Texas Basketball: 3 reasons the Longhorns will upset No. 1 Gonzaga
Texas has nearly unlimited frontcourt depth to deal with Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren
Gonzaga is the top-ranked team in the nation for a good reason. They have a very potent starting unit and a good amount of returning experience between some of their newer transfer portal additions and some upperclassmen. Nembhard and big man Drew Timme have a lot of experience coming back for the Zags.
The most notable new addition for Few and the Zags this season is the former No. 1 recruit and seven-foot big man Chet Holmgren. The 7-foot and 195-pound Holmgren got off to a solid start in his college career, with a 15-point night back on Nov. 9 against Dixie State.
The good news for the Longhorns here is that Texas has more than enough depth to deal with the Zags top frontcourt unit. Between junior center Tre Mitchell and a talented forward trio that includes senior Timmy Allen, senior Christian Bishop, and freshman Jaylon Tyson, Texas matches up well with the likes of Holmgren and Timme.
Texas does bring more proven depth to the table in the frontcourt/forward unit to deal with the Zags, who aren’t as experienced or proven in this regard.
Mitchell will definitely be a key to success here for the Longhorns. He had a spectacular debut for the Longhorns earlier this week coming off the bench. Mitchell had 10 points, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in the season-opening win over Houston Baptist. And he matches up well with the Zags given his ability to defend the rim and space the floor.
Next. 3 players that could be All-Americans for Texas hoops. dark
All in all, the edge that Texas holds in terms of depth and proven experience in the frontcourt/forward unit should help out with winning the bench-scoring battle. As a whole, Texas looks to have a deeper bench compared to the Zags.