Texas Basketball vs. West Virginia: 5 takeaways from momentum building Big 12 win

Heading into the third Big 12 game of the 2018-19 season, Texas basketball has some momentum built from a three-game winning streak.

After a difficult end to the non-conference slate for the Texas basketball program for the 2018-19 regular season, the start to Big 12 play went much better than anticipated. The start to the season for Texas basketball provided quite the roller coaster ride for the fan base up to this point. Texas basketball entered Big 12 play with a record of 8-4.

Texas basketball didn’t have many set expectations for this season, since there was some turnover but a ton of talent present in the rotation. Prominent figures like true freshman point guard Courtney Ramey and sensational forward Jaxson Hayes made for a potent roster that could make some noise in the Big 12.

For head Texas basketball coach Shaka Smart, getting this team back on track was key for Big 12 play since his job could’ve been on the line if something didn’t change soon. The results on the court for Smart in his four season on the Forty Acres left a lot to be desired for most of the fans of the Texas basketball program.

Few expected Texas basketball to start Big 12 play the way it did against the Kansas State Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers. Kansas State and West Virginia are two of the more talented teams in the Big 12, but Texas did a nice job shutting them down.

On Jan. 5, Texas was looking to claim its third consecutive win and reach double-digit victories just after the turn of the calendar year. Getting off to a solid start in 2019 was a key for the Horns heading into the new year, but this team exceeded any standard set so far.

Here’s a look at the five takeaways from the convincing victory for the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team over the West Virginia Mountaineers on Jan. 5.