Texas Trio Enters 2011 NBA Draft

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

Jordan Hamilton, along with Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson have all entered their name in the 2011 NBA draft.

Hamilton is reportedly signing with an agent, while teammates Joseph and Thompson elect against signing to preserve eligibility.

Hamilton has been on NBA scouts radar due to his versatility and physical body.

Hamilton paced the Longhorns this season with 18.6 points, and 7.7 rebounds per game. Hamilton was selected on the All-Big 12 conference team along with a USBWA Second Team selection.

Teammate Thompson wasn't far off averaging 13.4 points, 7.8 rebonds, and 2.4 blocks per game. Thompson was selected as Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, All-Big 12 Second Team, and the All-Big 12 Defensive Team.

Thompson has a massive 7'2'' wingspan to make up for his height in the post. He certainly has the ability to dictate the tempo on the defensive end and the offensive side of the ball as well.

Joseph finished his season averaging 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and three assist per game. The 6'3'' lead guard from Canada had an impressive season at the point for Texas. He's a great leader, doesn't force the action (1.5 TO's) and has the ability to run the point at the next level.

Joseph was an All-Big 12 conference honorable mention as well as being selected on the All-Big 12 Rookie Team.

His defense is solid, his offense will be a question at the next level.

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Jordan Hamilton and Texas Quieting Critics

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

They say the non-conference games are beneficial to the preparation of a team headed into conference play. Obviously, coach Rick Barnes got the memo, and his players have responded well.

After playing the toughest non-conference schedule in the Big 12, the Texas Longhorns (19-3, 7-0) have jumped out to a perfect 7-0 conference record, which is their best start in school history.

Before the season, no coaches thought the Longhorns were going to capture the Big 12 title after losing Damion James, Dexter Pittman, and Avery Bradley to the NBA draft.

Especially, witnessing the Longhorns meltdown mid-season, a year before, after being placed in the National Championship talks.

No question, this year's Texas squad has been more impressive than the 17-0 Longhorns from a year ago.

"We were four games in, and I told the team, we're just getting started," said coach Barnes. "I talked all year long about the rhythm of our team, our routine, and not only what we do in practice, it's everything we do, and I really give my guys credit for that."

The Longhorns have been very impressive on both ends of the floor. Four Longhorns average double figure scoring led by Jordan Hamilton, who scores 19 points per game. As a team, Texas scores 76.5 points per game, while shooting 37 percent from deep.

Things only get better on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Barnes has done a great job of utilizing his team's athletic ability on the defensive end.

The Longhorns have held teams to an average of 60 points per game.

Texas is one of the most disciplined teams on the glass. When a shot goes up, all players are crashing the boards.

Hamilton and freshman Tristian Thompson both average a team high 7.5 rebounds per game.

As a team, the Longhorns are snatching down 41.4 a game, 27.9 coming on the defensive glass. Texas is able to track down so many rebounds, due to its terrific defense.

The Longhorns smother you on defense, not allowing you to get a clean look at the basket. The Longhorns are holding teams to 36 percent from the field and 27 percent from downtown.

Texas has shown flashes of brilliance in many ways this season. Their play has them as the latest contender to make the Final Four and compete for the National Championship.

"I've been doing this 24 years as an assistant coach and head coach, and I haven't seen many teams as good as Texas" said Texas A&M's head coach Mark Turgeon. "Playing at that level they're playing at, I thought they were fantastic."

Texas understands who their stars are and utilizes their abilities. Hamilton, their sophomore leader, has exceeded expectations and has become the Longhorns No. 1 threat on offense.

Hamilton shoots 47 percent from the field, and 42 percent from the three-point line, while taking around 14 shots per game.

His improvement, and continuous progression is one reason Texas can be labeled contenders. Hamilton current stat line looks something like this: 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assist per game.

Running mate, and possibly the x-factor for Texas, Thompson has continued to impress and his name dips in-and-out NBA draft conversations.

Thompson has shot an impressive 53 percent from the field during conference play, and is certainly the gas that fueled the Longhorns over previous Big 12 champ Kansas.

Thompson averages 12.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks. His intensity in the frontcourt has helped Texas stay atop of the College Basketball polls. The Longhorns are currently listed as the No. 3 ranked team in the nation after starting the season out No. 25.

Freshman guard Cory Joseph has been a great contributor, as is, senior Gary Johnson, J'Covan Brown, and Dogus Balbay.

