allows UK extra opportunities and easy putbacks tonight, the chances for an upset will be slim.

4. Take care of the ball – The Kentucky defense is unrelenting, as Providence quickly learned in their loss at Rupp this weekend. The Friars did an excellent job dictating the pace of the game and forcing the Wildcats to take more jump shots, which allowed them to hold a lead into the second half. Everything quickly fell apart for PC, though, as the Wildcats forced a flurry of turnovers and scored fast break points at will.

Kentucky’s stable of huge big men allow their guards to provide extra pressure on the perimeter, since the big men can easily clean up any dribble penetration with a blocked shot. Add in the fact that the Harrisons, Ulis, and Booker also all have quick hands, and it’s very difficult for opposing guards to hang on to the ball. Compounding the problem for offenses is the fact that Kentucky’s big men are all athletic enough to switch ball screens on the perimeter. Combine all of those factors, and it is very difficult for teams to find much success against the Wildcats.

The Longhorns have recently had issues with sloppy play and turnovers against defenses not nearly as frustrating as that of Kentucky. If Javan Felix and his teammates cannot take care of the ball tonight, an intriguing matchup of Top 10 teams could quickly turn into a rout.

It certainly wasn’t pretty, but the Longhorns were able to grind out a victory on Tuesday night against UT Arlington. Texas was ice cold from the floor, made frustrating turnovers throughout the first half, and survived an early three-point barrage from their opponents en route to a 63-53 win.

Although the margin was much smaller than the experts had predicted, and even though the Mavs even pulled within three points midway through the second half, this game never felt in doubt. The Longhorns kept UTA at arm’s reach all night, finding ways to nurse their lead throughout the game.

It was important for the Longhorns to be able to overcome adversity like they experienced on Tuesday night and still walk away with a win. However, that’s much easier to do against a team like UT Arlington than it would be against a rival in the loaded Big 12, or Friday night against Kentucky, the All-American factory. Bad shooting nights happen, but the Horns were lucky that this one came against a weaker opponent.

Even in a Texas win that can be best described as mediocre, we still found seven takeaways to share:

1. Texas wasn’t taking bad shots

If you’ve watched the Texas defense suffocate any opponents this season, you know that sometimes low shooting percentages are a result of your opponent making you take tough looks. That wasn’t the case on Tuesday night, as the Longhorns found space and time to fire up shots all game long. UTA was content to pack in their defense and put pressure on the bigs, and more than willing to let Texas try to beat them with jumpers. It was a gambit that paid off, as the Longhorns managed to shoot just 30% from the field, including a 5-of-27 line behind the arc.

The Longhorns did seem committed to working the shot clock and being patient in the second half. Often, open looks that may have been tried in the first half were passed up in favor of moving the ball a bit more and seeing what else might open up. Myles Turner also stepped up in the middle, creating trouble for UTA as he fought for space inside. Their defense was clearly overmatched, and the whistles piled up.

Of course, shooting percentage will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season. It’s one thing if you just have a bad shooting night and the open looks aren’t falling. It’s another, much more serious problem, if you just always miss your open looks. If the latter ends up being the case for Texas this year, the team will see opponents pack the lane for 40 minutes every night, and it will be very tough to score.

2. Miscues piled up early for the Horns

The Longhorns coughed it up nine times in the first half, ending more than 26% of their possessions with a turnover. That bug continued into the second half, with Texas giving it away on four more possessions before the under-16 media timeout. They tightened things up from there, not allowing another turnover for the final 16:27 of the game. On the night, the Longhorns finished with a turnover rate of 22%.

In a game where the team shot so poorly, it is impressive that they were also able to make so many mistakes and still win the game. However, this game was part of a troubling trend for Texas in regards to ball control, as it was the third straight outing in which the Longhorns posted a turnover rate north of 21%. That same lack of discipline could make things turn ugly very quickly in Lexington on Friday night. The return of Isaiah Taylor should help with this issue in time for conference play, but it could be a bumpy ride in the meantime.

3. Felix produced in limited minutes

With this being the middle game in a six-day, three-game stretch, it was important for the Longhorns to get some rest for their key players. Unfortunately, Texas’s inability to put UTA away made that very difficult, with Demarcus Holland and Jonathan Holmes playing a combined 67 minutes. Thanks to a solid outing from Kendal Yancy, though, Javan Felix was able to play just 20 minutes and rest his legs.

