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Texas Basketball: Everything culminating around Shaka Smart

By Andrew Miller

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 19: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns talks with a official during the game with the Oklahoma Sooners at The Frank Erwin Center on January 19, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 19: Head coach Shaka Smart of the Texas Longhorns talks with a official during the game with the Oklahoma Sooners at The Frank Erwin Center on January 19, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – JANUARY 14: Matt Coleman III #2 of the Texas Longhorns shoots against Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 14, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – JANUARY 14: Matt Coleman III #2 of the Texas Longhorns shoots against Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 14, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

Recent struggles

The hot seat for Texas basketball ramping up for Smart generated due to all the losses since the start of Big 12 play. Even the non-conference slate delivered a host of confusing defeats where the Horns were upset at home at the Frank Erwin Events Center. Defeats to VCU, the Radford Highlanders, and Providence Friars, were a few examples of the letdown during the non-conference slate.

This weekend’s SEC/Big 12 Challenge loss to Georgia seems like one of the final straws in a season where Smart can’t get much to fall in his direction. But, the abundance of mediocrity with the Texas basketball program now remained a constant for the past four seasons so that is a worrying sign in Smart’s case.

There were a few bright spots so far this season. An undefeated start in conference play, beating the Oklahoma Sooners, and showing out in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational, were all accomplishments that Smart should be proud of. But, wins over opponents like the Sooners, North Carolina Tar Heels, Arkansas Razorbacks, Purdue Boilermakers, and Kansas State Wildcats are all overshadowed by another losing streak.

Texas has now lost two in a row and five of the last six. This team finds itself near the bottom of the Big 12 standings for the second time in the last three seasons. And, two of the losses during this six-game stretch were really bad. Falling short against the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Georgia just aren’t acceptable.

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