The pressure is certainly on Texas now as the conference race starts to speed up, and teams are starting to really take notice. The Longhorns have the chance to finish undefeated in the Big 12 after winning against Mizzou, Texas A&M, and Kansas.

They've proven they can win on the road, and protect their home court. The Longhorns are for real this year, and could pose a huge threat come March.

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Texas Poised to Steal Big 12 Title

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The Texas Longhorns (10-2) were selected to finish third in the Big 12 conference by the coaches before the season.

Texas returned four key players in Gary Johnson, J'Covan Brown, Dogus Balbay, and most importantly Jordan Hamilton. Hamilton was looked to fill the void of departed senior Damion James, and has done just that.

Freshman Tristian Thompson, and Cory Joseph only added to the star power and the Longhorns are looking great headed into conference play.

Last year, after an undefeated non-conference slate of games, and No. 1 ranking, Texas lack of a true point guard came back to hunt them.

Heading into Big 12 play this time around, Texas has enough star power to finish atop of the tough Big 12 conference.

Head Coach Rick Barnes has key wins over ranked teams such as Illinois, North Carolina and a huge win on the road against Michigan State.

Frosh Joseph has shown maturity by stepping up and making key plays down the stretch. With the game on the line against North Carolina, Josephs nailed what would be a game winner over Dexter Strickland with 1.4 seconds left.

Coach Barnes has always wanted freshman Josephs to be assertive in the offense, and since stepping up against the Tar Heels, he has become a totally different player.

He averages 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assist per game. He is also a great on-ball defender, and can make garbage plays on both ends of the floor.

His counterpart Thompson hasn't been short from magnificent either. Thompson currently leads the Longhorns in rebounding with eight per game, while chipping in 11.2 points.

Thompson's 17 points, and 15 rebounds helped Texas come up with a huge win on the road against the Spartans. Texas managed to finally hand Michigan State its first loss in 53 tries.

Once James graduated and took his talents to the NBA, coach Barnes immediately turned to his sophomore Hamilton to fill the void. Hamilton has been magnificent for Texas this season, and has shown signs of departed James.

Hamilton has been the biggest success story after being sidelined with injury for most of last year. Hamilton leads Texas in scoring with 19.5 points, while also adding 7.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assist per game.

In the past two games against worthy opponents, Hamilton has chipped in a total of 45 points, and 18 rebounds.

The x-factor this season is 6-foot-6 senior Johnson. All season, Johnson has come alive on the glass grabbing 7.3 boards per outing. He isn't shy in the scoring column either chipping in 11.8 points per game as well.

Texas latest win over Michigan State helped solidify its dominance as a basketball power. The Longhorns understand who their superstars are and the ball always seems to find them in late game situations.

The Longhorns are currently on a 4-game winning streak that highlights wins over North Carolina, and Michigan State.

Before the Longhorns can even think about a Big 12 title, they'll have a to win it through Kansas and Kansas State. Both of the two are very impressive Big 12 opponents, and could end up with the title when its all said and done.

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No. 22 Texas Longhorns Upset No. 16 Illinois in OT

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini (3-1) came into the game with a huge advantage of having depth over the No. 22 Texas Longhorns (3-0).

Texas also had the advantage in the frontcourt averaging almost 50 rebounds per game.

The game was better than advertised. The see-saw affair needed more than 40-minutes to decide which team would play the No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers in the championship game.

 Two freshman, Jereme Richmond and Corey Joseph both nailed shots to tie things up before the buzzer.

In overtime, Texas came out the gates with an 8-0 run that virtually put the Longhorns in the driver seat.

Despite two big three-point field goals by Illinois Bill Cole that pulled the game within three, the Longhorns hit two free throws in the final minute to pull away in the final seconds 90-84.

Tristian Thompson led all scorers with 20 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, and four assist. Jordan Hamilton continues to lead to the Longhorns in scoring with 25-points, with seven rebounds and three steals.

Gary Johnson (16), and Corey Joseph (10) were the other Longhorns in double-figures on the night. Despite their blemish at the free-throw line, shot 25-44 from the line, the Longhorns made key turnovers on defense to help pull away from the Illini.

Illinois picked up their first loss on the season, and that could have been a result to frontier force Mike Tisdale fouling out only picking up seven points and rebounds apiece.

Richmond also picked up his fifth foul in overtime, and that didn't help the Illini out either. Not to mention, the Illinois shot a daunting 37 percent from the line.

