Texas Basketball: 3 early storylines for Big 12/SEC Challenge vs. Kentucky
1) Storylines for Texas basketball vs. Kentucky: Who can get on the right track for conference play
If this round of the Big 12/SEC Challenge is anything like it was in year’s past (and it looks like it will be), then it will be a good opportunity for each team to build a lot of momentum and confidence for a break in conference play. Texas wasn’t able to capitalize on the chance to build up momentum and their NCAA Tournament resume (which was all for naught anyway) against LSU last season.
Maybe they can get the big upset win this coming season over Kentucky to really start building themselves up for the latter stretch of Big 12 play. There will be just over one month between the Big 12/SEC Challenge between Texas and Kentucky and the start of the conference tournament in the Big 12.
Who knows how the conference slate will stack up for each team, but what we do know is that these squads are likely to be ranked inside the top 25 of the major polls heading into the 2020-21 season. Smart and the Longhorns will likely need the win to continue to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume at this point of the season.
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Another important sub plot to watch here is the hot seat that Smart found himself on near the end of last season. The 2019-20 season getting called off early in the midst of the novel coronvirus pandemic made the decision tough from athletic director Chris del Conte as to what to do with Smart heading into the offseason. But this might be the last opportunity for Smart to prove himself as the Texas head coach. He’ll be coaching in this game without former Texas assistant Jai Lucas, who was nabbed by Calipari and the Wildcats over the offseason.