In that short appearance, Felix upped his production levels. Early in the game, he made two buckets in catch-and-shoot situations, rather than dominating the ball and firing off the bounce. On the night, he would only make one additional basket, underscoring the fact that Felix’s performance will undoubtedly improve when Taylor is back, and he is able to play off the ball. It should also be noted that it speaks to his reputation as a volume shooter that we’re praising his restraint after a 3-for-8 night.

In addition, Felix also logged an assist on one of the team’s few fast-break hoops, as he caught UTA napping in transition and simply pushed it all the way up the court and fed Ridley from the elbow for an easy dunk. It feels like we’ve said it after each of the last three games, but if Felix can focus on judiciously pushing the tempo and only firing in open, catch-and-shoot situations, he will do a much better job as the interim point guard.

4. Ridley is still struggling down low

In the first few minutes, the Longhorns made it a point to pound the rock down low, and Cameron Ridley made a quick, strong move with the ball that made it seem like his rough game at UConn was an aberration. As the game wore on, however, the big man once again struggled against double teams. Ridley often froze with the ball as the defensive pressure intensified, rather than quickly moving the ball and making UTA pay for their strategy.

Later in the game, Ridley was the recipient of some excellent interior passes, and he managed to use quick footwork and dunk with authority. Fans can only hope that those moves were a result of a discussion at halftime, and that the big man keeps that lesson in mind as he faces a tall, athletic defense on Friday night.

Ridley has managed just 17 minutes in each of his last two outings, but the Longhorns will need more than that from him moving forward. The only way he’ll stay on the floor, however, is to think quickly against interior pressure.

5. Turner carried the team to victory

One of those great feeds to Ridley came from fellow big man Myles Turner, who logged two assists on the night. Turner shot only 2-of-7 from the field, but frustrated the Mavericks all night, and helped the team grind out a win. His activity in the paint caused numerous defensive fouls away from the ball, and he also was in the mix on a few offensive fouls charged to UTA. Turner snagged 10 rebounds to earn his second career double-double, and led the team with five blocks on a night that the Longhorns tied a school record for swats.

With Turner drawing so many fouls and Texas spending most of the game in the bonus, the freshman had to cash in on his freebies at the line. He knocked down 14-of-17 free throws, part of the team’s 81.5% performance at the charity stripe. That puts Turner’s season free-throw average at 83.3%, further ensuring that he will be part of the frontcourt when games get down to crunch time.

6. Barnett still needs some seasoning

With Barnes trying to give his backcourt some rest, Jordan Barnett saw eight minutes of action, with most of that coming in the first half. He showed off a springy set of legs, and his length is ridiculous, but he was unable to finish inside. With that wingspan and those hops, Barnett will likely be a great rebounder and defender for Texas somewhere down the line, but his point-blank misses indicate that it may take quite some time for him to earn more minutes.

7. The big men stayed grounded

A major issue plaguing the Texas bigs this season has been a propensity for biting on shot fakes that either led to dumb fouls or scrambling by the rest of the defense. Last night, the Longhorns stayed on the floor, and they ended up tying a school record for blocks. At the final buzzer, Texas had posted a block percentage of 33.3%, by far the team’s best mark this season, and one that lifted their season-long block percentage to third-best in the country.

The defense’s discipline wasn’t solely limited to ignoring fakes, as they worked well as a unit, something that was exemplified by one broken play midway through the first half. When UTA bobbled the ball in the lane, the Longhorns reacted a little slowly as they tried to get to the loose ball, leaving them out of position once the Mavericks recovered. Yancy saw a UTA player drifting into space on the baseline, and slid down to cut off his angle.

That quick response gave Texas a few seconds to match back up, and Yancy then raced out to the perimeter to challenge another UTA player who had found space in the scramble. The Mavs took advantage of that late closeout, put the ball on the floor, and then found an open player just outside the lane. Holmes sprang into action to block the shot from behind, then patrolled the paint as UTA won back the missed shot. The big man was there to reject one more UTA attempt, forcing them into a shot-clock violation.