However, what doesn't show up in the stat book is Dougus Balbay's defense on McCamey. Balbay on finished with five points, eight rebounds, and three assist, but his defense is what sent the Longhorns to the winners circle.

Balbay played tough defense on one of the top guards in the nation, and did not let him touch the ball in key situations.

This is one of the reason why Texas could overcome a 22 point, eight assist, five rebound and two steal performance by the talented guard McCamey.

The Illini did not get much of a lift from their bench in the second half, although two reserves were in double-figures on the night; both Richmond with 11, and Brandon Paul with 12.

D.J. Richardson also checked in with 15, but the defense of Texas was too tough to overcome in overtime for the Illini. Texas moves on to face No. 4 Pitt in the championship, while Illinois will play Maryland in a third place game.

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No. 16 Illinois will face-off against No. 22 Texas in a Classic Top-25 Showdown

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The No. 22 Texas Longhorns (2-0) will finally get a glimpse of just how good they are as a team. The Longhorns will face off against the No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Illinois, and Texas have not faced off against each other since the Longhorns won at home 72-64 in 2000.

The Fighting Illini have ran through their first three opponents by an average of 25-points a game.

Texas will likely bring that average down with the Longhorns averaging 86-points over their first two games, while only allowing 55-points to opponents.

However, the Longhorns will have a tough time trying to embrace the depth of Illinois.

Illinois bench has averaged around 30 points a game, with guard Brandon Paul leading the way for the reserves with 11.7 points off the bench.

Starting point guard Demetri McCamey has been on a hot streak shooting lately. Through the first three games, McCamey has come away with 14.7 points, eight assist, while shooting 60 percent from the field.

Mike Davis has reached double-figures in all three games for the Illini averaging 12.3, and frontcourt mate Mike Tisdale has lead Illinois in rebounding with 7.7 per contest.

However, the Illini struggles on the boards will continue when they face the Longhorns. Texas has 97 total rebounds through the first two games, with 27 coming on the offensive end.

That is way above the average of Illinois who is currently pulling down 37 (111 total) rebounds per contest.

Jordan Hamilton, the Longhorns leading scorer, has impressed a lot with his ability to take over games. Through the first two, Hamilton has averaged 22.5 points, and seven rebounds per outing.

Not to mention, Gary Johnson has accumulated 16 points, eight rebounds, while freshman Tristian Thompson averages 12.5 with seven rebounds.

Nonetheless, the game should come down to whoever takes care of the ball. Both teams are averaging around 15 turnovers a game, and the real competition has yet to hit. Which ever team has great guard play should be in position to win the game.

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Reviewing the First Day of College Basketball

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

While many teams were still playing their exhibition games, and losing--if you're Alabama, Auburn, or Tennessee, College Basketball opened up with 2k Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

First to kick things off were the No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers, and Rhode Island Rams.

The Panthers got off to a sluggish start before making a run to take the lead 37-36 before the half. The Panthers continued their 9-0 run in the second half and did not disappoint.

The Panthers offense took off after a Gary McGhee dunk that put Pitt up three.

The Panthers offense stayed in front for the rest of the game despite letting Rhode Island get as close as three under two minutes.

That is when Brad Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs took control and scored seven of the last nine points for the Panthers.

Wanamaker paced the Panthers on the night with 24 points, eight assist, and three rebounds. Gibbs chipped in 22 points, 4 rebounds and three assist.

The No. 16 Illinois Fighting Illini opened up the season very impressively. Illinois did not have a problem with the UC Irvine Anteaters after jumping out to a 34-8 advantage early. After that, the Fighting Illini did not look back defeating UC Irvine 79-65.

Demetri McCamey finished the game with 13 points, and eight assist. Brandon Paul came off the bench to score 18 points, all coming from his six three-point attempts.

The Maryland Terrapins finished off the fighting Seattle Redhawks as junior guard Sean Mosley led the Terps to a 105-76 win. Mosley paced the Terps with 21 points,  four assist, and rebounds apiece.

Freshman guard Terrell Stoglin came off the bench to accumalate 15 points, five assist, and a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line.

The Texas Longhorns had to fight tough against the Navy Midshipmen. After going into the break with a nine-point lead the Longhorns come out and owned Navy in the second half.

Jordan Hamilton made the post-Damion James era seem easy. Hamilton scored 26 points, and grabbed 10 rebounds on the night.

