Getting to know: Texas basketball

By Staff     Jan 14, 2019

Texas head coach Shaka Smart signals to his players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in Austin, Texas.

Kansas will look to keep things rolling after winning back-to-back conference games.

The Jayhawks (14-2, 3-1 Big 12) responded from a 17-point loss to Iowa State by beating TCU and Baylor this past week. Kansas will welcome Texas for the first of four Big Monday games this season, a situation that the Jayhawks have thrived in.

Dating back to the 1996-97 season, KU is actually 65-18 all-time on Big Monday, including a 37-1 mark at home. In fact, Kansas has won 10 consecutive Big Monday games overall and 30 in a row at Allen Fieldhouse.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns (10-6, 2-2 Big 12) will look to end a two-game skid and are coming off a 68-62 loss at Texas Tech this past weekend. Texas also dropped a 61-58 decision to Oklahoma State.

Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m.

Kansas guard Malik Newman (14) guards against a shot from Texas guard Kerwin Roach II (12) during the first half on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Series history: Kansas leads the overall series with Texas, 31-8, including a 16-1 record in Lawrence (14-1 in Allen Fieldhouse). KU has won the last nine meetings with UT, but the last three have been decided by 10 points or less.

Log on to KUsports.com for our live game blog coverage and follow the KUsports.com staff on Twitter: @KUSports @mctait @bentonasmith & @SJacksonLJW

**BREAKING DOWN TEXAS**
————

**TOP PLAYER**

*No. 12 — G Kerwin Roach II | 6-4, 180, sr.*
—————————————-

Kansas guard Lagerald Vick (2) drives against Texas guard Matt Coleman (2) during the first half on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.

Roach has averaged 17.5 points per game while hitting 13-of-25 (.520) from the floor with an average of 6.0 rebounds per outing over the last two contests entering Monday’s game.

For the season, Roach leads the team in scoring with a clip of 13.6 points per game. He also paces the squad with assists (3.5), ranks second in minutes (30.5) and is third on the team in steals (19) and rebounding (5.9 rpg).

Roach has topped the 20-point mark eight times and reached double figures in scoring 57 times in his career.

**SUPPORTING CAST**

*No. 2 — G Matt Coleman | 6-2, 180, so.*
—————————————-

Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) heads to the bucket against Texas forward Dylan Osetkowski (21) during the second half on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.

Coleman is in his second year as the team’s starting point guard, which marks the first time head coach Shaka Smart has had the luxury of a returning point guard since Isaiah Taylor in 2015-16.

Through the first 16 games this year, Coleman leads the team in minutes (31.3 mpg) and ranks second in assists (3.4 apg), tied for second in scoring (10.1 ppg) and fourth in steals (14). He has reached double figures in scoring in six contests and has posted a 55-to-26 assist-to-turnover ratio (2.12).

In Big 12 play, Coleman has recorded just 19 assists and three turnovers in his four conference outings.

*No. 10 — F Jaxson Hayes | 6-11, 220, fr.*
—————————————-

Hayes has been an efficient weapon for the Longhorn in his freshman campaign.

This season, Hayes has converted 74.7-percent (65-87) of his shots from the floor. The UT single-season record for field goal percentage (min. 200 points) is 65.4-percent (140-214) by Dexter Pittman in 2009-10. Of his 65 made field goals this year, 43 have been dunks

Hayes had his school-record consecutive made field goal streak snapped at 18 during the win at Kansas State on Jan. 2. During that streak, 13 of his field goals were dunks.

*No. 21 — F Dylan Osetkowski | 6-9, 250, sr.*
—————————————-

Osetkowski has played and started in all 50 career games in his two seasons at Texas.

Through the first 16 games this season, he leads the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and double-doubles (4) and ranks second in steals (20), third in minutes (27.9 mpg) and fourth in scoring (9.5 ppg).

In his career, Osetkowski has recorded seven double-doubles and reached double figures in scoring 33 times and in rebounds 10 times.

**ONE THING TEXAS DOES WELL**

The Longhorns have been strong on the defensive end, especially at defending 2-point shots. Opposing teams are shooting 43.8 percent on 2-point shots against the Longhorns, a mark that ranks 18th in the nation.

**ONE AREA TEXAS STRUGGLES**

Texas has struggled with consistency at several points this season, and that’s largely due to its struggles from deep. The Longhorns are shooting just 32.4 percent from long range, which is 240th in all of college basketball. UT is also only shooting 67.4 percent from the free throw line.

**MEET THE COACH**

Texas is coached by Shaka Smart, who is 60- 56 in his fourth season at UT and 223-112 in his 10th year overall.

**VEGAS SAYS…**
———

Kansas is a 7-point favorite as of Monday afternoon, which feels right about where I’d expect the final margin to be. I’ll take KU to cover, though, since I have to pick a side. I wouldn’t exactly bet the house either way, however.

**My prediction:** Kansas 73, Texas 64

PREV POST

KU women's basketball team nets first win over Kansas State since 2014

NEXT POST

53003Getting to know: Texas basketball