The Longhorns reacted quickly throughout that broken play to cover for each other and wipe away their mistakes. Although teams much better than UTA might have been able to take advantage of the little things that went wrong on that possession, the ability for the Longhorns to quickly recover as a unit, even with reserves on the floor, is something that will serve the defense well throughout the season.

Next up: at #1/1 Kentucky (7-0); Friday, 6 P.M. CT (ESPN)

The Texas Longhorns survived a tough road test in Connecticut on Sunday on the strength of a last-second three from Jonathan Holmes, and the team faces an even bigger challenge against Kentucky in Lexington on Friday night. In between those two marquee matchups, the Horns get a bit of a breather tonight, as they host in-state foe UT Arlington at the Drum.

Although UT Arlington has been one of the more successful mid-majors in the state during the tenure of coach Scott Cross, this year’s team is having a rough start. They were blown out, 92-44, when they played Kentucky at Rupp Arena, and lost at Montana State — a team that was also demolished by UK, 86-28 — by a 104-81 count. That lopsided victory is the only win for Montana State so far this season.

Tonight’s match-up is the second of a three-game stretch in six days for the Longhorns, which includes two lengthy road trips. As it would take a minor miracle for the Mavericks to upset the Longhorns tonight, the main focus for Texas should be to get through this game without any injuries, while also giving the bench some extra minutes. Although the Mavericks led the Horns by eight at halftime in last year’s game, before ultimately falling short in their upset bid, this year’s Texas team should be able to avoid any scares.

By the Numbers

The Mavericks have played some of the fastest basketball in the country, clocking in at an an adjusted 73 possessions per game, while also playing matador defense. That combination has led to the type of blowout losses seen against Kentucky and Montana State. In those two losses, the Mavs allowed 1.37 points per possession, and the defense has averaged 1.052 adjusted PPP through its first six games, according to Ken Pomeroy. That adjusted defensive efficiency is one of the 40 worst marks in all of Division I hoops.

There are a number of factors combining to produce such poor defensive results, the first of which is just giving up easy looks. The Mavs have allowed opponents to knock down more than 38% of their threes and post an effective field goal mark north of 50%. When they do manage to force a miss, UTA is allowing opponents to win back more than 35% of their offensive rebounding opportunities. They also frequently send the other team to the line, giving out almost one free throw for every two field goal attempts.

On the other end of the court, the numbers for UTA are not nearly as bad. The team’s adjusted offensive efficiency of 0.992 points per possession matches the national average, and their three-point percentage of 38.1% is currently 67th out of 351 D-I teams. Where the Mavericks have run into trouble is anywhere inside the arc, as they have the 10th-highest block percentage at 17%, and a shooting percentage of 41.7% inside the arc, which is ranked 298th. While that shooting percentage was certainly influenced by their 31% showing in the blowout at Kentucky, the Wildcats were not the only team to repeatedly block UTA’s shots.

Meet the Mavericks

With Coach Cross employing such an up-tempo approach, the Mavs have a fairly deep bench, and he distributes the minutes to cut down on fatigue. The team’s lineup is so fluid that their sixth man, Lonnie McClanahan (No. 22), may be their most explosive player. A 6’1″ senior, McClanahan is unrelenting with his dribble penetration, and he is a pest on the defensive end. He has a knack for jumping the passing lane at just the right time, frequently leading to fast break points on the other end.

With the ball, McClanahan knows how to seek out body contact and finish through it. He has drawn an average of 9.7 fouls per 40 minutes, the second-highest individual rate in all of D-I hoops. His 33.7% possession usage is also one of the nation’s top 20, as he takes nearly 30% of the team’s shots when he’s on the floor, and has dished out dimes on more than 21% of the team’s buckets.

That assist rate is actually a smidge higher than the team’s starting point guard, Johnny Hill (No. 10), who has logged assists on more than 20% of the buckets scored when he’s in the game. A transfer from Illinois State, Hill has experience in the tough Missouri Valley Conference, and his quick hands have been one of the only bright spots for the UTA defense.

Joining Hill in the backcourt is another transfer, Jamel Outler (No. 3), who started his career at Texas Tech. He never saw the court for the Red Raiders before heading to Arlington, where he has been the team’s three-point marksman the last three seasons. Last year, Outler made more than 40% of his threes, and is off to a 41.7% start this season, including a 7-for-8 outburst against Houston Baptist. It has been boom-or-bust behind the arc for Outler, as he’s also posted lines of 0-for-6 and 1-for-5 from outside. How he performs against Texas will likely be the biggest factor in the final margin of victory.