Gary Johnson, and Tristian Thompson were the only other players in double figures for the Longhorns, Johnson with 17 and Thompson with 12.

The Longhorns finished off the Midshipmen with an 83-52 victory.

Overall, the first day of College Basketball was very interesting. Some teams came out sluggish while other came to play. Illinois made the biggest statement today by not giving UC Irvine a chance. Although, you have to watch Maryland's offense.

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Big 12 Pre-Season Poll, New No. 1

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The Big 12 conference was conceived the best basketball conference in America last season. You had Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas, and many other Big 12 teams playing at a high level.

This season, nothing changes. You will have these teams playing with the same intensity; however, the Big 12 will embrace a new leader of the conference, if you ask the coaches.

In a poll where you cannot select your own team the Kansas State Wildcats received 10-first place votes, while the Kansas Jayhawks followed with two. Kansas State is considered to enter the season as a top-10 team. The most likely reason is senior guard Jacob Pullen.

The biggest shocker is Baylor at No. 4. The Baylor Bears returned LaceDarius Dunn, and Quincy Acey. They also acquired J'Mison Morgan, and brought in one of the best recruits in school history with Perry Jones.

My Big 12 sleeper team is the Colorado Buffaloes. Colorado returned both Alec Burks, and Cory Higgins. Last season, these two collectively kept the Buffs' competitive with teams.

This dynamic duo will certainly be a force in the Big 12. Not to mention, the Buffs' added size to their frontcourt with the 2010 recruiting class.

This year’s team to watch is the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns have reserves that are ready to step up such as J’Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton, and was able to lure in Tristian Thompson and Corey Joseph.

However, the Longhorns do not possess a bench, nor has their point guard problems been solved. The Longhorns will need to prove to teams that they are worthy of the No. 3 ranking in the Big 12.

Last season, the Longhorns reached the No. 1 ranking in all of College Basketball. But, after the loss to Kansas State the Longhorns went downhill. To prevent that this year, the Longhorns need to establish a point guard, and post presence.

Nonetheless, the Big 12 conference will be very competitive this season. The coaches have predicted 8-of-13 Big 12 champions and could do the same this year.

Here is the conference complete coaches poll:

1. Kansas State Wildcats (10) - 119 points
2. Kansas Jayhawks (2) - 109 points
3. Texas Longhorns - 99 points
4. Baylor Bears - 96 points
5. Missouri Tigers - 82 points
6. Texas A&M - 69 points
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders - 52 points
8. Oklahoma State Cowboys - 51 points
9. Colorado Buffaloes - 46 points
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers - 31 points
11. Oklahoma Sooners - 27 points
12. Iowa State Cyclones - 11 points

Check out Collegiate Hoops Big 12 Preseason Power Rankings

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DeAndre Daniels: Bye Texas, Hello UK?

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

DeAndre Daniels initially enhanced the 2011 Texas Recruiting class. His 6-foot-8 frame, comes along with ball-handling, shooting, rebounding and defense. He was a well-rounded player that was going to be the main asset for Rick Barnes 2011 class.

However, today he said goodbye to the Texas program and opened back up his recruitment.

The first destination most outlets assume is Kentucky. Head Coach John Calipari is not a stranger to pulling in elite talent.

Look at their current 2011 recruiting class. The Wildcats retain three of the top athletes in the country; and still adding more.

The most likely candidate, is newly decommited prospect, Daniels. Daniels freed himself up from Texas, likely to be with the Wildcats in 2011-12. Kentucky had been present in his recent recruitment before he gave commitment to Texas back in 09.

He is still considered being a talented athlete, and I could see him committing to the Kentucky Wildcats to play with guys like Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague and Michael Gilchrist. Just think how much flexibility Coach Calipari could have with with Daniels. (G - Teague G - Gilchrist F - Daniels and F - Davis) 


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2011 College Basketball Recruiting Report: Texas Longhorns

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The Texas Longhorns had one of the biggest meltdowns last season. However, with the talent across the recruiting board, the Longhorns should be set for the next few years.

Jordan Hamilton should fill the void of Damion James in a few years, while Corey Joseph and J'Covan Brown help in the backcourt.

However, what about the players coming into Texas from the 2011 recruiting class?

