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Texas Basketball: 5 thoughts after Las Vegas Invitational

By Andrew Miller

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Kerwin Roach II #12 of the Texas Longhorns shoots against Joshua Langford #1 and Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Kerwin Roach II #12 of the Texas Longhorns shoots against Joshua Langford #1 and Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans during the championship game of the 2018 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 25: Frank Mason III #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots over Kerwin Roach Jr. #12 of the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on February 25, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 25: Frank Mason III #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots over Kerwin Roach Jr. #12 of the Texas Longhorns at the Frank Erwin Center on February 25, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /

1. Texas is a top five team in the Big 12

The advanced metrics make for an interesting story for Texas basketball six games in. Texas is a very good defensive team in terms of matchups, especially in the back court and on the wings. Coleman is one of the better defensive starting point guards in the Big 12 and Roach II can be a stingy defender too. Roach II posted four steals in the win over the Tar Heels.

Ramey and freshman forward Kamaka Hepa also look to be developing into solid two-way players. They can take the torch from players like Osetkowski and Roach II next season. Before then, freshmen like Ramey, Hepa, and Hayes can add some valuable depth to the rotation through a grueling part of the non-conference slate and heading into Big 12 play.

The Big 12 once again appears to be one of the deepest conferences in the nation. Top-to-bottom, the Big 12 might be the nation’s best conference. It could send seven or eight teams to the NCAA Tournament when it’s all said and done. For a conference boasting only 10 teams, that’s an impressive mark.

Next. 3 takeaways from Las Vegas Invitational loss to Michigan State. dark

Even some of the teams considered to finish around the bottom of the Big 12 standings look good early on. The Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys could be borderline NCAA Tournament teams with the way each showed out in respective difficult non-conference games and invitational tournaments during Thanksgiving Week. The Oklahoma schools are still well below the Horns, who should finish in the top half of the Big 12 standings.

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