Sophomore Drew Charles (No. 4) rounds out the starting backcourt in Cross’s three-guard look. At 6’2″, Charles was one of the most aggressive players against Kentucky, repeatedly attempting to beat them off the bounce. It looks like Charles will probably be a good slasher in Sun Belt play, but he found it to be tough sledding against the Kentucky frontcourt, and will likely see the same problems tonight.

Down low, 6’7″ freshman Kevin Hervey (No. 25) is the best rebounder for the Mavs, snagging more than 10% of the team’s offensive rebounding opportunities and 25% of the defensive ones. The latter mark is actually 64th-best in Division I, quite a feat for a player who missed most of his senior year of high school with an ACL injury, and is a little undersized for his position. Built as more of a wing, Hervey can also hit the three, which he did to open the scoring at Kentucky, and he’s made 36.8% of his attempts so far this year.

Spanish-born sophomore Jorge Bilbao (No. 45) is the final member of the team’s usual starting five, and he’s hoping to see some improvements this year after getting international experience over the summer. Although he’s a starter, Bilbao is playing about 16 minutes per game, and has not made much of a statistical impact beyond some average defensive rebounding numbers.

In the backcourt, Coach Cross has also utilized freshmen Erick Neal (No. 1) and Kaelon Wilson (No. 5). Neal is lightning quick with the ball, but still needs to slow his game down a bit to limit mistakes, something that has limited his minutes so far. Wilson was a highly-touted in-state prospect, and has been incredibly accurate on his threes this season. He’s made 5-of-8 from behind the arc, including one that scraped the ceiling at Rupp Arena as he arced it over an outstretched Andrew Harrison.

On the wing, freshman Julian Harris (No. 20) is averaging just over 11 minutes per game. He hasn’t made a major statistical impact yet, but Cross anticipates that his big frame and versatile skills will make him a tough match-up in the Sun Belt.

The Mavs have not utilized their biggest players much this season, with 6’10” Brandon Williams (No. 11) and 6’9″ Anthony Walker (No. 44) combining to play just over 21 mintues per game. Williams performed admirably in his time against Kentucky, showing good fundamentals despite being wildly over-matched. Walker is a senior who played his first two years at the juco level, but did not made a major impact for UTA last season, mostly due to a nagging wrist injury. Both will likely be given much bigger roles tonight against Texas and its massive frontcourt.

In addition, Coach Cross will benefit from the return of Greg Gainey (No. 21), a senior forward who was suspended for the team’s first six games. Although he’s just 6’5″, Gainey can still score inside and also stretch the defense with long jumpers, something that will come in handy against the Longhorns. While his conditioning for game speeds probably isn’t yet up to par, the Mavs will likely call on Gainey for some key reserve minutes.

Keys to the Game

1. Dictate the tempo – The Mavericks want to get out and run, but the Longhorns have to think big picture in tonight’s game. After a grind-it-out affair on Sunday in Storrs, and with the incredible depth of Kentucky and its two platoons awaiting on Friday night, the Longhorns cannot afford to get into a track meet tonight. Texas can certainly look for transition opportunities when they are available, but should have no qualms about slowing things down in the half-court, and maybe even throwing in some zone looks on defense to make UTA burn more clock.

2. Dominate the glass – Texas enjoys a distinct size advantage in this match-up, and the Mavericks have struggled to rebound all season long. When facing another giant team in Kentucky, UTA was outrebounded by a 49-29 count and actually allowed the Wildcats to win back nearly 52% of their misses. If the Longhorns can post rebounding numbers even half as good as those, they should be able to cruise to victory.

3. Stay home defensively – UTA has a few players who can drive the ball, but Kentucky proved that simply staying home and using their size would cause major problems inside for the Mavs. If the Texas bigs can avoid their bad habit of biting on pump fakes, and instead keep their feet on the floor, they will frustrate the Mavericks all night. UTA certainly has some shooters on the perimeter that can make Texas pay on some possessions, but it would take an incredible performance behind the arc for UTA to pull off an upset with a drive-and-kick game plan.

