Texas Basketball: What to watch for against Eastern Illinois

The Texas basketball team opens their season with a matchup against Eastern Illinois. Here are three things to keep your eye on.

It was a mere 234 days ago when the Texas basketball program suffered a gut-wrenching 87-83 overtime defeat in the opening round of the NCAA tournament against the Nevada Wolfpack.

Lead early, lead throughout, yet come up short. It is a narrative the Texas basketball fan base has been accustomed to for the last decade.

The Longhorn football team has had its fair share of successes and storylines in the first two months of their season, so in a sense it has felt like many people are overlooking Texas on the hardwood. However, in year four, head Texas basketball coach Shaka Smart has his squad prepared and ready for the best year of his tenure.

The Longhorns basketball team opens their season with a matchup against Eastern Illinois with a Tuesday night, 7:00 PM CT tip in the Frank Erwin Center.

Texas basketball is coming off a season where they finished the regular season at 18-13 (8-10 Big 12), securing one Big 12 Tournament win and a 10 seed in the NCAA tournament where they ultimately got bounced in the opening round.

This Texas basketball team should look very similar to the team we saw in 2017-18, but they do suffer a few losses. Star big man Mo Bamba has transitioned on to the NBA, and Jacob Young, a bench contributor that had some big games in February and March, transferred to Rutgers in the off-season. Junior guard Eric Davis Jr. was sidelined for the last month of the 2017-18 season and decided to turn pro amid pay-for-play allegations. James Banks, a limited playing big man, decided to take his talents to Georgia Tech.

The Longhorns return four of their five top scorers, and according to 247Sports, they bring in the eighth ranked recruiting class in the country.

Smart’s squad has the potential to make a run in the Big 12 this season, and these four things are what you should be watching for on night one.