2 studs, 1 dud from Texas's win over Delaware State

Dud: Jordan Pope, G

The early-game struggles were real for junior guard Jordan Pope in Texas's 22-point win over Delaware State yesterday.

Despite getting the start over senior guard Julian Larry in the win over Delaware State, Pope played four fewer minutes and had two fewer assists and the same number of points.

Pope had an up-and-down game for the Longhorns yesterday on the offensive end. In the first half, Pope scored just two points, with 0-of-2 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from the free-throw line. He also didn't register any assists, zero rebounds, and one turnover in the first half.

The second half showing was much better from Pope, scoring seven points on 2-of-5 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, along with three assists, and one offensive rebound.

Pope has done more facilitating the offense than he has trying to create his own looks early in the shot clock this season. Under 30 percent of Pope's field goal attempts this season in the settled half-court offense have come within the first dozen seconds of the shot clock for the Longhorns (per CBB Analytics).

I do think there is a bigger problem to discuss regarding Pope's offensive production, or lack thereof, early this season. If the Longhorns want to get Pope going on the offensive end of the floor, he needs more open and confident looks as the primary ball-handler.

Pope is a very capable transition scorer, ranking in the 77th percentile last season in the Pac-12 in fastbreak points per game. The primary role that he succeeded in the previous two seasons spent at Oregon State before transferring to Texas this past offseason in the portal was as that go-to facilitator and initiator for the Beavs' on offense.

Early this season, Pope's number of assisted deep-two point and three-point field goal makes has doubled compared to the 2023-24 season for him at Oregon State. And the number of contested jumpers he's taken on catch-and-shoot field goal attempts has jumped by 30 percent (per Synergy).

That has left Pope taking many late-shot clock iso attempts and its not letting him effectively get into a good rhythm with his shot on the offensive end early this season.

The simple fact of the matter is that Pope hasn't fully adjusted to Terry's more free-flowing offensive system, and one that has more scorers around him then he was used to at Oregon State the past two seasons in the Pac-12.

I have faith that Pope will find his offensive game eventually, once he starts getting more used to his new role and can get more of his own looks on the perimeter that he creates or finds his shot as an off-ball scoring threat.