Late in Sunday’s game in Storrs, it looked like the Longhorns were letting a golden opportunity slip away. Texas had built a lead as large as seven points just before the under-16 media timeout in the second half, but could only manage a trio of free throws over the next seven minutes. UConn wrestled momentum from the Longhorns and seemed poised to grind out another victory at home.

Texas did not help its own cause as the minutes ticked away. Despite holding UConn to just one field goal in the final nine minutes of the game, the Longhorns continually found ways to turn the ball over and failed to secure crucial rebounds and loose balls, leading to a handful of free throws for the Huskies. Still, despite all of that, an unexpected free-throw miss by Ryan Boatright with 15 seconds on the clock left the door open for Texas.

The Longhorns brought the ball up the court and ran a dribble weave about 25 feet from the basket as the seconds disappeared. Coach Rick Barnes started signaling for a timeout on the sideline, and it was granted with 4.4 to play, just before Javan Felix could hoist a desperation three from well beyond the NBA arc. After Texas drew up a play and came out on the floor, UConn’s Kevin Ollie surveyed the setup and called his own timeout.

That set the stage for another round of Jonathan Holmes heroics. With the lanky Daniel Hamilton guarding Holmes, Demarcus Holland set a screen to free up the senior big man, while Myles Turner slipped through the mass of bodies and raced to the bucket. Holmes found himself alone in the corner, where Connor Lammert fed him for a wide-open look. UConn big man Amida Brimah had to leave Turner alone under the basket so he could challenge Holmes’ three, giving Texas an excellent opportunity to tip in a miss.

It didn’t matter. Holmes, who leaned forward as he let the shot fly, splashed the game-winner with two seconds left on the clock. With the capacity crowd at Gampel Pavilion stunned into silence, Javan Felix stole the ball from UConn on the final play, sealing an improbable finish and victory for Texas.

The win moves the Longhorns to 6-0 on the year, completing a perfect month of November. It was the team’s first spotless November and the program’s best start since the 2009-10 campaign, a season in which the Huskies were able to knock off Texas at Gampel.

With another massive test looming for these Longhorns on Friday against the Kentucky Wildcats and their nine All-Americans, here are eight notes on the exciting Texas win:

1. Who said Rick Barnes can’t draw up a play in the huddle?

The sideline OOB play set up the second career game-winner for Jonathan Holmes, providing a strikingly similar look to the one he drained against Kansas State in last year’s meeting at the Erwin Center. The play gave the Longhorns two solid options for a last-second shot, and left the team with an insurance play in Turner underneath the bucket.

While the Texas offense has frequently gone stagnant for long stretches during games over the years, and Barnes has also earned a reputation with fans and the media as being an offensively-challenged coach, he does have a knack for giving his team a chance to win in the final seconds. Whether it be the two game-winners from Holmes, a great play for Ioannis Papapetrou in a 2003 double-OT thriller against Iowa State, or incredible clock management to force OT at Tech in 2003, Barnes has repeatedly shown that he can create a good look for his players in crunch time.

2. The stifling Texas D had the perfect gameplan

The Huskies go as Boatright goes, and the Longhorns were well aware of that. Although Hamilton is undoubtedly a great scorer, the freshman has yet to prove that he can take over a game and carry his team to victory. Knowing that, the Longhorns made life very difficult for Boatright in the first twenty minutes, daring other UConn players to beat them.

The decision to put Felix on Boatright was one that raised quite a few eyebrows in the minutes leading up to tip-off, but it paid off. Felix was able to stick with the senior guard, challenge his shots, and the Texas bigs were able to stifle Boatright’s drives when he did get past the perimeter defense. That resulted in a 4-for-10 first-half line for Boatright, with a pair of those makes having a high degree of difficulty.

Although Boatright found it easier to score in the second half, and he was able to earn himself more trips to the stripe, the Longhorns still forced the rest of the Huskies into taking long jumpers. Sam Cassell, Jr. finished 2-for-11 from the field, including just 1-of-7 from long range.

That defense kept Texas in the game as the offense scuttled through the second half. As previously mentioned, the Horns allowed just one bucket over the final nine minutes of play, while UConn had to rely on free throws — three of those coming as Texas was forced to foul in the final thirty seconds — for their final five points.

