Texas Basketball: 5 thoughts after Las Vegas Invitational

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns gestures during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michigan State defeated Texas 78-68. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

5. Texas is about to climb up the rankings

Texas basketball was one of the top 35 teams in the nation in both the last edition of the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. Smart and his team did what it needed to for each poll to give more respect in the next release. Texas had a great showing in the NCAA Tournament, proving it was the second best team as part of a loaded field.

The way the Horns showed out in the Las Vegas Invitational has to earn them some respect both in the polls and around the college hoops world. The nation watched as the Horns pulled off the massive upset, as nine-point underdogs, to give the No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels its first loss of the young season.

Since Texas was already in the top 35 in terms of votes in both polls, it should be easy to jump into the top 25 rankings this week. Texas could be one of five teams from the Big 12 inside the top 25 rankings in the upcoming release of both polls. That would put the Horns likely with the West Virginia Mountaineers, TCU Horned Frogs, Kansas State Wildcats, and Kansas Jayhawks.

Gaining some early season momentum was important to Smart staying off the hot seat and getting the NCAA Tournament resume built up before it was too late. Adding a win over the UNC Tar Heels is the perfect way to get off and running this season. Texas was also close to hanging on to win the Las Vegas Invitational, in the eventual loss to the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans.

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