Texas Longhorns 2012-13 College Basketball Preview
The Texas Longhorns are young and have a lot to prove in the 2012-13 season, and so does head coach Rick Barnes. The Horns have had underwhelming seasons as of late, especially when they’ve been ranked as high as #1 in the country mid-season. This year we’ll know who the real Texas Longhorns are early on, as they play what is described by many as the toughest non-conference schedule in the country.
With Myck Kabongo not heading to the NBA, the Horns received a boost that could propel them to the top of the Big 12 standings. Texas will also be counting on Sheldon McClellan and Jaylen Bond more in their sophomore season, as well as Jonathan Holmes.
The big (literally!) question mark comes at center, where the only two players at that position are freshman. Cameron Ridley was ranked 8th on ESPN’s 100 best high school players, and was heavily recruited by North Carolina and Arizona before deciding on Texas. The 6’10 center out of Fort Bend should make an immediate impact on the season. Price Ibeh is another big guy that the Longhorns were able to wrangle in from Garland, ranked #59 in the ESPN 100. The center/power forward had offers from Florida, Maryland and Texas A&M (among many more) before choosing to play for Barnes.
Texas will open the season with a few easy warm up games before heading to the Jimmy V Classic where they’ll take on Georgetown and UCLA. They’ll then play North Carolina at the Erwin Center before heading to Michigan State to take on Tom Izzo’s crew on Dec. 22. Kansas is predicted to win the Big 12 as they usually, but Baylor will be a formidable opponent as well. Get your Horns tickets quick because we all know the action heats up fast in Austin.
TEXAS LONGHORNS BASKETBALL INFORMATION:
Location: Austin, Texas
Stadium: Frank Erwin Center
Conference: Big 12 Conference
Coach: Rick Barnes
Rivals: Texas A&M Aggies, Oklahoma Sooners
Mascot: Bevo
Notable Alumni: T.J. Ford, Slater Martin, Lance Blanks, Kevin Durant
The Texas Longhorns basketball team is one of the most successful teams in college basketball. Every season the Horns are a strong team that competes with Kansas and other top teams for the Big 12 and NCAA Championship. During the Rick Barnes era, the Longhorns had succeeded with all types of teams. Texas was successful in 1998 with only 7 scholarship players, led by Chris Mihm. In 2003 UT fielded a veteran team, led by TJ Ford, that advanced to the Final Four in New Orleans. And in 2006 they played a predominantly freshman lineup, led by Kevin Durant, that once again made the NCAA Tourney. So no matter what the season, the Longhorns are always one of the best teams in college basketball.
Texas plays all of their home basketball games at the Frank Erwin Center. The Erwin Center is the on-campus basketball arena for the University of Texas. The atmosphere in the Erwin Center for a big basketball game is electric, with over 16,000 fans cheering on the Horns. And with recent on-going upgrades to the facility, the Erwin Center is one of the most modern college venues in the country. It has an HD replay screen, a high tech scoreboard that display all of the stats, comfortable seating with great sightlines, a wide variety of delicious concession stands and gorgeous luxury boxes that encircle the arena. The Frank Erwin Center is a truly unique place to watch a Longhorns basketball game.
The Texas Longhorns play in the South Division of the Big 12 Conference. UT has been playing basketball for over 100 years. During that time the Longhorn basketball program has played in three NCAA Final Fours and won numerous conference titles. Over the past couple of decades, UT has consistently been one of the top teams in college basketball. So buy Texas Longhorns basketball tickets and get out to witness for yourself the excitement of a Horns game!
See Also:
Texas Longhorns Basketball Season Preview History
Texas Longhorns NCAA Tournament tickets
Texas Longhorns Football tickets