In the end, Texas held the Huskies to 30.4% shooting on the afternoon, while allowing just 0.885 points per possession. The Horns still boast the nation’s fourth-best defense through six games, limiting opponents to an adjusted 0.868 PPP, according to Ken Pomeroy.

3. Texas must take the good with the bad from Felix

On a team with a healthy Isaiah Taylor, Felix would likely be a role player who could provide some quality defense, knock down a few shots, and dish a few dimes every night. Instead, he has been thrust back into a point guard role on a team that desperately needs a slashing guard with a good stroke.

Forced to be something he’s not, Felix has put Texas fans on a roller-coaster ride in the last three games. In the win over UConn, that meant that while Felix played solid D on Boatright early, canned an important three in a run at the end of the first half, and logged four assists, he also gave Longhorn fans numerous ulcers. Felix was only officially dinged for two turnovers on the afternoon, but that number did not include the handful of transition threes he clanked, or the shot clock violation charged to the team when he was on the court.

Felix finished 2-for-8 from behind the arc, and is now 31.5% from the field in his two games at the point, with an effective field goal percentage of 39.5%. In the three games where Felix was able to spend more time off the ball, he was 43.5% from the field and posted an eFG of 52.2%. Once Taylor returns, it stands to reason that Felix will again see his numbers improve. Until then, he needs to focus on being a facilitator and must value the ball and his team’s possessions.

4. Texas will have to develop a midrange game

Although having Taylor back will certainly open up some things inside due solely to his ability to create off the bounce, the Longhorns will also need to utilize a midrange game to keep opponents honest. If not, they will see more of what UConn was able to do on Sunday afternoon, packing the lane to neutralize the Longhorn bigs and force the Horns to beat them from outside.

Both Holmes and Lammert have the ability to knock down triples, along with midrange jumpers from the elbow or baseline. Turner has also shown range all over the court, so he would be a viable option in those same areas. If opponents are going to double Texas bigs on the catch, the Horns will need to be able to put those three in a position to float out of the paint and make opponents pay.

In addition to the versatile Texas frontcourt, the Longhorn guards also must be willing to take and able to make the midrange jumper when it presents itself. ESPN’s Kara Lawson rightly called out Holland for shying away from a midrange J late in the game, and until he or Felix start taking and making those shots, opponents will be able to sell out in an effort to limit the major advantage Texas owns down low.

5. Holland continues to emerge in Taylor’s absence

Despite passing up the midrange opportunities, Holland once again stepped up with Taylor out of the lineup. In addition to his well-advertised defensive skills, Holland has been on the lookout for driving opportunities since the team’s point guard went down, and his aggressive plays gave Texas early, easy buckets against UConn. The junior guard repeatedly made it to the rack as he scored 10 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting, but he was shut out the rest of the way.

On the other end of the floor, Holland was tasked with guarding the indefatigable Boatright late in the game. Although Felix performed admirably against UConn’s best player, it was Holland who prevented Boatright and the Huskies from scoring a field goal in the game’s final minutes, keeping it within reach for Texas. And, of course, it should also be noted that it was Holland who set the key screen to free up Holmes for the game winner.

While Holland’s emergence has been key for Texas over the last nine days, the Horns will be a much more complete team if he continues to attack when the opportunities present themselves, even after the return of Taylor. As previously mentioned, increased confidence in Holland’s midrange game would be another helpful development, but even just having him continue his output when Taylor returns would be a boon for the Horns.

6. Turner came up big in crunch time

It was a tough afternoon for the Texas bigs, as Cameron Ridley was limited to an ineffective 17 minutes and Turner struggled offensively against UConn’s suffocating interior D. None of that mattered when the pressure was on, though, as the freshman blocked three shots, secured two key defensive rebounds, and calmly sank two clutch free throws, all in the final three minutes.

7. Yancy is showing flashes, but still needs some seasoning

With Taylor out and Felix missing Tuesday’s win over St. Francis, Yancy has seen a sudden upswing in his minutes. The sophomore guard has applied good defensive pressure on the perimeter and shown great burst in getting to the rack, but has still played erratically enough to make his time on the court an adventure.

Against UConn, Yancy was tagged with three turnovers, none of them more costly than the offensive foul for which he was whistled with 13:27 to go. The Longhorns led by four at that point, but Yancy swung his elbows to clear space on the wing, making some contact with Boatright’s chin. By letter of the law, that resulted in a Flagrant 1, giving UConn two free throws and the ball. Although the Huskies could only capitalize on the free throws and not the extra possession, the mistake effectively killed the momentum for Texas and gave UConn enough life to slowly build a lead down the stretch.