Verbal Agreements:

G - Myck Kabongo 6'2''

If anybody has a chance to challenge Marquis Teague for the No. 1 point guard position its Kabongo. He is the complete floor general that you need on your team. While speaking with Kabongo, it didn't seem like he wanted to decommit or anything. Texas is his home.

F - Deandre Daniels 6'8''

Daniels is considered by many to be one of the best power forwards this class has to offer. He is so versatile, to where he can play on the wing or in the post. That will be beneficial to the Longhorns. It reminds me somewhat of Damion James. He was 6-foot-8 and could play in the post and on the wing.

G - Sheldon McClellan 6'5''

McClellan is listed as a guard but seems like more of a slasher. He makes precise cuts to the rim and finishes with contact. However, he has inherited the trait of finding his teammates consistently. If you add vision and keep the passing crisp, you could be looking at a big point guard.

G - Julien Lewis 6'3''

Lewis is a true wing threat. He has the ability to attack the defense at all cost. He excels in transition where he likes to catch alley-oops and make plays. Lewis is a playmaker and that will not hurt Texas on offense at all. His ability and skill set bring another dimension to this Texas offense.

Considering:

*F - Rakeem Christmas

When Christmas narrowed his list down to five schools, Texas was still in the hunt. He has interest in the program, but with four scholarships already claimed, can he fit?

*F - LaQuinton Ross

Texas has a legitimate chance at landing Ross. He has a lot of interest in Texas but also in other schools. There is no clear frontrunner, but Texas is definitely a major player.

G - Dai-Jon Parker

He has a lot of offers, but not one from Texas. It just basically interest.

F - Mike Shaw

Texas is a possible suitor but his recruiting is wide open. He could go anywhere.

F - Chane Behanan

He seems like he wants to go to Kentucky more than any school. However, Texas is in the running. However, his decision will not be coming anytime soon. His recruitment is still wide open.

G - Derrick Wilson

He is interested in Texas, but no offer!

G - Anthony Anderson

Not much links Anderson to Texas but self-interest.

G - Darius Nelson

Nelson is looking towards Duke more than any other program. It's a family thing; his brother was a Blue Devil as well.

2010-11 College Hoops: Last Year's Pretenders, This Year's Contenders

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The NCAA tournament separates the pretenders from the contenders. The pretenders are lucky to make it out of the first round, while the contenders are the ones that make runs in the tournament.

Over the years, there have been shares of true contenders that have been knocked out in the tournament. For example, look at what happen to the Kansas Jayhawks.

They were no doubt the deepest and most experienced team in the tournament. However, Northern Iowa was the better team that day and the Jayhawks were sent home.

But many of last year's pretenders have now turned into contenders

Missouri Tigers

The Tigers were never considered contenders. However, they were able to stay near the top of the Big 12 and get past Clemson in the first round. But the Tigers defense didn't stifle West Virginia, and were sent home after the second round.

This year, the Missouri Tigers are contenders.

They returned the majority of their roster, and brought in a monstrous recruiting class. Tony Mitchell and Phil Pressey are the reasons why the Missouri Tigers are no longer pretenders. They have a decent squad that's mixed with size and speed.

Their defense can't be taught. They'll be a huge contender in the Big 12 this season

Villanova Wildcats

Remember how the Wildcats were considered to be one of the top five teams in the nation? Yes, they were. Led by guard Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats proved early in the season that they were going to contend in the NCAA that year.

However, as the season went on, the Wildcats started falling. Not too much help was granted to Reynolds, and the Wildcats dropped out of the nation’s spotlight.

However, they still earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

That didn't stop Saint Mary's from knocking them out in the second round.

Next season, with Corey Fisher at the realms and their sophomore players emerging, I think Villanova will play a significant role

Illinois Fighting Illini

The Fighting Illini impressed a lot of people with their wins over the Lucas-less Spartans and the Wisconsin Badgers.

However, after those two top 25 defeats, they weren't able to defeat any other ranked opponent.

In fact, they didn't even come close. But next season, I suspect them to be much better than that.

They return Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis. They also brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the nation.

If McCamey can tighten up his decision-making, then the Illini will have no problems solidifying themselves as contenders next season.

Georgetown Hoyas

With Greg Monroe returning for his sophomore season in college, I expected more from the Hoyas. But in return, they gave me an upset loss in the first round to Ohio. Actually, the game wasn't even close.

Ohio exposed the Hoyas as pretenders, but next season I doubt that will happen.

