Longhorns offense shines, but defense falters. Rebounding excels. See how Texas fares as they enter SEC play.
With new head coach Sean Miller at the helm, Texas basketball is in a rebuilding phase, but that doesn't mean the expectations aren't high.
Through 13 games, the Longhorns have gone through their fair share of ups and downs. However, they enter Southeastern Conference play with a clear path towards the NCAA Tournament, which is really all you can ask for in Miller's first season.
Here are Texas' grades from non-conference play.
Offense: B+
The Longhorns' offense has been the least of its issues this season.
They've scored over 90 points in eight of their 13 contests, breaking the century mark twice. Their performances have propelled them to 37th in the country in points per game.
And Texas is doing this without having to push the pace.
The Longhorns rank 140th in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted tempo statistic, but have made up for that with superb efficiency, scoring 1.19 points per possession, good for 28th in college basketball.
The next step for Miller and Texas is to incorporate tempo into their offense, further enhancing the firepower they possess. Until that happens, the Longhorns will have to settle for a B+, but fans should feel good about the direction of the offense.
Defense: D
Defense. That word alone has been the story of Texas' season.
The Longhorns' scoring defense ranks tied for 132nd in the country, allowing just over 71 points per contest. That number likely would've been worse if Texas' non-conference slate were a bit more difficult, as it allowed 75+ points to four of its five power conference opponents.
The frustrating part for Miller is that his team has shown the ability to guard up... in spurts. The Longhorns have held No. 6 Duke to a 32-point half and No. 4 UConn to a 28-point half on the road.
But in the opposite halves in both of those games, their opponents scored over 40 points.
Texas' defensive inconsistency has cost it big time so far, and Miller knows it has to improve or else his squad will get eaten alive in the SEC.
If it were up to him, the Longhorns would probably get a Z in this category, but because it's a new team, we'll give them a generous D... for now.
Rebounding: A
While the physicality on defense hasn't been there, Texas has not been afraid to box out.
The Longhorns rank 28th in total rebounds, and they're doing it on both ends of the court, placing in the top-20 in both offensive and defensive rebound percentage.
Transfers Matas Vokietaitis, Lassina Traore, and Dailyn Swain have brought Texas' board game to a whole new level, and that'll certainly help as the athletes start to get bigger and stronger in SEC play.