Yancy’s other turnovers were a result of getting a little too deep with the bounce against a set defense, something he needs to improve if he wants to maintain a key role. If he can learn to rein in that explosive speed with the ball, he can limit his turnovers in the future, while still providing some nifty slashes to the rack. If Yancy can’t find a way to do that this year, his role will significantly diminish once Taylor is available.

8. The Horns were outhustled to loose balls

For the first time this season, the Longhorns were outrebounded, as the Huskies snagged 36 boards to just 35 for Texas. Many of those rebounds were painfully frustrating offensive boards that UConn won back, simply beating the Longhorns to the long caroms. The Horns repeatedly saw their defensive stops wiped out by those offensive boards, which led to 11 crucial second-chance points.

Texas had a distinct size advantage inside, but was still often beaten by Kentan Facey and his nose for rebounds. On the long boards, which Texas typically hustled to win in their first five games, UConn was simply quicker to react.

The Longhorns are going to force opponents into a lot of bad misses this season, but if they cannot close out those possessions with strong rebounding, it is going to lead to some back-breaking second chances. They will be especially harmful in low-possession games such as this one at UConn, where those extra looks almost cost Texas the game.

Up next: vs. UT-Arlington (3-3); Tuesday, 7 P.M. CT (LHN)

The Texas Longhorns are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since the 2009-10 season, when the team reeled off 17 straight wins to start the year and ascended to the nation’s No. 1 ranking. To match that feat, this year’s squad would have to navigate a non-conference minefield, beginning with this morning’s game at the defending national champions, and also including next weekend’s road trip to last year’s national runner-up. Oh, and did I mention that they’ll have to do that without their starting point guard, and with his backup nursing a sore foot?

While the odds of another 17-0 start are slim, the Longhorns still have a good chance to leave Storrs with a win today. Texas is a slight underdog according to Vegas, but their size and experience match up well against a UConn team that is thin in the frontcourt and lost quite a bit from last year’s title team. If the Longhorns can emerge victorious on the road, they will also end an impressive streak of 44 consecutive non-conference wins for UConn at Gampel, dating back to 2001.

By the numbers

The Huskies are ranked in the top 40 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy, although they’ve achieved those marks without any dominant numbers in specific categories. Their tempo trends towards the slower half of Division I, with the team playing an adjusted 66.4 possessions per game.

Mix all of those numbers together, and you can see why UConn’s three wins have come by an average of ten points, even though all three were still battles into the second half. The Huskies don’t wow you with any particular aspect of their game, but they are good enough to grind out a win in crunch time.

Where UConn does stand out somewhat in statistical categories is on the interior of the defensive end. Thanks to a stout rim protector — we’ll have more on him later — UConn has the nation’s 56th-best block rate at 13.3%, and they boast the nation’s 45th-best defensive rebounding mark, as they limit opponents to winning back just 26.2% of their misses.

On offense, two numbers tell the statistical tale. UConn’s best ranking is their two-point field-goal percentage of 51.7%, which is 78th out of 351 Division I teams. The other half of the story is told by their 42.4% team assist rate, which is ranked 317th out of the 351 teams. UConn has an incredible playmaker in the backcourt — another guy we’ll cover in just a moment — but no one else that can consistently beat the defense and set up teammates.

Meet the Huskies

That playmaker for the Huskies is Ryan Boatright (No. 11), a senior guard who is the unquestioned team leader, and the best returning piece from last year’s national championship team. Boatright is the one player who can consistently create his own shot with the bounce, and also the only one who can use the dribble to create looks for his teammates. Boatright’s personal assist ratio of 27.8% is more than double that of the second-best UConn assist rate.

Boatright has a bit of playground flair to his game, which you can see when he gets locked in on a defender and decides to beat him one-on-one. With a mix of crossovers, spin moves, behind-the-back and between-the-leg dribbles, Boatright can quickly break down a defender and bring the crowd to life in the blink of an eye.

On the other end, Boatright is a fantastic on-ball defender, and his quick hands often lead to steals and fast break buckets on the other end. With Isaiah Taylor out of action today, Javan Felix and the other Texas guards will have to be very careful against Boatright in the half-court sets.

