Texas Basketball: 3 bold predictions in bounce back game vs. Texas St

1) Texas basketball bold predictions vs. Texas St

Jericho Sims and Greg Brown have their most efficient game so far

This isn’t so much of a bold prediction as it just is something that finally needs to transpire for the Longhorns early in this regular season. Texas isn’t getting the best play out of their starting frontcourt rotation so far this season. Senior center Jericho Sims was supposed to have the best season of his career, and Texas has a likely star in the making in the former elite five-star recruit and freshman power forward Greg Brown.

Last season, Sims got off to a hot start and never looked back at the outset of Big 12 play. The same could not be said for the way he’s started off his senior campaign. It’s surely not due to lack of opportunity for Sims this season, as he’s started in all five games he’s played in. He’s averaged just 6.2 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.4 blocks. Sims shot 47.6 percent from the field and 57.9 percent from the free-throw line.

In all likelihood, Sims will see his game lift off soon, but he’s not very efficient or productive for the Longhorns at the moment. A lot of that is also due to a career-high 6.2 personal fouls per 40 minutes. Get the fouls down and get Sims in rhythm and we’re likely going to see a big turnaround in his game.

As it pertains to Brown, he’s had the tendency to get off to hot starts in games this season and see his productivity and overall efficiency slow down in the second half. He’s had quite a few highlights this season, but his advanced metrics are also pretty bad.

In five games played this season (all of which he’s started in), Brown averaged 8.2 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks. And he’s shot just 33.3 percent from the field, 11.8 percent from beyond the arc, and 76.5 percent from the free-throw line. All of that has amounted to a rather poor -4.3 box plus/minus rating, .075 win shares per 40 minutes, and a 10.5 player efficiency rating.

This is a huge opportunity for Sims and Brown to breakthrough against a much less talented frontcourt rotation from Texas State. They’re going to have both the size and athleticism advantage in this game.