The Hoyas didn't return Monroe, but they did return three of their most deadly guards. On top of 

that, they brought in freshman Nate Lubick to help them out in the frontcourt.

Austin Freeman will most likely wreck havoc. With him at the realms and consistency in the frontcourt, I can say the Hoyas will be contenders next season.

Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns were the biggest pretenders last season. They started off 17-0 with the No. 1 ranking. However, once they met Kansas State, things went down-hill.

The Longhorns went from the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation to being knocked out of the top 25 and first round of the NCAA tournament.

They lost Dexter Pittman, Damion James, and Avery Bradley. But they also brought in Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson. Both of these freshmen along with sophomores J'Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton will solidify Texas as contenders again.

Virginia Tech Hokies

With a 23-8 record, the Hokies weren't allowed in the NCAA tournament. Most people thought they were snubbed, but I think the committee made the right decision.

The Hokies did have a nice record, but also lost three games in their weak non-conference schedule.

However, with Malcolm Delaney and better scheduling, the Hokies are finally due for a big break.

Along with Delaney, they brought back every key player from last year’s squad.

Something is telling me that the Hokies will not be "snubbed" this upcoming season.

Temple Owls

Remember when Juan Fernandez got hot against Villanova? He single-handedly put the Owls' in position to win the game. However, you can't forget about Lavoy Allen either.

These two kept the Owls competitive with a lot of teams.

Well they're both returning along with everybody except Ryan Brooks and Luis Guzman.

The way they play defense at a high level will help them maintain their success next season. Also, having a dominant post player like Allen and a three-point specialist like Fernandez will help.

Arizona Wildcats

The Wildcats were able to stay atop the Pac-10 standing last year but wasn't the greatest team. They posted a 6-6 non-conference record, while posting a 10-6 Pac-10 record. 

That was the cause of a weak conference. The Pac-10 was dead last in conference RPI.

While they looked good defeated Cal or Washington, they were still pretenders. They finished the season with an overall record of 16-15.

But all isn't bad. They returned most of their young roster and they'll be at the top of the Pac-10 again. 

Something tells me Derrick Williams will make you remember his name. 

Wisconsin Badgers

At a point in the season, the Badgers were ranked No. 12 in the nation. However, once the NCAA tournament started, they were exposed. 

The Badgers were crushed by Cornell in the second round.

Now Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon aren’t suiting up for the Badgers next season. But that will not stop them from surprising.

They return a nucleus of juniors and seniors to curb the void. Not to mention, they brought in some freshmen players that will help with depth.

Josh Gasser will be huge next season. If he can take over the point guard position the Badgers will be good. He has great size, athleticism and will pose a good floor-general with help.

Corey Joseph Could Help Fix Texas Backcourt Woes

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

The Texas Longhorns are known to be potent competition in the Big 12. In the past season, nobody would witness hardly a bad season out of their basketball program. 


They have a rich tradition and hoist some of the nation’s top talent. However, if you witnessed the Longhorns last season, you wouldn’t of known that.


Last season, the Texas Longhorns started the year off flawless. They began with a (17-0) record, not to mention, they seemed virtually unstoppable with Avery Bradley and top wing talent, Damion James.


However, people credit Kansas State for finding their flaws, but they really built off what Texas Tech created.


The Red Raiders had the then-number one team on the ropes in OT. Texas prevailed, but the Longhorns backcourt was definitely a problem.

CoHoops Q & A With Future Longhorn Myck Kabongo

Posted by CoHoops DeAnte Mitchell

Last year, Myck Kabongo was the youngest player on the Canadian Basketball team. Now, Kabongo is touted as one of the best point guards in the 2011 recruiting class.


Kabongo has overwhelmed a lot of scouts with his ability to see the court. That also comes with elite ball-handling skills. He often sends defenders to the floor with quick crossovers, not to mention, he has the ability to finish afterwards.


He is equipped with a nice stroke and his range is unlimited. In my eyes, after his last year of high school, Kabongo will be the No. 1 overall point guard.


Kabongo is a proven leader, playmaker and an all-around talent. He has verbally committed to playing for Rick Barnes and the Texas Longhorns.


The future Longhorn Kabongo sat down with Collegiate Hoops to chat about the offseason and his basketball future.

How are you today?

Myck Kabongo: I'm doing alright, how about yourself?

I'm doing well, how is the offseason going for you?

Myck Kabongo: It’s going great; I've been going to a lot of camps and training just trying to get better, really!