Joining Boatright in the backcourt is N.C. State transfer Rodney Purvis (No. 44). The sophomore is a stout 6’4″ guard who can get to the rim, but has yet to make a major impact at UConn. After missing the first game of the season due to a minor NCAA infraction, Purvis has made just 37% of his shots, and connected on only 30.8% of his attempts from long range.

The team’s most exciting new addition comes in the form of lanky wingman Daniel Hamilton (No. 5). The younger brother of former Longhorn Jordan Hamilton, Daniel has turned out to be the team’s best three-point shooter, and has also frequently used that long-range threat to beat defenders with strong head fakes behind the arc.

While Hamilton has proven to be an explosive scorer that can heat up in a hurry, his decision-making has been questionable through his first four collegiate games. He often jumps before passing the ball, even though he’s a very long 6’7″, which leads to unnecessary turnovers. On the year, Hamilton has the team’s highest turnover rate, with a 31.2% mark.

Down low, the Huskies have a formidable big man in Amida Brimah (No. 35), the rim protector we mentioned earlier. Brimah’s block percentage of 13.3% is the 17th-highest in Division I, and it allows Boatright and the Huskies to extend their pressure beyond the perimeter, since he’s always lurking in the middle to clean up any penetration.

On the other end, Brimah has improved his game and worked on the short jumpers and a back-to-the-basket game. Although those skills are still works in progress, the big man still consistently scores in the pick-and-roll, with Boatright and Hamilton often the trigger men.

Joining Brimah in the frontcourt is sophomore Kentan Facey (No. 12), a Jamaican kid who didn’t really start playing basketball until he was 15, instead focusing on soccer and cricket. Even with the late start, Facey has developed excellent rebounding skills and makes good cuts without the ball. The big man can track down boards that are not in his area, and he leads the team in rebounding percentage as a result.

The Huskies are rather thin in the frontcourt, with Phillip Nolan (No. 1) the only real option behind Brimah and Facey. He actually has some nice post moves, but has struggled with foul trouble that limits his effectiveness. The 6’10” junior is playing less than nine minutes a game, while getting called for fouls at a rate of nearly 13 per 40 minutes.

In addition to Nolan, the Huskies also have a stout 6’8″ freshman named Rakim “Rock” Lubin (No. 14). Lubin was suspended while the team was in Puerto Rico and was reinstated late this week, so his minutes may be limited today.

In the backcourt, both Terrence Samuel (No. 3) and Sam Cassell, Jr. (No. 10) provide some depth. Both can create their own shot, although Samuel has struggled at times this year to finish at the rim. While Cassell was looked to as a potential three-point threat at the beginning of the year, he’s yet to deliver, making just 22% of his 18 attempts this season.

Keys to the Game

1. Don’t give Boatright easy buckets – Boatright can get his own looks off the bounce, and will drill a pull-up jumper right in a defender’s eye. With his ability to score in an instant and take over a basketball game, the Longhorns cannot afford to give him any easy buckets. The Texas guards must take care of the ball at the top of the key to limit turnovers and fast break buckets, and the Longhorns must stop Boatright and the ball in transition.

2. Attack Brimah early and often – Without much behind Brimah on the depth chart, the Longhorns need to focus on putting the big man in foul trouble early. If Texas can put him on the bench, it completely changes the UConn defensive scheme, as their pressure defense would be more susceptible to finishes at the rim, and it would take away one of their big offensive weapons on the pick and roll.

3. Look for transition opportunities – When the UConn defense gets set, their pressure can be hard to handle. But, as opponents have proven this year, the Huskies can be beaten in the transition game, as they often fall asleep and forget to stop the ball. The Longhorns need to look upcourt after both makes and misses from UConn, and attempt to log as many fast break points as they can.

4. Force UConn to win with jumpers – Although Boatright has a great midrange game and Hamilton has proven to be a long-range marksman, the UConn offense struggles when it’s kept away from the rim. The Huskies missed nine straight shots and 14-of-18 against the Bryant zone in their season opener, and Bryant is a team that typically plays man-to-man defense! With the length that the Longhorns have inside, they need to pack in the defense and force a poor-shooting UConn team to beat them with the J.